Kanstantsin Siutsou is the latest HTC-Highroad rider to join Sky Procycling, following yesterday’s announcement of Danny Pate’s move to the team. The Belarusian is in his fourth year on the American squad and has become a reliable all rounder in the peloton. Listed amongst his biggest achievements on the bike to date are being crowned the under 23 world road race champion in 2004 and winning a stage of the 2009 Giro d’Italia.
In the past, Siutsou also rode for Fassa Bortolo, Acqua e Sapone and Barloworld and will now look to add depth to the British team, which will enter its third season in the peloton next year.
“I am very happy to be joining Team Sky and look forward to riding with my new team-mates,” he said, reacting to the signing. “The team is a strong one and I know a lot of the guys here already. I have ridden in the past with Thomas Löfkvist, Michael Barry, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Michael Rogers and Morris Possoni, and they have all told me how good it is here in terms of the organisation and the way they look after you."
Siutsou’s only individual victory this year was winning the time trial in his national championships. However he impressed again in the Giro d’Italia, when he was part of team time trial-winning squad on stage one and went on to finish in tenth place overall.
“If I get the chance to show what I can do in the week-long stage races and one of the Grand Tours next year, I will be very happy,” he said, talking about his targets. “It was great to finish in the top ten of the Giro this year, and even though my legs weren’t all that good, I was also able to finish eighth at the Critérium du Dauphiné a few weeks later. Hopefully I will be able to ride even better next year if I have more team-mates there to support me in these types of races.”
The 29 year old is one of a handful of riders brought across to Team Sky for next year, as the team grows in its goal to win the Tour de France with Bradley Wiggins. The aforementioned Pate, Richie Porte and Sergio Luis Henao are some of the riders the team has acquired but Team Sky Principal Dave Brailsford had particular praise for Siutsou’s signing.
“In Kanstantsin we have signed a versatile and strong rider who will be a fantastic addition to our team. He showed with his top-10 finish in arguably the hardest ever Giro d’Italia last May what an exciting talent he is. His consistency throughout that race was impressive and he showed why he is so highly regarded within the peloton.
“Kanstantsin is a rider who is also more than happy to dig deep in support of team mates when he is not going for the race win himself. Add to that his strong time trial abilities and you can see how big an asset he will be for Team Sky in 2012.”