Three UK-based continental teams launched

10 comments
By Chris Keller-Jackson and BikeRadar | Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010 2.00pm

The UK professional scene is not all about Team Sky, as several British UCI continental squads have been launched in the past week, including Team Raleigh, Sigma Sport-Specialized and Motorpoint.

Team Raleigh

Team Raleigh was launched on Monday in Nottingham. Although it's a relatively new kid on the block, it contains a youthful but talented bunch of riders. Their average age is just 22, but with ex-Cervelo rider Dan Fleeman as captain, we can expect some good results from them this season.

27-year-old Fleeman rode for Cervelo TestTeam last year, but suffered a hand injury early on which ruined his season. He did return late in the year to ride the Tour of Lombardy, where he was the only British finisher, before going on to win the UK national hill climb championships. His one-year contract with Cervelo wasn't renewed, but that will be a boon to Team Raleigh who can count on his expertise and experience to lead them.

Tom Barras, son of the famous Sid Barras (380 wins, rode for TI Raleigh in 1974), has had plenty of experience and some wins too. He will act as lieutenant for Fleeman, keeping the youngsters hungry and in check.

Dan fleeman models the jersey:

Dan Fleeman in the Raleigh kit

Many of the other members of the squad will be familiar faces on the UK scene. Dale Appleby, formerly of Recycling and then VC Seano One, is a strong climber with all-round skills and Liam Holohan comes from the Rapha Condor stable.

There is skill through the ranks with Richard Handley, a talented TT rider, still only 19 but with a great future, having been plucked from Kinesis along with James Stuart. Team manager Chris Truett knows talent when he sees it.

Team Raleigh is committed to the Premier Calendar races but thanks to its continental licence, already has offers to race in Europe and in the US.

It remains to be seen how the team performs, but there is plenty of confidence among the riders, management and at Raleigh HQ. We'll know more after their training camp in Majorca and at the Eddy Soens race at Aintree on 6 March.

Team roster: Dan Fleeman, Dale Appleby, Tom Barras, Mike Cumings, Richard Handley, Liam Holohan, Daniel Shand, Julian Rammler, Peter Smith, Chris Truett (manager).

Sigma Sport-Specialized

Sigma sport-specialized's 2010 jersey design: sigma sport-specialized's 2010 jersey design

Sigma Sport-Specialized is a well established team on the UK domestic scene, but this year has taken the step up to UCI continental status, which gives it more options abroad.

The team has been very successful in the UK, and includes national and Olympic champions, grand tour riders and plenty of younger riders with talent and potential.

Their program this year will include the Premier Calendar road series, Tour Series (criteriums), national championships, Irish RAS and several UCI one-day and stage races, starting with Paris-Troyes on 14 March.

The team is sponsored by London road and triathlon shop Sigma Sport and one of the world's top cycling companies, Specialized.

Team roster: Matt Stephens (rider/manager), Simon Richardson, Tom Murray, Stephen Adams, Kit Gilham, Wouter Sybrandy, Tom Last, Gareth Montgomerie, James Williamson, Dan Duguid (rider/technical advisor/press), Tom Snape, Peter Hey (assistant manager), Bob Rouse (mechanic), Samantha Jones and James Duguid (soigneurs), and James Booth (Specialized technical advisor).

Motorpoint

Malcolm elliot heads team motorpoint at the recent revolution track meet: malcolm elliot heads team motorpoint at the recent revolution track meet

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Car supermarket Motorpoint is another new sponsor on the UK scene. With ex-rider Phil Griffiths at the management helm, the squad boasts a solid line-up.

Motorpoint is led by Ed Clancy, a member of the 2008 Olympic team pursuit squad that won gold in Beijing. Joining Clancy will be fellow GB team pursuiter Andy Tennant, together with evergreen Malcolm Elliott, Ian Bibby, Andrew Roche and Steven Burke. Former Halfords Bikehut team manager Keith Lambert will serve as directeur sportif.

The nine-strong team will be riding the new Super Leonardo from Opera, a subsidiary of Italian bike manufacturer Pinarello. They will compete in all of the premier UK cycling events, including the British Premier Calendar, Tour Series and the Tours of Britain and Ireland.

Team roster: Ian Bibby, Steve Burke, Ed Clancy, Lee Davis, Malcolm Elliott, Jonathan McEvoy, Andrew Roche, James Sampson, Andy Tennant.

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User Comments

There are 10 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 10 of 10 comments

  • Hope to see all these teams plus the other top UK teams compete over the Cyclone weekend in both the Newcastle Leazes Criteriums and the Beaumont Trophy Premier Calendar RR www.northernrockcyclone.co.uk

  • Nice tasteful attires for the models from Raleigh, so classy. Not. Still i'm not complaining.

    Think their trying to shake their old man image (be like Rock Racing) and just looking tacky (dirty old man style).

  • Stylish and tasteful cycling kit is surely the exception rather than the rule. I don't think the Raleigh outfit is too bad - like the red and yellow details referencing their glory days.

  • I think i'd be ashamed to ever be seen on a Raleigh bike.

    I mean really who thought up that totally naff skinsuit shot - some 19 year old marketing trainee who's never seen breasts before and thought he buy a set on the expenses account.

    Naff beyond belief - one imagines the same goes for the bikes.

  • I'm glad to see Raleigh has got a new road race team. I think the kit looks smart and do like the red and yellow details too. I'm sure the models are seen as just a bit of fun, and nothing else. Its good to see the legendary brand back and racing again! Great stuff!

  • Why would you be ashamed?? The Raleigh road bikes look really good and so do the specs.

    I think its great that one of the UK's oldest bike brands is coming back into the pro race scene.

    As for the body painting, i saw a model at Eurobike doing the same for a different company and that stand received by far the most attention.....not quite so stupid as you'd think. And come on, lighten up, its just a bit of fun.....dont get much of that on these forums these days!!

  • I agree with the last 2 posts.

    LittleB0b what's wrong with you? Here we have a legendary British brand that is recognised all over the world by people not just in the cycle industry and you knock them without knowing the full story?

    If Raleigh do well, which I hope they do they'll attract more press, fans and interest than any Sky, Rabobank or Astana ever could.

    The bike looks like a real good spec and design, so from a technical point Raleigh are on it. I bet the price is far better than the competitors, as Raleigh Avanti bikes of late have had great reviews and always price is mentioned.

    Onto the girls... Don't all major sports have good looking women associated with them? NFL, F1, Motogp etc? Isn't the female form considered one of the most beautiful shapes on the planet? I don't remember seeing many half naked men in the national gallery, so every artist throughout history must have known the benefits of beauty, just like Raleigh. It's fun, it's current and it's what all pro's do.

    I bet at some point everyone who posts on this forum has owned or at least ridden a Raleigh, and that cannot be said about any other brand. So support a proper UK team.

    I'm off to ride my Chopper...

  • Not too sure about the Motorpoint jerseys, looks like they're all wearing bright orange bras, maybe that thought wouldn't of crossed my mind if I hadn't seen the Raleigh girls.

    And Tall Rubber Duck, yes I had a Chopper too .... that was until I lost control of it and it ended up in a dyke.

  • good to see raleigh back at least the kit isnt black as seems to be the norm, why do muppets always knock companies attempts to support cycling, typical british attitude

  • Typical British attitude to moan at one of worlds biggest bike brands that is still British owned setting up a team.

    Specialized, Cervelo may be exotic brands that mean a lot to 'proper 'cyclists but to the man in the street raleigh is still the brand they know. Hence the reason this Team is attracting sponsors outside the bike trade e.g Skoda.

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