Five-time Tour de Romandie stage winner Michael Albasini will ride with ORICA-GreenEDGE for a further two-years in an important re-signing for the team.

The Suisse rider, who is poised to line up in his tenth UCI Road Cycling World Championship road race this Sunday, is considered a crucial part of the Australian outfit delivering both personal results but also playing a key role in many of the team’s other major achievements.

Like ORICA-GreenEDGE, Albasini also acknowledges the successful partnership that spans the past four years, since the team’s inception.

“It was very easy for me to decide on staying at ORICA-GreenEDGE because I feel 100% at home on this team,” the 34-year-old said. “I feel the different roles that I have here fit perfectly with the type of rider I am.

“I’m proud that I’m able to pass something on to the younger riders and the perspective of moving towards being a general classfication team is something I’m really exited about for us. The team has such deep line-up for the big races and I’m looking forward to doing my best for our aspirations here with guys like (Esteban) Chaves and the Yates brothers.

“At the same time, I’m proud to be able to get my own chance in the races that suit me if the legs are OK. There are certainly some races where I want to give it a real go. The combination of those two aspects and the feeling of being part of a family on the team makes this the perfect scenario for my next seasons."

Albasini’s results in 2015 included two stages of the Tour de Romandie and a third place at Fleche Wallonne before his season was interrupted as one of three major injuries suffered by the team at the Tour de France.

In addition, Albasini has also been involved in the team’s 2014 Liege-Bastogne-Liege, GP Quebec and GP Montreal victories and 2013 Tour de France stage wins and four days in the Maillot Jaune.

“It’s great news that Michael is extending with the team and we hope that in the future he will eventually finish his career with us,” sport director Matt White said.

“He has been a key member of our team since we started. He is such a versatile guy who has helped in getting us our biggest wins and who has also won some very solid races on his own.

“In the next two years we can expect more of the same. Some of the biggest targets we have, Alba is part of, but he is also a guy that delivers us regular WorldTour level wins every year too.”

Michael Albasini
Date of birth: 20th December 1980 (34)
Nationality: Suisse
Turned pro: 2005

Palmares:
- 5-time Tour de Romandie stage winner (2014 & 2015)
- 3rd 2015 Fleche Wallonne
- 1st 2013 Tour de France – Stage 4 (TTT)
- 1st 2012 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya – General Classification
- 1st 2011 Vuelta a Espana – Stage 12