Horner signs with US domestic team

Chris Horner has reportedly signed a one-year deal with a US domestic team, according to Cyclingnews. The 2013 Vuelta a Espana winner's contract was not renewed by Lampre-Merida after an injury and illness-hit season. 

Horner had been scheduled to ride the Giro d'Italia, but his plans were scuppered by a crash while training near Lake Como in April. He did manage to ride the Tour de France, but he was pulled from the Vuelta a Espana by his team after it was revealed he had low cortisol levels. 

The American's agent is Baden Cooke, the Australian former Orica-GreenEDGE rider. Cooke managed to secure Horner a ride on Lampre-Merida in January this year, but now Horner has been forced to settle for a domestic race programme. 

Cooke reportedly described the team as 'up and coming' but would not reveal which team it was. Teams who had already ruled out signing the fourty three year old American were UnitedHealthcare, Jamis, Jelly Belly and SmartStop.