Chris Froome extends contract with Team Sky

Froome wins stage 17 of the Vuelta on his way to finishing second overall

Britain's Chris Froome has signed a new three-year contract with Team Sky.

The 26-year-old shot to prominence by recently coming second at the Vuelta a Espana, equalling the highest placed Grand Tour finish for a British rider.

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford said: "Chris's performance at the Tour of Spain was tremendously exciting.

"It generated interest for his services from other teams. In light of this we are pleased he has chosen Team Sky as the best place to continue his career."

Froome, who was born in Kenya but qualifies as a British rider through his grandparents, was among the first six riders to join the fledgling Sky team in 2009.

Although employed primarily as a climbing domestique - to help the likes of Bradley Wiggins in the mountain stages at the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana - Froome has enjoyed top-10 finishes in the tours of Castilla y Leon, Romandie, Luxembourg and Switzerland in 2011.

And at this month's Tour of Spain, he outclimbed eventual race winner Juan Jose Cobo to win stage 17 - his first on a Grand Tour - on the Pena Cabraga and cement his position as second in the general classification, ahead of Wiggins.

His individual performance matched that of Robert Millar, who finished second at the 1987 Giro d'Italia and was the first mountain-top stage win by a Brit in a Grand Tour since Millar in the 1989 Tour de France.

"Standing on the podium at this year's Vuelta a Espana was the highlight of my professional career so far," he said.

"But that success was only possible because of everyone at Team Sky, both on and off the road, and so I am absolutely delighted to be signing an extension to stay with the team for the next three years."

"Team Sky has made a tremendous impact on professional cycling in a very short space of time.

"We have an outstanding backroom team and some of the most talented riders in the peloton. I am very much looking forward to going into future events with the current support structure behind me."

Froome has been named in a strong British team for next week's road cycling World Championships in Denmark.