On the day when he is set to shine in the Tour de France time trial, Luke Durbridge has extended his contract with Orica-GreenEDGE. The Australian hopes to continue his development with the team that allowed him to turn professional.

Time-trial specialist Luke Durbridge has joined Simon Gerrans in committing to ORICA-GreenEDGE, signing a new two-year deal that will see the 23-year-old ride with the team until the end of 2016.

Durbridge, both a workhorse and winning rider for the team, started as a neo-pro in 2012 and was rewarded for his efforts with a call up to his first Tour de France this year.

“I’m really glad to have signed. I couldn’t have picked a better place to turn pro and my first seasons here have confirmed that this is the right team for me going onwards,” Durbridge said ahead of the time trial on the penultimate day of the Tour.

“I’m getting a lot of personal opportunities here and I’m able to work hard for my teammates to get some fantastic results. 

“I feel at home on this team and it’s where I see my best possibilities to develop and grow as a rider,” says Durbridge. 

The current Oceania road champion and national time trial championship silver medalist, was a significant player in the ORICA-GreenEDGE’s stage one team time trial win at the Giro d’Italia earlier this year and is expected to play a crucial role in the world championship event in September.

Last year, Durbridge became the first rider to win the elite men’s road race and time trial at the Australian championships in the same year. The West Australian went on win the Duo Normand alongside Svein Tuft and was part of the silver medal winning team at the world team time trial championships.

In 2012, his first year with the team, Durbridge put his name on the map winning the Critérium du Dauphiné prologue ahead of the likes of 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins and world time trial champion Tony Martin.

“Durbo is an incredibly gifted athlete and a great rider to work with,” said sport director Matt White. 

“He has a really big engine, is a world class time trialist and knows how to win races. 

“His first years as a pro have been very successful and I find that often people tend to forget how young he still is. I think he still has a lot of potential that we will see unfold over the next years with us.”

Luke Durbridge

Age: 23
From: Greenmount, Western Australia, Australia
Turned professional: 2012

ORICA-GreenEDGE major results:

2014

• 1st Giro d’Italia Stage 1 (TTT)
• 1st Oceania Road Race Championships
• 2nd National Time Trial Championships

2013

• 1st National Road Race Championships
• 1st National Time Trial Championships
• 1st Duo Normand (with Svein Tuft)
• 1st Stage 3 (ITT) Circuit de la Sarthe
• 1st Bay Classic Series, Portarlington Criterium
• 2nd World Team Time Trial Championships

2012

• 1st National Time Trial Championships
• 1st Critérium du Dauphiné Prologue
• 1st Eneco Tour Stage 2 (TTT)
• 1st Overall Circuit de la Sarthe
• 1st Circuit de la Sarthe Stage 3 (ITT)
• 1st Circuit de la Sarthe Young rider classification
• 1st Overall Tour du Poitou-Charentes
• 1st Tour du Poitou-Charentes Stage 4 (ITT)
• 1st Tour du Poitou-Charentes Young rider classification
• 1st Duo Normand (with Svein Tuft)
• 3rd Men's Team Time Trial UCI Road World Championships