Team Omega Pharma-Quick-Step earlier today announced that Sylvain Chavanel has extended his contract with the team. The reigning French champion will be riding with Patrick Lefevere's new combined Omega Pharma-QuickStep team in the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

"I'm very happy with the agreement we've reached. I get on well on this team and together with them these past few years I've made a lot of progress, obtaining some of my most prestigious victories," a happy Chavanel told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi

"My thanks goes to Lefevere and the team for the faith they've always placed in me. I was also very impressed with the important projects the team is working on for the future and I like the idea of being a part of things with an important role to play. My future objective is to improve even further and to try and succeed in a great classic while I'm with this team. This year I've proven that I can do it."

Team Manager Patrick Lefevre is very pleased to have renewed the contract with Chavanel and believes that his presence will have a positive effect on the team's youngest riders.

"For us it's gratifying to be able to count on Sylvain for the near future. We already had an agreement with him for 2012 and we decided together to extemd the deal to the end of 2013. Sylvain is a great rider but he's also a team player, someone we can always count on. His presence on the team is also an important example for the younger guys, and he transmits serenity to his teammates."