Kevin De Weert extends contract with Quick Step

In a Tour de France rest day announcement, the Quick Step team on Monday said it has signed Belgian Kevin De Weert for the next two seasons, with an option for one after that.

“Kevin is proving to have reached an optimal level of maturity,” team manager Patrick Lefevere said. “He’s a serious athlete, an example for the team. After the good 2010 Tour, Kevin is showing that this year he can still progress. The team has faith in him and his abilities.”

De Weert is 14th in the Tour after stage 9, 3:47 behind race leader Thomas Voeckler.

“For me it’s an enormous satisfaction to be able to keep racing with this team in the future” De Weert said. “We’re a nice group. The atmosphere and professionalism inside a team are fundamental ingredients for managing to obtain results at this level. I’ve found all of this on this team and I’m happy I can continue to do my part in the near future.”