Endura expand roster and horizons

ENDURA EXPANDING

Two Kiwis are the latest additions to Endura Racing's roster, making a grand total of fourteen riders for the Scottish-based squad for 2010.

Jack Bauer hooks up with his new team for its opening race of the season, the Tour of the Mediterranean, in February, with Jason Christie following on from New Zealand in March.

Bauer scored several top-five kermesse placings during a brief racing trip to Belgium this season, topped off with a win at Knesselare. The 24 year old also took a stage at this month's Tour of Southland in New Zealand on the way to second overall.

Talented youngster Jason Christie landed his first track World Cup medal in Adelaide last year at the tender age of 17 with bronze in the scratch race. Two bronze medals at the junior World Championships and a road win in the Raiffeisen Grand Prix in Austria also feature on Christie's palmares.   

Former British road champion Brian Smith has been closely involved in sounding out new signings, according to Endura managing director Jim McFarlane: "He puts his feelers out...and they stretch quite far!" he said.

The squad held its first get-together at Endura's headquarters in Livingston yesterday, minus Bauer and Christie, and Evan Oliphant and James McCallum - the team's two Scots currently racing in Australia. Oliphant finished 7th in the three-day Tour of Perth.

Team manager/rider Rob Hayles set out his stall at the team meeting. The domestic calendar is the main priority after a punishing early-season programme in France. Having a UCI Continental licence is no guarantee of entry into the Tour of Britain, as Endura discovered this year.

"It is not a given, but we have got the lads on the squad that are going to be able to do it," says Hayles. "And we have got the Tour Series again. We have got three riders on the squad who have won it and I know we want to do that again."

Tour Series: Endura mean business this time

Team Endura Racing 2010

Jack Bauer

Ross Creber

Jason Christie

Gary Hand

Rob Hayles

Evan Oliphant

Sandy King

David Lines

James McCallum

James Moss

Rob Partridge

Scott Thwaites

Callum Wilkinson

Ian Wilkinson

LUCY GARNER'S AWARD

Fourteen year old track prospect Lucy Garner from Leicester landed £1,000 as the winner of a 'Taut 100' award. The Olympic Talent Team rider impressed the judges, including Olympic rower Matthew Pinsent, with her "dedication, enthusiasm and sheer commitment to her sport".

Garner beat a shortlist of 100 young athletes to the prize that recognises young athletes who have shown extraordinary levels of excellence, passion and natural talent in their chosen sport.

The renowned young sprinter now goes through to the final with a top prize of £5,000, courtesy of sports drink manufacturer Taut.       

Garner: A grand day out

SKY'S WORKPLACE CYCLING CAMPAIGN

Sky's campaign to get one million more Britons cycling is already well-documented.

However, their passion for cycling also extends to the workplace it seems. The company hopes to get 25% of its 17,500 employees cycling by 2015, either cycling to work or for leisure.

"Staff engagement is really important," said Sky's head of cycling, Corin Dimopolous. "Our secret to success is getting our employees excited and excited about cycling."