Matt Willey

Article by: James Raison from The Lead,

Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge) has taken his second victory in as many days at the Tour Down Under in South Australia, out-sprinting Ben Swift (SKY), and Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo). His lead has now stretched to 13 seconds.

“He’s got this race by the scruff of the neck,” said Robbie McEwan after the stage.

Stage 4 of the TDU left the suburban Norwood Parade café and shopping strip 3km east of Adelaide, heading across the Fleurieu to the seaside town of Victor Harbor, 80km south of the capital of South Australia.

Orica-GreenEdge shut down all attacks until the first hotly-contested sprint point taken by the expertly led-out race leader of Simon Gerrans over former race leader Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff) and Daryl Impey (Orica GreenEdge).

Three riders broke clear soon after, with Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale), Patrick Shaw (UniSA), and David Tanner (IAM Cycling) stretching their lead to nearly four minutes ahead of the Orica GreenEdge led peloton behind.

Then 50km from the finish the teams began organising for the final chase.

Patrick Shaw took the next sprint point, over an indifferent Gougeard, and Tanner shaking his head at the unnecessary attack crossed third. They were returned to the peloton at the start of the Crows Nest Climb.

BMC’s Danilo Wyss applied the pressure on the Crows Nest Road climb, a steady stream of riders dropping off the back. Daryl Impey (Orica GreenEdge) ushered race-leader Gerrans up the side of the bunch, shadowed by second placeman Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff). Impey found himself leading the climb soon after.

Richie Porte (BMC) attacked, followed by climber’s jersey wearer Sergio Henao (SKY) who took the KOM points.

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Only 50 riders remained in the front group after the climb. A crash at the back of the leading bunch reduced that number again. Julien Arredondo (Trek-Segafredo) had to pick himself up off the road for the second stage in a row.

Lieuwe Westra (Astana) mounted a brief attack with 10km to go but returned to the bunch soon after. Team SKY, again, lined up on the front of the stage inside the last 10km, as they have almost every stage.

SKY led into the stretch with their man Ben Swift perfectly placed. Impey, again, pulled Gerrans into a textbook position, peeling off as the sprint began. Gerrans was patient, appearing to easily gap Swift and Nizzolo. He raised his fists in victory as the men following him desperately threw their bikes at the line. McCarthy crossed the line fourth, holding onto second overall.

“They’re really making my life as easy as possible,” Gerrans said of his team after the race.

With two more stages, including Old Willunga Hill in the famous McLaren Vale wine region, he’s well aware that the race isn’t over yet though.

“I still have to be very attentive. There’s still a heck of a lot of work to be done,” he said.

But McEwan said he “can’t see him losing the race from here”.

Tomorrow’s queen stage leaves from McLaren Vale, 40km south of Adelaide, finishing after two ascents of Old Willunga Hill, a place where Gerrans launched a race winning attack two years ago.

Defending champ Rohan Dennis (BMC) has already laid out his plan to “try to isolate him [Gerrans]” on the first climb. Then “it’s a cross wind leading into Willunga after that so tactics are going to play a big part of tomorrow, then just pure guts.”

What were they thinking?

At this point it’s clear the SKY boys have all their eggs in the wrong basket. The SKY train has been at the front of the race for Ben Swift in the final kilometres of three stages, and the pre-race People’s Choice classic criterium, but with no results. Meanwhile Sergio Henao is fourth overall, 28 seconds down, but the Columbian climber could conceivably rise to second with a strong performance tomorrow. Time to throw everything behind your Columbian sensation.

We appear to be in the midst of a golden period for women’s cycling: the emergence of the Canyon//SRAM team and its subsequent partnership with Rapha has shone a light on women’s road cycling in a way we haven’t really seen before.

In an effort to consolidate on this groundswell of support for the team and to harness the unprecedented interest in women’s cycling, Canyon//SRAM Racing has today announced an ambitious partnership with Zwift, the social fitness platform for cyclists.

