Former ProTour rider Hilton Clarke joins the UnitedHealthcare presented by Maxxis team effective immediately and will already race for his new squad at the upcoming weekend in the Air Force Cycling Classic. The Australian sprinter moves over from the Team from the Bahati Foundation squad.
Clarke was racing for the Spanish Fuji-Servetto ProTour team in 2009. "Hilton is one of the top sprinters racing in North America," says Team Director Mike Tamayo. "When the opportunity arose to add him to the squad, it was an easy decision. He is a ProTour-level talent, and he adds even greater depth to our sprint squad."
After his year in Europe, Clarke returned to the US domestic scene form 2010 and raced against riders like Karl Menzies, Andrew Pinfold and Jake Keough - who will be his teammates now. They can first show their unity in the weekend racing in the Washington DC area.
Clarke will also be reunited with his younger brother Jonny, who was an instrumental part of the success enjoyed by UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis in the spring criteriums.
"I'm looking forward to joining the UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis organization," Clarke says. "I've been racing against this team for a number of years and they've always conducted themselves professionally. It will be good to race alongside guys like Karl, Jake and Pinner rather than against them. And I'm also quite excited to be racing with Jonny once again."
Matt Crane, Adrian Hegyvary and Brad White complete the UnitedHealthcare outfit for Saturday's NRC Clarendon Cup, and the Crystal City Cup on Sunday.
Clarke won stages in the Redlands Bicycle Classic and the San Dimas stage race this year. His biggest career successes were winning USPRO Criterium Championships in 2006, the points jersey in the Herald Sun Tour in 2005 and the Launceston International Classic in 2008.