The BMC Racing Team announced Wednesday it has extended the contract of Brent Bookwalter through the end of the 2016 season.
 

Bookwalter won a stage of the USA Pro Challenge last month and led the race for two days before finishing runner-up overall to teammate Rohan Dennis. The 31-year-old American was also twice runner-up on stages at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah last month on the way to third place overall and the sprints classification title.

"Brent has brought years of high performance and unselfish sacrifices to his fellow teammates, yet he continues to find many individual successes himself," BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz said. "His presence on the starting line always gives the team a feeling of confidence."

Bookwalter said he is excited to be returning for a team-leading ninth season.

"This is where I feel like I am home and where I have been able to grow and develop and find personal success while helping the team achieve many of its goals as well," he said. "I feel like it is a great relationship and partnership and it is really exciting to be able to continue it for another year."

After joining the team in 2008, Bookwalter finished runner-up in the Stage 1 individual time trial of the 2010 Giro d'Italia. In 2011, he helped Cadel Evans win the Tour de France. In 2013, he won the opening stage of the Tour of Qatar on the way to a runner-up finish overall. He was also runner-up at the inaugural Tour of Alberta. The same year, he earned silver medals in both the road race and the time trial at the national championships.

"The success I have been able to find is a testament to a lot of hard work and commitment from myself, the people who are close to me and from the BMC Racing Team," Bookwalter said. "I have been fortunate to have close advisors, family and friends who have helped me develop and continue to progress. It has been fulfilling to step into a leadership role when the opportunity arises and I am looking forward to more of these opportunities in 2016. Whether it is working for others as a teammate, or continuing my path as a more veteran rider of the team, I feel like I am still improving and have yet to reach my best level." 

Bookwalter will compete for the final time this season Sunday at the UCI world road championships. before organizing the second running of his "Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo" next month in Black Mountain, N.C.