During a live virtual group ride with Zwift users, Canyon//SRAM Racing rider Tiffany Cromwell declared the race was on to find a 2017 team mate, who would be identified, developed and launched into the pro peloton by her team & Zwift.

From March 2016, female amateur riders from all corners of the world will be invited to try out for a professional contract by riding Zwift in a winner takes all talent contest, more akin to Saturday night prime time television than the sometimes antiquated world of pro cycling.

“Unfortunately the development pathways for female riders don’t compare to the men’s side of the sport,” said Cromwell.

“But rather than swim against the tide, we’re taking the bull by the horns and shaking things up with Zwift. Cycling’s stars possess extraordinary physical attributes and we’re confident one or two of those rough diamonds are out there to be unearthed on the Zwift platform.”

Zwift and Canyon//SRAM performance staff are currently developing an initial series of tasks, likely to comprise of group rides and structured training programmes, to identify the physical attributes and potential of riders who enter the programme. The field will be reduced throughout 2016 until a final selection of three riders will compete on virtual and real roads for the opportunity to become a pro rider in 2017.

“This isn’t a marketing gimmick. Zwift is a global, reliable and data-driven platform,” offers Zwift CEO, Eric Min.

“We’re truly accessible and, with tens of thousands of users, we’re confident we can be a development platform for professional cycling. We’ve been working on a similar concept for some time so we were blown away when Canyon//SRAM Racing Director Ronny Lauke suggested it to us.”

“The world is full of young cyclists with raw talent that we may not be noticing,” added Lauke.

“That’s a huge problem for the sport and we want to challenge this as much as possible. Of course, there are other criteria to becoming a pro cyclist, like attitude, bike handling and a good tactical brain, but without an exceptional engine you won’t get too far. This is going to be an exciting adventure with Zwift.”

“With this team’s set of partners, anything is possible. I’m sure we’re about to see a truly unique story here, within the sport, as it springs from a disruptive, exciting program,” said Canyon Chief Brand Officer Frank Aldorf.

“Such a technology driven experience is a great match for our Canyon DNA and I am sure we will all be blown away by the talent it uncovers.”

“This program with Zwift and the Canyon//SRAM Racing team is a brilliant blend of technology and talent spotting. It’s one way to give young riders an opportunity that may have been overlooked before,” concluded SRAM Road Brand Director Christopher Zigmont.

The program, officially called: The Canyon//SRAM Racing & Zwift Academy Project will also be supported by team partners Rapha, Wahoo Fitness, Zipp and Quarq.

Article by: James Raison from The Lead

Australian sprinter Steele Von Hoff will briefly sport the UniSA colours at the Tour Down Under in South Australia this week, before kitting up for his British Pro-Continental One Pro Cycling team next week for the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road race, then again for the Herald Sun Tour a couple of days after that.

Fans of British One Pro Cycling have good reason to be excited with a capable sprinter like Steele on their roster. He is a two-time Australian National Criterium champion (2014, 2015), multiple time top-10 finisher in the National Road Race championships, and winner of Stage 4 at the 2015 Tour Down Under.

The 2016 Tour Down Under presents Steele with some great opportunities to test his sprint legs against a world class field including Metteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling), Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo), and Caleb Ewan (Orica GreenEdge).

Yet, Steele is already excited about his program for the coming months.

“We’ve got a really good looking program so far and it’s only going to get better as we get the results,” Steele says.

After leaving Australia Steele will race at the Tour of Dubai, Tour of Langkawi, and will be involved in the team “doing the classics”.

The classics campaign includes legendary races of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne (February 14), Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (27 February), and Three Days of West Flanders (March 4-6)

That early season program is a great platform for One Pro Cycling’s first year at Pro Continental level. Steele expects that it will “only get better as we get the results”.

Steele’s weapon of choice will be British marquee Factor’s 02 frame.

