Cycle Premier - Meltaltek press release 21st February 2010

[veloriders]

On Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st February, The CyclePremier.com – Meltaltek professional cycling team kicked off the new season with a team camp at Champneys Springs. The team had a short training ride on the Saturday morning before lunch, with the team sponsors and photography for the new team website. This website will be launched shortly at www.cyclepremier.co.uk and is developed by ADL Consulting. Professional rider Jason White was unable to make the weekend due to a long standing family committment but managed to win the Elite race at his local circuit at Hog Hill on Saturday. White will be racing at the North Road Hardriders time trial next weekend.

“This was the second team training camp,” explained team manager Rod Freeman: “We got together just before Christmas and this time we were able to firm up on the plans we had previously made, to create a full program of early season races. The team is a combination of experienced professionals and promising young talent. We were delighted with the success of the Cycling Bargains development team last year and this year we decided to take a step up with a team that could compete for victories and podium places in major UK events, like the British Cycling’s Premier Calendar road race series and Elite circuit race series.Cycling Bargains will be staying as a club team.”

“It was great to get former world silver medallist Tony Gibb on board with the team this year,” continued Freeman: “Tony has previously done a lot of behind the scenes work with the Plowman Craven team and this year we will be able to give him the back-up he needs so that he can focus on racing again. We believe that we now have the talent and the experience required to mix it with the best teams in the UK, especially on the criterium scene which continues to form a big part of the team’s race schedule.”

Tony Gibb has the strongest palmares in the team having won nine British Championship titles and he holds the record of four victories in the prestigious Eddie Soen’s Memorial race which is run annually at Aintree race course in March. “I will be looking for a fifth victory this year,” said Gibb: “I have put a lot of early season training in and the course certainly suits my style of racing. This year’s race is on March 6th and it will be a major test for the team. I guess I will be one of the pre-race favourites and it will be our first race together. We are unlikely to get any help from other teams to chase down dangerous breaks.”

“We have got a tough early season race schedule,” explained Freeman: “We have the Severn Bridge road race on the day after the Soen’s at Aintree. Then we have the Spring Chicken race in Bedfordshire and the Jock Wadley road race in Colchester on the following weekend. James Millard won Jock Wadley last year and the team will be out to help him win again. The following weekend we are fielding two teams in the Oxonian 3-up team time trial with the Wally Gimber on the Sunday. Then it is off to the first Premier Calendar event on 28th March in the Tour of the Reservoir.”

The team will be riding Basso Astra frames with SRAM red groupsets, SL Carbon deep section wheels and Continental Sprint tubs. The bars, seat post and stem are Deda Zero with Selle Italia saddles, Exustar pedals and shoes. The team will be powered by Enduraform endurance supplements, which is a new line from the makers of Muscleform Sports Supplements based in Norwich. The team will be given the ultimate edge by Beet It shots produced by James White Drinks.

“We have had some great help from sponsors this year to help us get this team off the ground and I have to say thanks to them for their support” said Freeman. “Andy Swain is the assistant manager and Ben Jeeves is our team physiotherapist. Both have the knowledge and experience required to help us run the team to professional standards.”

The young riders are looking forward to racing in the new team. “It’s going to be an exciting season,” said Ashley Finn “The emphasis will be on team victories, but I hope to get my chance to go for the win during the season. The equipment we have is fantastic this year and the bikes look amazing, ” continued the 20-year-old from Lancaster: “ Last year I picked up victories in a broad range of races and I aim to improve again this year.”

National team pursuit champion Andy Magnier will be brimming with confidence this year having won over 40 races in the past 12 months. "I hope my team pursuit experience will be a major asset to the team,” said the 21-year-old from Staffordshire: “I believe that we can put on a strong lead-out train that in the closing kilometres of each race should in a bunch sprint, but I am confident we have the talent in the team to make the winning moves on the hillier courses.”

Full team line up: Raphael Deinhart, Ashley Finn, Richard Hepworth, Tony Gibb, Andy Magnier, James Millard, Ben Price, Robert Smail, Jason White, Simon Wilson.
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