James Knox extends stay with Deceuninck-Quick-Step

Britain's James Knox has signed a new contact with Belgian team Deceuninck-Quick-Step that will extend his stay for a further two years.

The 23-year-old has been with the team since 2018 and was contracted through to the end of the 2019 season, but will now stay until the end of 2021.

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Knox, a talented climber, has already shown his ability to compete with some of the best general classification riders in the world, finishing eighth at the UAE Tour back in March and 14th at the Tour de Romandie.

The Cumbrian also made his Grand Tour debut in 2019 at the Giro d'Italia, but was forced to abandon with a knee injury ahead of stage 13 following a number of crashes. Knox has yet to resume racing following the Giro but could be back in action by the end of this month.

“I’m so chuffed to be re-signing for two more years with Deceuninck – Quick-Step and it’s also a bit of a relief to know Patrick and the team are happy with what I’ve done so far," Knox said on his new contract.

"It was a dream come true when I joined the team in 2018 and honestly, it’s been even better than expected. What the team has achieved whilst I’ve been here has been truly staggering and to be a small part of some of those victories is more than I could have ever imagined.”

Knox, who began his pro career with Team Wiggins in 2016 before moving to Quick-Step in 2018, says he is still just looking to keep improving over the next two years with the team, but says he is thinking about taking his first victory in the team's blue colours.

“I’d like to think I’m making steady progress, and most of that is down to the team, learning from the best in the business, getting my own chances to race and just being taken care of brilliantly on all fronts," Knox added.

"This year has been another step forward with some nice results to back up how I finished last season, and hopefully more to come for the rest of the year. We’ll see what the next two seasons bring, I’m still young and just hoping I can continue progressing for now, but I wouldn’t mind chalking up a Deceuninck – Quick-Step win for myself.”