“It’s fantastic,” says Von Hoff. “It’s riding brilliantly.”

A British team, on a British bike, with a strong early season calendar in Australia and a talented roster? This is certainly a team for British cycling fans to watch closely in 2016.

 

Firstly, welcome back to you all in this New Year.

Victoria and I have been away for a few weeks settling into our new home, but we are back and raring to go.

We hope 2016 will be a big year everyone involved in the cycling community, Vamper.cc included.

We have lots already organised (which we will fill you in on shortly) but for now we wanted to let you know that we have teamed up with The Lead South Australia – the official news service for the state of South Australia, to bring on-location coverage: features, profiles, interviews and photos from the Santos Tour Down Under.

We hope this will provide useful insight into the UCI event, as well as welcome reading for those brief moments when you are not on the turbo trainer, helping to get you fired up for the season ahead.

Best wishes for 2016

Matt & Victoria

Popular cycling fitness specialists Rolling Dynamics have announced the relocation of their headquarters to much larger premises in Chessington South alongside TRG Fitness.

The Surrey and South-West London-based group, who organise regular group rides from the Giro cycle Café in Esher, completed the move to more comfortable surroundings on 14th December following a very successful couple of years alongside TRG Fitness in their Epsom studio.

The new Rolling Dynamics studio features: Great access and parking, a custom cardio Mezzanine level, Real Ride HIIT strength & conditioning training, big-screen projections to motivate & challenge and performance cycling instructors leading group sessions designed to recreate that outdoor riding with intervals, speed work and climbs.

“If you mostly ride on the open road, making an effort to train indoors not only offers a really efficient workout, but it’s an excellent way to tinker with technique & cadence, positively boost power, and learn essential skills which are certain to come in handy in any challenging ride situation,” said Rolling Dynamics’ Mark Dressel.

“Many athletes skip the most important part of training – establishing a set of baseline figures (Zones) on which to base your plans. There’s nothing like cold hard numbers to ensure that you’re training at the right intensity for the correct duration to allow you to make the most of your physiology and investment in saddle time”. Dressel added.

Rolling Dynamics’ new HQ address is: Unit E6, Barwell Business Park,, Leatherhead Rd, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2NY

Full details of the groups sessions are available at: http://rollingdynamics.com/

Special Discount for Vamper.cc readers:

Vamper.cc have teamed-up with Rolling Dynamics to offer our readers 20% off personal heart rate and power zone testing. – Call Rolling Dynamics directly to book these sessions, mentioning Vamper.cc.

Rolling Dynamics is also offering 20% discount for standard sessions in December and January.

When I first started this cycling malarkey those many moons ago I thought my seasonal wardrobe would be quite a simple affair: a few pairs of shorts and a few jerseys for the summer; a winter jacket and long tights for those really chilly days. Done!

Oh dear. I can be so naïve…

As it transpires, a combination of factors have converged to prove just how wrong I was.

My own personality for starters.

I should have known better. Never get into anything that has lots of stuff, Matthew! It is like a moth to a flame – temptation will always get the better of me.

Secondly, the weather. Yes, I am blaming the weather here. It really has been uncommonly mild – though sitting here writing that seems a little odd in the aftermath of Desmond (the storm, not the fictional barber from Guyana).

I’m slowly labouring towards the point. I’ll get on with it…

We believe Isadore Apparel is right up there with the very best in cyclewear brands

Anyway, it has become glaringly obvious to me with the benefit of hindsight that any good cycling wardrobe must behave like an orchestra: to get an outfit exactly right for any given occasion you must have the ability to conduct individual elements and bring them together into an ensemble.

Autumn/Winter/Spring/Summer – these are all just terms in retail designed to shift more product – but what makes a piece of gear vital to the orchestra is its ability to become cross-seasonal: to be important no matter what the weather.

