RadioShack manager Johan Bruyneel has confirmed that the American team will continue for another two years, according to British news agency Reuters. The Belgian, who guided Lance Armstrong to all seven of his Tour de France victories confirmed that agreements had been made with the team’s backers to finance the team through 2013.
“We continue for two years with our current partners,” Bruyneel said.
As well as RadioShack, bike sponsor Trek and car maker Nissan are also said to have extended their relationship with the team.
The RadioShack team was launched at the end of the 2009 Tour de France, as a vehicle for Lance Armstrong’s bid to win his eighth edition of the race the next year. 2010 did not go well for the American though, as a series of crashes and poor form saw him finish in 23rd place.
Armstrong took the decision to retire form the sport for a second time after the Tour Down Under in January. Since that time he has been under pressure from the federal investigation into alleged doping during his Tour reign, and many felt that the team which was set up around him would fold as sponsors walked away; their decision to stick around will come as a surprise to many.
“It’s proof that it goes beyond one single rider,” said Bruyneel.
Ironically it is since Armstrong’s retirement that the team has gained many of its best results. This year the team has won the Ruta del Sol, the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, the Driedaagse De Panne, the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, the tour of California and the Tour de Suisse, and is currently ranked third in the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Ranking.
RadioShack starts the Tour de France on Saturday with four genuine overall contenders in Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner, Andreas Klöden and Janez Brajkovic.