Cycling: Astana signed contract with American champion

Astana cycling team has signed a two-year contract with 22-y.o. cyclist Evan Huffman, Vesti.kz reports citing the athlete’s Twitter. The newcomer is the cycling champion of the United States in U-23 category in time trial and road racing. Huffman said that Astana cyclists are riding Specialized bicycles and that fact affected his decision to join the team. New Astana leader Vincenzo Nibali, and three-time champion of Tour of Denmark Jakob Fuglsang, sprinter Andrea Guardini and mountain cyclists Alessandro Vanotti and Fabio Aru will become Huffman’s partners in Kazakhstan's cycling team. Huffman will put on Astana T-shirt in 2013-2014 season. “It’s crazy to be on the same team as guys who I’m used to watching on TV. It’s hard to consider myself being on the same level as them. It’s obviously a massive step up, and the shock of it really hasn't set in yet and what it really means,” Huffman said in an interview to Cyclingnews.com.