The Isadore Marsala Merino gilet, designed and developed by the professional Slovakian riding siblings Martin and Peter Velits, does just that… This cycling vest revels in its role as part of the ensemble.

 

It looks just as good over a softshell jacket as it does over a short-sleeved jersey. It can be used to bring additional warmth or can be layered with something light to provide wind-resistance without too much heat.

It breathes new life into summer kit with the aid of arm/leg warmers and it reinforces winter gear with an added layer of wind and rainproof security.

Style, comfort & performance

I have ridden in a variety of conditions with the Isadore Marsala Merino gilet: it’s been from the Surrey Hills to the sharp peaks of the North. It has kept the chills away on evening rides around Richmond Park and has kept my core as dry as a bone when Yorkshire had other ideas.

The fit is exemplary, as is the detailing from Isadore. In my opinion, as a brand they are right up there with the very best in cycle wear.

The Isadore Marsala Merino gilet features a lower back panel that can be unclipped to extend for even greater protection from rain and road spray. It has reflective logos to improve visibility and a waterproof rear pocket for personal items. The zips are sturdy and purposeful and indicate an attention to detail, workmanship and craft that is sometimes lacking in Isadore’s competitors.

The material choices (the gilet is a 30% merino, 65% polyester and 5% PU membrane) are pinpoint accurate and provide a windproof and waterproof garment that delivers highly in both function and form. Incidentally the Marsala Gilet carries a waterproof rating of DWR 10,000mm and a breathability rating of 10,000 g/m²/24h for those of you with more than a passing regard for raw stats.

The Thermoroubaix side panels have been treated with a Teflon protector to further enhance the water-repelling nature of the cycling gilet.

I am riding a large and it is perfectly cut, close enough to retain warmth yet not overly restrictive so as to hamper my riding position.

I’m 183cm, weigh 75kg (165lbs) and with fairly broad shoulders I’m a 38-40 inch chest. The large is a very comfortable slim-cut fit. For those that prefer a slightly looser fit it might be worth going up a size, although there is some room left in the large up to a 40.

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To buy, or not to buy?

The short answer is a simple, straightforward and resounding yes.

For the longer form answer I’ll revert again to the quality of the Isadore Apparel range. The fit, sizing, detailing and design work really are exemplary. Brands have earned almost mythical and untouchable reputations for quality within the cycling community for producing gear that doesn’t hold a candle to this.

While this sort of quality does come with a price tag to match, it is worth every hard-earned penny.

The Isadore Apparel Marsala Merino gilet is cycle wear that not only talks the talk, but very much walks the walk. With the concept of planned obsolescence seemingly becoming all-pervasive, it is beyond refreshing to see a brand firmly hanging its hat on quality, durability and style. At the back of my mind there is a nagging suspiscion that the Isadore Marsala Merino gilet might actually outlast me, it is that well constructed…

The Isadore Apparel Marsala Gilet is available from the Isadore Apparel website for €179.

 

UK cycling apparel brand Svelte has announced the extension of its Heritage clothing range with the addition of a Long Sleeved Cycling Jersey.

The new merino wool blended Heritage Jersey, which is manufactured in London, is designed to consolidate on the success of Svelte’s Heritage Summer range.

“Following in the style and subtle appeal of our Summer Heritage Jersey, we have developed a Long Sleeved Winter Jersey. Through extensive testing, development and modifications all based in the UK, the Svelte Heritage Long Sleeved Jersey is here.”  – Svelte

Svelte Founder Tom Barber said: “The new Long Sleeve Heritage Jersey is the next step for Svelte, producing new cycle-wear that maintains and builds on our beautiful collection.

“Perfect for cool winter and early spring rides, this jersey is developed for comfort and style on as well as off the bike. The result of extensive testing and development is a versatile, 3-season jersey where subtle aesthetics meet high-performance.”

