Tom Boonen to sign new contract with Etixx - Quick-Step
34-year-old says he 'always wanted' to extend his contract for one more year with the Belgian squad, though it's yet to be made official
Tom Boonen looks set to sign with Etixx - Quick-Step for a further year, after confirming that talks were now finished over his contract after a protracted saga that saw uncertainty surround the Belgian's future.
Though the team have yet to officially announce the deal, Boonen essentially confirmed his stay with Etixx as he told Het Nieuwsblad that he was happy to be putting contract talks behind him, adding another year to the team he'd been with for over a decade.
"The final discussions did not last very long," said the four-time Paris-Roubaix winner.
"In two weeks we were done. I'm glad it's behind us. I will be staying for one year, as I actually always wanted. I still enjoy all parts of cycling very much, it is better at this age to decide year by year. When this new contract expires, I'll be 36-years-old."
Boonen's 2015 season didn't quite live-up to how he might have hoped, after missing out on the cobbled Classics having dislocated his shoulder in a crash at Paris-Nice in March.
He returned to racing at the Giro d'Italia, but abandoned before the final week, while he managed to take his first WorldTour victory of the year in August at the Eneco Tour as he sprinted to stage three victory.
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Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
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