Frederik Kessiakoff renews with Team Astana
Fredrik Kessiakoff extends his contract with Team Astana till the end of 2014 season as reported by Swedish Eurosport.
The Swedish professional cyclist marked his professional debut with Team Crescent in 2000 and spent a period of three years with the side.
He also represented Team Siemens-Cannondale (2004), Team Cannondale-Vredestein (2007), Team Full Dynamix-IT (2008), Team Fuji-Servetto (2009), Team Garmin-Transitions (2010) and accepted a deal with Team Astana for the 2011 season.
The 32-year-old opened his 2012 winning account with an individual time trial stage 7 of the Tour de Suisse 2012.
He rode brilliantly during the Tour de France 2012 and held the King of the Mountains jersey through stages 8 to 10 and also stage 12 to 16.
The best win of Frederik’s career came during the Tour of Austria 2011 when the rode brilliantly to restrict his major opponents.
He completed the four-stage race in a total time of 26 hours and 59 minutes and restricted Leopold Konig and Carlos Sastre at the second and the third positions in the respective order.
“Astana was the first choice and it feels great to get along and have it on paper that I stay there for two more years," he said.
"They have given me confidence. I have a good relationship with the leaders of the team”.
“Even when I run bad, they have not chased me but believed in me and given me the time I have needed".
Kessiakoff also revealed that the new contract also gives him a bump in the salary and is looking ahead to ride ahead the strong Team Astana line-up for the 2012 season.
The Swede is optimistic to ride along Vincenzo Nibali who has announced to join the team at the end of 2012 season.
"It feels like a carrot to get some more in salary," he said. "There is nothing to justify, to show the team that I deserve it".
Nibali was recently in action at the Tour de France where he managed to occupy the third overall position after the final general classifications.
Inclusion if Vincenzo Nibali will certainly provide Team Astana with the strength it requires to achieve the top level of the sport.
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