Dan Lloyd to ride for team IG Sigma Sport in 2012

Former Garmin-Cervelo pro Dan Lloyd has signed for British team IG Sigma Sport. Lloyd had formerly said he didn't want to step down from WorldTour level afer one year with Garmin and two years with the Cervelo Test Team but will now lead the IG squad.

Having not been offered a new contract with the American Garmin team Lloyd was speaking to several French teams awaiting news of their ProTeam status.

Lloyd was hopeful that if the FDJ team were given a ProTeam licence for 2012 he would get one of the spots that would open up (ProTour teams are allowed up to 30 riders, more than a Pro Continental team), but he missed out.

Lloyd rode and finished both the Giro d'Italia (twice) and Tour de France when with the Cervelo Test Team, and was a trusted domestique of Carlos Sastre. However he was overlooked for the bigger races last year as part of a Garmin team that was full of superstars.

Lloyd is a major boost for the IG Sigma Sport team, bringing the domestique team a huge amount of experience as they look to compete at home and abroad.

Lloyd said in a press release "I had accepted that my racing career had come to an end, but I have already been persuaded out of retirement by my good friend Ian Whittingham at Sigma Sport". 

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Dan Lloyd ponders retirement after missing out on FDJ ride