Having made a fine debut season with the Saxo Bank team, the former mountain bike rider Jakob Fuglsang has signed up for another three years with the Danish squad.
"I am enormously grateful for the perspective that the extension with Team Saxo Bank offers my career,” he said. “Now I know that I'll get the best development opportunities for the next three years on a team I truly care for.”
Fuglsang secured Saxo Bank’s interest last year when he won the Tour of Denmark, and moved to the team from the small Designa Køkken squad. He defending his title this season, as well as winning the Tour of Slovenia, finishing second in the Giro dell’Emilia, sixth overall in both the Volta a Catalunya and the Dauphiné Libéré and tenth in the Tour of Ireland. He rode his first Grand Tour when he participated in the Vuelta a España and took second, third and third on stages.
“I am proud of what I have achieved this year, and it's no secret that the conditions on Team Saxo Bank suit me perfectly,” he said. “It has been a natural choice for me to extend and I am looking forward to another three years on the team.”
Team owner Bjarne Riis believes he’s going to be one of the top names in the years ahead. “Jakob is without a doubt one of the biggest talents in cycling and this season he has underlined his huge potential,” he said. “To make a top professional debut like this has hardly been seen before and I have no doubt that Jacob can go far in the sport.
“Without overestimating, I would not be surprised if he is seen in the forefront of the Tour de France within a few years. To extend his contract with another three years is a huge win for the team and I am sure he will take another major step up the rankings next year. Jakob is well on his way to becoming a complete rider.”