Nuyens signs with Garmin-Sharp through 2015

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Slipstream sports has announced that 2011 Tour of Flanders winner Nick Nuyens will join the Garmin-Sharp squad through 2015.

The Belgian Classics specialist joins after two years with the Saxo Bank team, and will help to fill the void left by the departure of Sep Vanmarcke.

"Nick is a huge talent and we are thrilled that he will be joining Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda next season," said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Slipstream Sports. "We have wanted to continue to bolster our Classics team, and Nick is obviously a tremendous addition for us. His talent, experience and deep knowledge of these races will be invaluable. We are very happy he chose Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda and we look forward to an exciting season."

Nuyens, 32, first showed his talents in the spring classics while racing with Quick Step in 2005, when he won Omloop Het Volk. He followed that with a victory in Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne the following year before moving across to the Cofidis team.

There, he placed second in the Tour of Flanders in 2008 before moving to the Rabobank team, with which the GP de Wallonie was his only one-day success.

A move across to Saxo Bank proved to be a turnaround, and in 2011, he won both the Dwars door Vlaanderen - Waregem and Tour of Flanders, but has had little success this season due to a hip fracture sustained in Paris-Nice.

"I am really happy to join Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda. I have always admired and been charmed by them," said Nuyens. "The team is well structured, has a super team spirit and it's just a really strong squad with a good mix of young talent and a lot of experience. I'm looking forward to being a part of it."