Gustav Larsson (Saxobank-Sungard) will be a threat in the mountains this week. (Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Vacansoleil-DCM continued its planning for the coming year, announcing the signing of Swedish time trial specialist Gustav Larsson for one year. Currently with Saxo Bank-SunGard, the 31-year-old was second in both the 2008 Olympic time trial and the 2009 Worlds time trial, and won the closing time trial of the 2010 Giro d'Italia.
Sport Director Michel Cornelisse said that Larsson is a rider “who can win races and is able to work for his teammates. We also see a role for him in stage races with the young riders in tow. In 2011 we saw for instance that we lacked experience in team time trials. He can be of great value."
Larsson was looking forward to the challenges of the new year. "I am extremely pleased with the new team. The way this team rides is attractive and all the riders get the opportunity to shape their own good chance to go. One week will see the riders go through fire for each other because they know that their teammates will do it for them the following week. I am inspired to be here in 2012 to contribute a bit.”
He was also looking for his own chances. “It is an interesting year in which there are enough races to look forward to as a time trialist. So I have a few races in my head that I really want to ride and that definitely includes revenge in the Olympic time trial.”
Larsson's only win this year was the national time trial title. He finished twelfth in the Worlds time trial in Copenhagen.
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