Menchov finally signs with Katusha

Denis Menchov has finally put pen to paper on a contract with Team Katusha. The Russian veteran signs after his 2011 team, Geox-TMC, pulled out of the sport.

Menchov is one of the most successful GrandTour riders in the current peloton with two wins in the Vuelta (2005 and 2007) and one in the Giro d’Italia (2009). He also finished third in the 2010 Tour de France.

“I am very glad to join Katusha. I have been looking forward to it for a long time, and I always regarded it as the right step for me and my career. I very much appreciate what Mr. Makarov is doing for Russian cycling. In return, I’d like to contribute as much as I can to the Russian global cycling project as well as to regaining to Russia its leading positions in world sport.”

Menchov had been in negotiations with the Russian team ahead of 2010 but talks broke down between him and then Katusha general manager Andreï Tchmil.

Menchov finished eighth in this year’s Giro d’Italia. Geox were not invited to the Tour de France but the Russian managed a fifth overall placing in the Vuelta.