Alex Rasmussen, a four-time world track champion and silver medalist on the track at the Beijing Olympics, has signed with Boulder-based Team Garmin-Cervelo for 2012, the team announced Wednesday.
Rasmussen, 27, was a member of Denmark’s silver medal-winning 4,000-meter pursuit team in Beijing three years ago. He turned to road racing this year after the International Olympic Committee eliminated one of his track events, the Madison.
“I was disappointed in the changes,” he told Cyclingnews.com in January. “It was really terrible for track cycling. It killed it for me and a lot of guys. All the guys who were good on the track just went to the road.”
Rasmussen leaves the American-based HTC HighRoad for Garmin-Cervelo. His sprinting ability will make up for the loss of Thor Hushovd, who went to BMC Racing Team.
“Alex is a great talent, and we’re very excited to bring him to our team in 2012,” Garmin-Cervelo CEO Jonathan Vaughters said in a statement. “He’s proven that he’s versatile rider. He’s obviously gifted on the track and he’s translated that to the road.
“He is great in lead outs, he’s an exceptional time trialist and he’s developing into a great classics rider.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
