Volta a Catalunya stage winner Paul Voss, FBD Insurance Rás victor and Cervélo Test Team stagiaire Alexander Wetterhall and past Under 23 Oceania TT champion Jack Anderson have all been confirmed as joining the Endura Racing team, and will add considerable firepower in 2011.
The three will join several previously-signed internationals on the team, which is making a clear step-up in level for next season.
Voss competed with the Milram team in 2009 and 2010 and rode both the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. At 24 years of age, he is poised to keep improving. The German should be one of the strongest riders on the British squad and knows he has a big part to play in its success.
“I'm very happy to be part of this ambitious team in 2011. I will take my chances. I hope I can help the team to big victories with my experience from the ProTour,” he said. “My first target are the World Championships Cyclocross in Germany on the last weekend in January.”
Alex Wetterhall is also coming from a big-name team, having ridden as a stagiaire for the Cervélo Test Team in recent months. His trial went well, with results including a fine seventh in the time trial in the Tour of Denmark plus a solid 25th overall, but the team’s folding meant that the expected contract never materialised.
The former Swedish TT champion will now compete for Endura Racing, and is psyched to do well. “I’ll join Endura Racing with more motivation than ever after being caught out by Cervélo TestTeam’s folding,” said the FBD Rás champion and VeloNation blogger. “My aim is to improve and try to do an even better season next year. To gain a better position for 2012 to take the step up to the highest level of cycling with hard work and good team spirit.
“I´m looking forward to work with a team who´s got good ambitions, good race-program, is structured and is growing with good sponsors.”
Endura Racing’s owner Jim McFarlane said that the brand is putting in a substantial increase in cash for next year, but feels it is the right move.
“As far as funding goes, it’s a big jump from this season but the new Equipe clothing range has had a great launch year. I’m happy that we made the right move getting a team of this level together to help develop it, and get the message out that Endura is serious about high-end road kit,” he said. “So far we’re on plan with both the team and the Equipe range and if we deliver again this coming year then that will mean another push on for the squad in 2012.”
Another who is joining the team is Anderson, who, like Wetterhall, raced with Magnus Backstedt’s Team Sprocket last season. He is a silver medallist in the Australian time trial championships and should prove to be another very strong rider.
"Signing for Endura is great news for me,” he said. “They truly are a great professional team that are going places and have great ambitions for the future. I have been working hard for a ride in a team like this for some time and I can see myself being very happy there. They also have a really strong roster for the coming season and I am really excited to get the first races under way to see what we can achieve as a collective group.
The team already has several international riders on board, having signed New Zealand national champion Jack Bauer, Frenchman Alexandre Blain and the Spanish climber Iker Camano during the 2010 season. All three have re-signed for 2011. It recently also announced a solid British element to the squad.
McFarlane explained that the team wanted to achieve a top three team standing in the UK in 2010. Having achieved that, the plan is to keep growing and to race well abroad. “We’ve got a lot more breadth and strength for next year and a great crew of support staff, so everyone here is pretty excited about it,” he said. “There’s a growing confidence that we can show well in Europe, even in the bigger races that are starting to open up to us.”
The team is planning on riding a full race programme in Europe in 2011, as well as competing in all the big UK events.
Sixteen riders have been signed thus far. More additions will be revealed shortly, as well as details about additional sponsorship for 2011 plus the planned race programme.
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Endura Racing 2011 line-up to date:
Paul Voss (Germany)
Alexander Wetterhall (Sweden)
Jack Anderson (Australia)
Rene Mandri (Estonia)
Maarten De Jonge (Netherlands)
Alexandre Blain (France)
Jack Bauer (New Zealand)
Iker Camano (Spain)
Rob Hayles (England)
Ian Wilkinson (England)
Rob Partridge (Wales)
Callum Wilkinson (Scotland)
Evan Oliphant (Scotland)
James Moss (England)
Scott Thwaites (England)
Dave Clarke (England)