The Svelte Heritage Long Sleeved Winter Cycling Jersey will be available from the 9th December at http://www.svelte.co.uk/

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Purveyors of pain and cycle training video specialists The Sufferfest have announced the launch of the ‘Honour Range’, their new collection of casual wear for those looking to the display their inner Sufferlandrian spirit off the bike.

Produced in collaboration with Après Vélo, the Honour Range is described as a collection of wardrobe essentials in classic styles all of which feature the brands embroidered Coat-of-Arms.

The collection is described by The Sufferfest below:

The Button Down

It’s smart-casual day at work. Who would possibly expect a Sufferlandrian to find a striking-yet-relaxed, semi-fitted, woven dress shirt with pocket and button-down collar? Then you show up. Donuts are dropped. Yarn-dyed, 100% cotton poplin with ribbon trim and contrasting fabric features. Enzyme washed for comfort.

The Button Down is £39.95 from Après Vélo

The Pique Polo

This is the shirt you grab for BBQs, team sponsor get-togethers and drinks down at the pub as you tell tales of epic Suffering. Impeccable, traditional styling with three buttons and a hidden red/white/black ribbon on the inside of the collar.

The Pique Polo is £22.95 from Après Vélo

The Jacket

Described as sleek, elegant and effortless, the heavy, stretchy french terry cycling jacket is semi-fitted with a full zip up through a high neck and is silicone washed for super soft feel.

The Jacket is £34.95 from Après Vélo

The Crew Tee

A formal cycling t-shirt? Indeed. The perfect complement to a chunky sweater or the Honour Jacket, this regular-fit tee is the antithesis of loud t-shirts – rather, it’s a subtle way off showing powerful intentions. Embroidered coat-of-arms on luxury cotton elastane jersey with ribbon trim on the arm and a wide, crew neck. White and black.

The Crew Tee is £15.95 from Après Vélo

The entire collection is available from the Après Vélo website at: Après Vélo

Schools across the United Kingdom are being invited to take part in the Space to Earth Challenge, a fitness-inspired space race – to run, swim, scoot and cycle the 400km distance from the International Space Station to Earth.

British European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake is set to take residency at the International Space Station (ISS) and he is challenging children across the UK to exercise alongside him as he trains two hours per day in the world’s highest and fastest-moving gym – travelling at 27,600 km per hour and circling the Earth every 90 minutes.

Peake launches to the ISS on December 15 and returns on 4 May 2016.

Discussing the initiative Peake said: “While exercising so far away in space I will have some amazing views, although I will miss the sights, sounds and fresh air of Earth. I hope students across the UK will join me in my training and share what they see as they work out back on Earth.”

Schools taking part in the Space to Earth Challenge will also be encouraged to create their own “Spaceathlons” featuring a trio of space, sport and science activities.

The distance of 400 km is just one of a series of space-themed sports and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art Mathematics (STEM) challenges that students can try.

The sports challenges are being led by the British Triathlon Trust who are supported by elite athletes and Dawes Cycles who are supplying children’s bikes.

The science activities have been developed by leading universities including Cambridge, Kings, Durham, Queen Mary University of London and Teesside.

The first series of events in the country have taken place in Hertfordshire with four schools taking on the challenge. Each of the schools managed to successfully bike and run the complete distance, with more than 2,500km being covered in the four days..

British Triathlon Trust’s Mike Jubb said: “It’s superb to see children getting active with bike and run activities. By bringing the children’s cycling format indoors, using Dawes bikes on Cyclops turbo-trainers, we have been able to continue our activities through the winter months and the children are loving it.

“The addition of the space-themed challenge from Tim Peake has provided an added element of awe and wonder to the concept. As well as having high-energy music motivating the children, we are able to link up to the live camera feeds on the space station so the children can see views of the earth and also watch the astronauts on board while they exercise.

