Having weighed up offers from various teams, 2005 world road race champion Tom Boonen and the Quick Step squad have confirmed that he will remain part of the Belgian outfit for the next two years.
The 30 year old Classic specialist has signed until the end of 2013, and has an option to continue until 2014.
He was known to have been approached by several other outfits, but has decided that staying with his current squad and team manager Patrick Lefevere is the best option for his career.
"I always said this team was my first choice,” he stated. “I feel great here, it's like a family. There's a good, professional environment which is exactly what I want. I had a long chat with Patrick about the sports goals, and not just those, that he and Mr Bakala have for the team in the near future, and I was fascinated by their ideas.
“I am proud Patrick asked me to be a part of it, it's a big sign of the team's trust and consideration for me. Reaching this agreement will be a further incentive to do my best in the next few races and to give the team new successes as soon as possible.”
Boonen’s next target will be to try to once again win the Belgian road race championships, two years after taking it for the first time. After that he will head to the Tour de France, chasing what would be his seventh stage win. He last took a victory there in 2007, and so another is long overdue.
Lefevere said that he was delighted that one of his favourite riders will remain as part of the squad. “We are very satisfied about the agreement we have reached,” he said. “Our team's history is strictly connected to Tom's history. Our team grew thanks to Tom, too, just like his personal achievements and the trophies he got are a result of the effort our team made to help him.
“Tom has been with us ever since the team was founded in 2003, and it's a pleasure to be able to go on working together.”
The Belgian has had a somewhat frustrating season thus far, netting fourth in the Tour of Flanders and then losing out on his Paris-Roubaix chances due to crashes and mechanical problems. However he won a stage of the Tour of Qatar plus Gent-Wevelgem and will hope to chase his second world title in Copenhagen later this year.