Lucas looks to repay the team with victories after difficult 2011
Team SaxoBank-SunGard today announced contract extensions for brothers Juan José and Lucas Haedo which will see them remain on the Danish team for the 2012 season. The 30 year old J.J. started his career racing for continental teams in America before stepping up to the big leagues in Europe with the team in 2007, then known as CSC. Since then he has consistently won races every season, and this has led to the decision by Bjarne Riis for him to remain on the team.
“We have every reason to believe that the Haedo brothers will add victories to our palmares next year. At the same time both J.J. and Lucas are great guys to work with and they fit well on the team,” owner Riis says.
“J.J. has proved he is a strong sprinter numerous times and added two big wins to his total this year. I truly believe there is more to come from him.”
The wins Riis refers were on stage sixteen of the Vuelta a España – where J.J. became the first Argentine to pick up a victory in a Grand Tour – plus a stage of Tirreno – Adriatico, where he beat some of the world’s fastest men such as Edvald Boasson Hagen, Tyler Farrar and Alessandro Petacchi.
“I have had five great years with this team, and I’m happy to stay here for another season and keep developing as a rider. Now I really look forward to the coming season to try to win some big races and help my team-mates to do so,” J.J. said.
“That’s the thing with this team, we have a really nice rider group, and being part of this team and at the same time being able to race with my brother just makes it even more special.”
Younger brother Lucas has had a more trying season after getting knocked off his bike by a police motorbike in Paris-Nice early this year. The Argentine has struggled to get back to top form and will look to repay Riis for the faith instilled in him.
“Lucas has had a really unlucky season that was affected and pretty much ruined by his crash in Paris-Nice. So I think he deserved another chance to prove his ability to win races himself and to be a lead out rider for his team-mates,” Riis added.
The Haedo brothers are part of a few siblings in the peloton who get to share a team with their brothers, such as Andy and Frank Schleck (Leopard Trek), Martin and Peter Velits (HTC Highroad) plus Cameron and Travis Meyer (Garmin-Cervélo).