Full details of the Space to Earth Challenge and how schools can enter, can be found on the website: www.Spacetoearthchallenge.org.uk

 

1. You will get faster. Two years ago the idea of a sub-twenty minute lap of Richmond Park was unthinkable: now, it’s normal. You might think that your current average speed is about as good as it gets – but trust me, you’ll look back at your old Strava times and be amazed at how far you’ve come.
   

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2. Don’t fixate on a single training strategy. To become a better rider, you need to alternate: sometimes you should focus on speed, but sometimes it’s about pushing yourself to ride further. Distance and endurance are vital building blocks on which to increase your strength and therefore build speed – while practising those sprints on shorter rides will boost your power for long outings.
   

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3. It’s no use waiting for the mood to take you. No matter how much you love cycling, you won’t always feel like riding. Yes, you’ll be tired; hungover; the weather won’t be ideal… but you have to ride. If you wait for ideal conditions you’ll never get any better. What’s more, you’ll be amazed by how often your best rides will be those you didn’t much fancy.
   

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4. Don’t be a lone ranger. Riding with others is a really enjoyable experience, and joining a cycling club will help you improve your technique and road craft. Take the plunge – you might not love the first one you try, but there are plenty around so ride out with a few groups until you find the one that suits you.

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   It’s not all about the bike. You might tell yourself that you’ll be faster on a better bike – but actually, what will make you a better cyclist is a better you. Losing those excess pounds and taking care of yourself will make you faster, fitter and stronger. (That doesn’t mean you won’t want, or need, another bike as well. But don’t buy it until you deserve it.)

UK cycling governing body British Cycling has today announced full details of Team GB that will compete at the next round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup.

The squad travelling to New Zealand sees the return of Becky James, who returns to the squad after a major knee injury. She has been selected alongside Jess Varnish and Katy Marchant.

In the men’s sprint, Olympic gold medallists Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes are joined by Lewis Oliva and Callum Skinner.

Ed Clancy returns to the squad after a back injury that saw him miss the European Track Championships and the first world cup of the season and is selected alongside Chris Latham, Germain Burton, Mark Stewart and Oliver Wood.

The women’s endurance events see the inclusion of Emily Nelson, Emily Kay, Manon Lloyd, Megan Barker and Abigail Dentus.

Great Britain Cycling Team Technical Director Shane Sutton, said: “We’ll be going to New Zealand with the aim of scoring vital Olympic qualification points, particularly in the sprint events and it’s great to see Becky James come back into the fold.

“We’re in the fortunate position that our performance across men’s and women’s endurance has left us in a strong position in qualification allowing us to blood some of our younger academy riders.

“It’s absolutely vital that we expose them to the pressures of world class competition at a young age and this experience will undoubtedly stand them in good stead in the rest of their careers,” Sutton added.

The next round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in New Zealand will run between 4-6 December.

Great Britain Cycling Team for UCI Track Cycling World Cup

• Becky James
• Jess Varnish
• Katy Marchant
• Jason Kenny
• Philip Hindes
• Callum Skinner
• Lewis Oliva
• Ed Clancy
• Chris Latham
• Germain Burton
• Mark Stewart
• Oliver Wood
• Emily Nelson
• Emily Kay
• Manon Lloyd
• Megan Barker
• Abigail Dentus

Following the successful launch of its military inspired kitbag solution in 2014, British cycle accessories brand KitBrix unveiled its Winter 2015 range of bags and accessories at a packed launch event last week.

Hosted at the very impressive Rocket & Rascals cycle café and shop in Poole, Dorset, the brand showcased a range of accessories designed to complement the flagship product, the KitBrix kitbag.

The event featured guest appearances from British Olympic cyclist Simon Lillistone, (an interview with Simon will feature on Vamper.cc in coming days), the team from road cycling tour specialists Ride25 and representatives from Team Raleigh GAC, with whom KitBrix have signed a partnership deal.

