Saxo Bank signs Didier for two years

Luxembourg rider Laurent Didier will race for Team Saxo Bank in 2010 after signing a two-year contract with the team this week. The 25-year-old rode with CSC-Saxo Bank as a stagiaire in 2008 and will join compatriots Fränk and Andy Schleck at the ProTour squad next season.

"I'm really happy about this contract and I'm looking forward to joining the team. I know Fränk and Andy quite well and know that I'll get ample opportunity to improve myself with Team Saxo Bank," said Didier, on the Saxo Bank website.

Didier completed an engineering degree in 2008 before commencing his professional cycling career. This year he has ridden his first season as a full time pro, currently rides for Danish pro continental squad Team Designa Køkken.

He finished runner up in both the Luxembourg road and individual time trial championships in June, to Andy Schleck and Kim Kirchen (Columbia-HTC), respectively.

Saxo Bank Directeur Sportif Kim Andersen said the team was looking forward to developing Didier's talent. "Laurent is definitely a great talent, who has the ability to become a skilled mountain rider in time," he said. "It will be very interesting to see how far he'll be able to take it and I'm sure he'll turn out to be a great asset to the team."