New look Subway Pro Cycling team for the 2011

Olympic and Commonwealth Games riders, a former world champion and Giant bikes features of Subway Pro Cycling team for 2011

Media release 9 december 2010

Medal winning Olympic and Commonwealth Games riders, a former world champion and sponsorship from the world’s largest bike brand Giant are features of a new look Subway Pro Cycling team for the 2011 season.

The Subway Pro Cycling Team’s new signings are Olympic medallist Wesley Gough, Commonwealth Games and World Championship medallist Pete Latham , Commonwealth Games medallist Jason Allen, exciting young talent Thomas Hubbard and the very experienced Paul Odlin.

Returning for 2011 are Nick Lovegrove, Matt Gorter, Sam Hogan, Ian Smallman and former World Champion track cyclist Hayden Godfrey.

Team General Manager Godfrey said he is very excited about the team’s new signings, the relationship with Giant bikes and the continuing support from principal sponsor Subway.

“We have worked hard to secure the best possible mix of experience and raw talent for next year. To have the likes of Pete (Latham) and Wes (Gough) involved along with experienced heads like Paul (Odlin) and Jason (Allen) and then combined with the solid core of this year’s team returning, the potential is very exciting.”

SUBWAY® is entering their sixth year of involvement with the team and SUBWAY® National Marketing Manager David Herrick said they were “proud to support such a successful team.”

“They’ve come such a long way since we first sponsored them in 2006. We’re really excited about the new season line-up and the top talent the team has attracted. “The SUBWAY® Pro Cycling team are a really important part of the SUBWAY® sponsorship portfolio,” he said.

After a successful five years with Avanti bikes Godfrey said the team was “rapt” with the move to Giant bikes.

“Giant bikes have a proven track record of success at the highest level. They supply bikes to a number of the world’s biggest professional teams and Giant bikes have been ridden to Tour de France stage wins and numerous victories in the world’s biggest bike races.”

Giant NZ Brand Manager Scott Wilder said they were very excited to be partnering with the Subway Pro Cycling Team.

“It is a fantastic opportunity and will help to strengthen our brand in the Road Cycling market. Hayden has put together a well rounded team of very professional riders; we look forward to sharing some great results together during the 2011 season”

Godfrey says the Subway Pro Cycling Team line-up for 2011 is the strongest in its six year history, and with the London Olympics looming in 2012 he expects the team to deliver some big results next year as Latham and Gough train and race with one eye on London.

Latham, Godfrey and Gough are Olympians with Gough winning bronze at the Beijing Olympic Games. Gough and Latham both rode at the 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships where they were part of another bronze medal winning effort in the teams pursuit.

Latham has recently raced for the Bissell Pro Cycling Team in the USA and along with Gough are vital BikeNZ endurance track team members targeting gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Allen is an experienced New Zealand representative having won bronze at the 2008 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Godfrey says his experience in the peloton will be invaluable to the team.

After three stints racing in Belgium Odlin, who Godfrey says brings “maturity and leadership” qualities to the team, has developed a successful cycle coaching business in Christchurch.

Hubbard completed a six month cycling scholarship in the United States earlier this year, returning to win the Canterbury Under 23 road race title and is one of the country’s developing young talents.

Godfrey says he is looking forward to racing again after an extended break. The 2008 World Ominium Track Champion says he is focusing his efforts on the road next year, dropping track racing from his programme.

“After evaluating the current selection policy for the 2012 Olympics, it is simply not suited to me so I have decided to focus on the road and new goals away from the track. I’m really looking forward to being part of a wining and successful team which has big plans for the future.”

He says the returning team members all had solid results this year. Lovegrove has progressed well, racking up some impressive results in a sport he has taken up relatively late, including winning National Points Series race, the Round the Mountain Cycle Classic in Taranaki and winning the Fred Ogle 110km road race in the North Island late last month.
Gorter was leading the National Point Series until he was struck down by glandular fever. Former New Zealand rower Smallman won New Zealand’s longest one day cycle race, the 204 kilometre Gwaloop Challenge in late October and Horgan raced well in Europe during the New Zealand winter, winning the BRT Canterbury Open 100 kilometre champs on his return.

The 2011 Subway Pro Cycling team will benefit from the vastly experienced Graeme Miller, a veteran of four Olympic and five Commonwealth Games as a cyclist, as he will be involved as team manager in a selected number of key events next year.

Godfrey says the team is still finalising some team sponsorship and event opportunities for next year, but is looking forward to its first outing as the Subway Pro Cycling Team at the RaboDirect Elite National Championships in Christchurch in early January.

ENDS

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