Tour de France and/or Vuelta believed to be rider’s target in 2013

Danish stage race talent Jajob Fuglsang has finalised his contract negotiations and will compete for the next three seasons in the colours of the Astana team.



The 27 year old has underlined his ability with three Tour of Denmark wins plus victories this year in the Tours of Luxembourg and Austria, plus the Danish TT title. He was in negotiations with Omega Pharma Quick Step and his former team, Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank but as Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet reports, he has finally opted for Astana.



The signing will be a relief for Fuglsang, who was sidelined from this year’s Tour de France and several other WorldTour races by general manager Johan Bruyneel. The latter said he wouldn’t be selected because of a UCI rule which attributes 100 percent of a rider’s points to his future team.



Fuglsang was apparently concerned by Bjarne Riis’ negotiations with Roman Kreuziger; with Alberto Contador set to lead the team in the Tour de France, Fuglsang wanted to be team leader in other Grand Tours, but Kreuziger’s presence would have complicated that.



According to Ekstra Bladet, Astana’s top signing Vincenzo Nibali will head the Giro d’Italia squad next year with goals of winning the race, while Fuglsang will be the protected rider for either the Tour de France, the Vuelta a España or both.



Both Nibali and Fuglsang will have their own support riders next year.



The team’s current leader, Alexandre Vinokouov, retired following this week’s Clasica San Sebastian. He may have a managerial role next year with the team, thus working with Fuglsang, Nibali and the team’s other riders towards their goals.