Spanish rider Mikel Landa will join Astana Pro Team next season after signing a two-year contract with the Kazakhstan-based squad the team has announced.
Landa, still only 23 years old, has raced professionally for the Euskaltel-Euskadi team for the past three seasons, after beginning his professional career in 2010 at Orbea-Oreka.
"We are especially pleased to go into the future together with Mikel, and with him on board next year we add a very talented young stage racer with definite, positive prospects for our own ambitions," said Astana Pro Team General Manager Alexandr Vinokurov on the Astana website.
Despite his young age, Landa can boast a brief yet impressive career palmares which includes a stage win at Spain's Vuelta a Burgos in 2011, and podium finishes at the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain and Vuelta de Madrid.
"Astana Pro Team is building its 2014 program with very specific goals, including the Tour de France with our team captain Vincenzo Nibali. With Landa on board we take a great step not only towards July of next year, but into the years ahead as well. As Landa grows and develops, along with our other young and talented riders, we will see the next generation of Grand Tour contenders and champions take shape right before our eyes," Vinokurov added.
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