VIENNA, Sept 8, 2008 (AFP) – Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl, third in this year’s Tour de France, announced on Monday he has signed a three-year deal with the Silence-Lotto team.

His Gerolsteiner team announced at the end of last month they were dissolving after their German mineral water sponsors decided not to renew sponsorship at the end of 2008 season.

“The entire team (Silence-Lotto) give priority to the Tour (de France), it was the decisive point,” said Kohl, adding that he would like to win the event “in the next two or three years”.

Kohl, 26, will be the team’s number two rider behind Australian Cadel Evans, who finished second in the Tour de France.

“I had to choose between being the captain or having a strong team,” said the Austrian, who added that working for 32-year-old Evans “is important for my personal training. I can learn a lot from him”.

Photo by: CorVos Pro