Horner signs on with RadioShack for two years

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Chris Horner has confirmed that he will race with Team RadioShack in 2010. He told American newspaper The Oregonian on Saturday that he has signed a two-year contract with Lance Armstrong's new team.

Horner will join a number of his current Astana teammates including Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Klöden, plus team manager Johan Bruyneel at RadioShack next season.

"I did talk with other teams," Horner told the newspaper, "but wanted to stay here."

Horner's move to RadioShack ends two seasons at Astana, and will mark his return to an American squad for the first time in five years. He has been racing in Europe since 2004, when he left a prolific US-based career to join Saunier Duval. After year with the Spanish squad he went to Davitamon-Lotto, where he was a key lieutenant for Australian Cadel Evans.  He joined Astana in 2008.

Horner's 2009 season has been beset by misfortune. Crashes in the Tour of California, Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España all resulted in broken bones. A return to competition in between the Italian and Spanish Grand Tours saw him take second place overall at the French four-day race, the Tour de l'Ain.

Horner has spent the last month in the United States as he recovers from injuries sustained in his most recent crash, on stage four of the Vuelta into Liege. Although the injuries turned out to be more serious that initially thought - with a broken pelvis diagnosed upon his return to the United States - Horner told Cyclingnews two weeks ago that he was confident of a return to Europe in time for the final races of the season.

He is expected to line up in the final UCI World Calendar event, the Giro di Lombardia, on October 17. Horner finished in seventh place in last year's edition of the Italian one-day race.

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