 

KitBrix Winter Accessories 2015 Range

Available to order now, the new range of accessories features:

MiniBrix – A smaller 24 x 17 x 19cm polyester and PVC version of the main KitBrix bag. It features an ID card holder, military inspired reinforced grab handle, webbed outer pockets, water-resistant double lined tarpaulin construction, reflective strips, robust base and insulated double membrane material.

The MiniBrix has a UK RRP of £19.00

DobiPak – A 30 x 2 x 59cm dry bag designed to hold muddy and wet cycle gear in a water resistant roll-down pouch, which then neatly sits inside the KitBrix bag. It features inner water-resistant double membrane fabric, a reversible inner for easy cleaning, military-style instructions, a guide to heart rate zones and a roll down top forming an easy-grab handle with a clip fastening.

The DobiPak has a UK RRP of £14.00

WashPak – The 25 x 9 x 12.5cm WashPak is an easy-to-clean and light toiletries and wash kit solution that carries on the design ethos of the main KitBrix bag, allowing you to find items quickly and easily. It features a leather grab handle, water repellent fabric, a large pull zip, an easy clean double-layered tarpaulin inner and an inner transparent pocket.

The WashPak has a UK RRP of £16.00

MicroDry – The 100 x 150cm microfibre towel is designed to be an essential part of an athlete’s kit, whilst also being ideal for use at the gym or pool. The windproof towel is constructed using natural fibres and is generously sized in comparison to many other microfibre towels.

The MicroDry has a UK RRP of £17.00

The CitiBrix Coming Soon!

Also announced at the event was the forthcoming introduction of the CitiBrix, a commuter-focused version of the KitBrix which has been designed to provide a solution to those who cycle before or after work and need to transport fitness kit as well as business items on their daily commute. The Citibrix will launch in Q1 2016 with pre-orders already being taken.

Iconic British cyclewear brand Rapha has confirmed its partnership with Canyon-SRAM Racing, a newly formed UCI Women’s WorldTour professional cycling team.

Canyon-SRAM rises from the ashes of the Velocio-SRAM women’s cycling team which folded at the end of the 2015 season. The team will be managed by former Velocio director Ronny Lauke and sport director Beth Duryea.

The partnership has confirmed an impressive international roster, including Tiffany Cromwell and 2014 world time trial champion Lisa Brennauer who both join from the ranks of Velocio. Hannah Barnes and Alexis Ryan will also move to the team from UnitedHealthcare.

“Can you imagine how excited we are today? Having these strong brands on board and having the trust that we can make it work is amazing,” said Lauke at the team launch, held at the Rapha Cycle Club London on Friday.

“We have a strong roster, with the majority consisting of young, already proven talents who are willing to learn from the experience of our senior riders. Each of them has shown individually that they can achieve top results, combined with the strength of a team I believe each of them will make another step forward.“

The team will ride Canyon Ultimate CF SLX bikes equipped with SRAM’s wireless eTap drivetrain. The three-year Rapha sponsorship agreement will supply the riders with racewear for competition from 2016 onwards, while also outfitting them with off-the-bike garments from Rapha’s City collection.

The soon-to-be-revealed team kit features a dynamic new livery created by Rapha’s design team and builds on the high-performance functionality of the Rapha Souplesse collection of women’s cycle clothing. The new women’s cycle kit will be launched in December, ahead of the team’s 2016 season debut at the Ladies Tour of Qatar in February.

Tiffany Cromwell will showcase the new colours beforehand, at the Australian national championships road race and Santos Women’s Tour.

The team will compete in a full UCI World Tour calendar, including the Amgen Tour of California, Philadelphia Cycling Classic, Aviva Women’s Tour, and La Course.

Full team line-up:

• Alena Amialiusik (Belarus)
• Alexis Ryan (USA)
• Barbara Guarischi (Italy)
• Elena Cecchini (Italy)
• Hannah Barnes (UK)
• Lisa Brennauer (Germany)
• Mieke Kröger (Germany)
• Tiffany Cromwell (Australia)
• Trixi Worrack (Germany)

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