News: Opie, Sadler & Moses Join Men in Black

2013_March_questbikes600x75

Rapha Condor JLT make three further new signings to complete their roster for the 2014 season, .Chris Opie,  Tom Moses and Jack Sadler. 

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

Rapha Condor JLT make three further new signings to complete their roster for the 2014 season. Chris Opie, twice a winner at the Tour Series in 2012, is the biggest name of the three. Alongside Opie, Tom Moses will join the Men In Black following a successful year with team Raleigh in 2013, and Irishman Jack Sadler steps up to the team directly from the junior ranks.

2013_TourSeriesCanaryWharf_OpieSPRINT

Team manager John Herety commented, “All three of these riders fit in very well with the ambition of this team. As with 2012 and ‘13 our overall focus is on the development of the talented riders that we have on the team. But at the same time – as has always been the case – our driving ambition as a cycling team, is to win races.”

“Chris Opie has proved that he knows what it takes to win domestically this season – taking individual wins in both the Premier Calendar and the Tour Series, and I also believe that he has the potential to step up to winning internationally next season.”

Opie, who spent several years racing in Holland as a youth before returning to ride for the now disbanded UK Youth team, commented, “I am really excited to be able to join what is the most established team in the UK, and I’m really looking forward to the opportunities that will come along in what I am sure is a massive step forward in my career.”

2012_TomMoses_GB_ToB

The team’s second strong acquisition Tom Moses will be twenty-two next season has already taken several quality wins on the UK domestic circuit, most notably the inaugural running of the Shugborough Kermesse, in which he took a brilliant solo win this year ahead of many of the best riders in the country. In Herety’s eyes, Moses was another ideal candidate for the team.

“Tom (Moses) is a rider that we’ve seen this year win at the highest national level. He was a part of the GB academy in 2012, so his talent has already been identified, and I am sure that as a team we will be able to provide him with a platform to perform at a much higher level next year.”

2013_BikeP0RN_JackSadlersBike_Clayton01

Jack Sadler also enjoyed his best season to date in 2013, taking six wins, including two at the Junior Tour of Ireland, where he won the mountainous ‘Queen stage’ of the prestigious Irish race. He also represented Ireland at the Junior World Track Championships in Glasgow.

“Jack is another rider who has come recommended to me through Neil Martin and his involvement at Irish cycling. Being able to take on riders as soon as they step up to the senior categories means that we can start to teach young riders to do things correctly from the very start whilst giving them the opportunities to develop that they need.”

Rapha Condor JLT’s 2014 season will get underway in January at the Bay Crits in Melbourne, before the team returns to the Jayco Herald Sun Tour later in January.

The complete 2014 team roster:

Graham Briggs
Hugh Carthy
Ed Clancy
Mike Cuming
Felix English
Luke Grivell Mellor
Richard Handley
Kristian House
Ed Laverack
Tom Moses
Chris Opie
Elliott Porter
Jack Sadler
Will Stephenson

 

Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)

Other News on VeloUK

Tags: