Earlier today Team BMC Racing announced that its Tour de France champion Cadel Evans has extended his contract with the team through the 2014 season.

In addition to Evans, three-time U.S. national road champion George Hincapie has also extended his contract with the BMC Racing Team for through the 2012 season.

"Having these two stay with the BMC Racing Team next year allows for our continued growth by having our two captains stay on board to provide leadership and mentoring to others in our organization," Team BMC Racing President and General Manager Jim Ochowicz said.

"In George's case, we need him to help the young guys like Taylor Phinney and Greg Van Avermaet keep developing. For everyone else, he creates leadership in the classics and at the Tour de France."

After joining the BMC Racing Team as the reigning world road champion in 2010, Evans helped the squad earn its first berths in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia the same season. This year, Evans is number one in the UCI WorldTour rankings and helping lead the BMC Racing Team to a position as number two in the team classification.

"I feel that as a team, we have grown successfully together," Evans said about his contract extension and added "It's been an enjoyable and satisfying journey so far. From the start, I have always felt the BMC Racing Team has had a lot of confidence in me as a member and often as a leader of the team. So a longer term contract echoes this. I look forward to the years ahead. We will keep working and progressing toward the future."

George Hincapie is excited about looking forward to his 19th season in pro cycling. Hincapie has been on the Tour team of Tour de France winners a total of nine times. Showing no sign of fading, in May, he was within a tire width of winning his fourth U.S. national road title. The 2012 season will be his 19th after turning professional in 1994.

Cadel Evans and George Hincapie. Photo Fotoreporter Sirotti.

"I'm really excited to continue the success of the team," Hincapie commented and added "My two years with the BMC Racing Team has been even better than my expectations. Being able to help Cadel win the Tour de France was a career highlight for me. To be able to continue on for another year offers me more opportunities to extend the goodwill of the team."

A team representative also told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi that the team expects to announce several rider extensions and interesting new acquisitions in the coming weeks.