Steegmans to join RadioShack next season

Belgian Gert Steegmans will join RadioShack in 2010, Johan Bruyneel confirmed to Belgian media. Steegmans, 28, should form part of the growing Spring Classics team.

Steegmans left team Katusha in August after he refused to sign the team's anti-doping charter. He disagreed with the Russian team's demands that riders give five times their salary if caught doping.

His last race with Katusha was the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré stage race, June 14

Bruyneel is currently team manager with Astana, home of Lance Armstrong and Tour de France winner Alberto Contador. Bruyneel will join Armstrong's newly formed American team, RadioShack, likely as team manager.

Armstrong said July 23 American company RadioShack would sponsor the team for two years.

Team RadioShack has also signed Levi Leipheimer, Sébastien Rosseler, Jose Luis Rubiera and Sergio Paulinho.

Steegmans turned professional in 2003 with Lotto-Domo, and joined Quick Step in 2007. He rode there for two years before joining Katusha this year.