Having signed key riders such as Matt Goss, Michael Albasini, Simon Gerrans, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O’Grady and Cameron Meyer, the GreenEdge squad is amassing what is in the sporting sense an impressive lineup. Behind the scenes the other aspects of team-building is continuing and with Australian multi-millionaire Gerry Ryan willing to bankroll the squad until a title sponsor is in place, the squad is moving towards what it hopes will be a successful push for a UCI ProTeam licence.
Cycling Australia CEO Graham Fredricks has expressed his optimism about the process, believing that the team is looking good to begin its first season in the highest category of UCI teams. Saying that he believes the team is ‘well on the way,’ he refers to the movements in the peloton as regards so-called mergers between teams and the stopping of others.
The HTC Highroad team is folding at the end of the year, while the RadioShack team is joining forces with Leopard Trek, taking another licence out of the reckoning.
“Some of the movements in the international team structure means there's a couple of vacancies that have come up this year with the 18 licences to be issued. I think 15 of those 18 teams are putting up their hands again,” he told the Herald Sun.
“Of course, there's no guarantee they'll get a licence and there's no guarantee GreenEDGE will get one of those three new licences either. But I think the work they're putting in, the team they're putting together, the rider roster they're putting together at the moment is certainly shaping up as having sufficient points to get across the line.
“And if they've ticked all the other boxes in their process, which I'm sure they have as the professional outfit they are becoming, then I'm very optimistic and very hopeful they will have a licence later this year.”
Providing everything is in place, indications are that the UCI would look favourably on the project. It has often stressed the importance of the globalisation of the sport, the need to grow cycling’s spread and influence, and having a ProTeam in Australia would continue the momentum caused by factors such as the running of the WorldTour-level Santos Tour Down Under.
Cadel Evan’s 2009 world championship triumph plus 2011 Tour de France victory are further signs that the influence and relevance of Australian cycling is on the up, and this too will be a factor in Fredrick’s optimism.
The team has now confirmed 17 riders, with more riders set to be announced in the weeks ahead.
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GreenEdge signings to date:
Jack Bobridge, Cameron Meyer, Travis Meyer, Matt Wilson (Garmin-Cervélo)
Michael Albasini, Matt Goss (HTC Highroad)
Stuart O'Grady (Leopard-Trek)
Pieter Weening, Sebastian Langeveld (Rabobank)
Simon Gerrans (Sky Procycling)
Simon Clarke, Tomas Vaitkus (Astana)
Robbie McEwen (RadioShack)
Svein Tuft (SpiderTech powered by C10)
Jens Mouris (Vacansoleil-DCM)
Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank-SunGard)
Daniel Teklehaymanot (neo-pro)