Rapha Condor and Qhubeka are pleased to announce the joint British-African team for 2012, a continuation of the 100% Me project, where the British team has been at the top end of the Continental Tour for the past 4 seasons.
The team has a number of strong British leaders, all ready to take on the World once again. Chris Froome, Adam Blythe, Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Mark Cavendish and Peter Kennaugh to name but just afew - with Andy Tennant and Alex Dowsett also racing again for the team having previously been loaned to the ProTour.
Only part of the management game for the past two seasons, British rider Andy Tennant cannot wait to get on with the action in 2012, in what promises to be his best season yet.
Tennant announced himself to the cycling world in his very first race for 100% Me in 2010, winning Stage 4 of the Tour of Wellington on his way to 15th overall. He played a solid support role for the rest of that season, picking up 60 ranking points to place him 238th in the Continental Tour.
So off to the ProTour it was - riding for Cafe de Colombia on loan in order to gain vital experience. He soon made himself known - with constant aggressive riding, and attacking away in many day-long breakaway. Such was the impression he made, that he immediately became drafted into the Colombian team's Giro d'Italia lineup.
And in Italy, Tennant struck Gold. On Stage 13, the 222km ride to Cesenatico, the Brit went off in a long breakaway with only B&O's Sten Stenersen for company. For the final 50km, he was by himself - but such was the advantage built up, he was able to cruise home for an amazing Grand Tour stage victory. He even got to wear the King of the Mountains jersey for two days as a reward, eventually finishing 90th overall.
The aggression continued for the rest of the season, particularly in Ireland, and the FBD Eire Tour - where he was close to winning the KoM competitionm and also the final stage, 2nd in both. Come the end of the season, Tennant was also rewarded for his season with rides in both the Road Race and Time Trial of the World Championships, while taking 4th in the British time trial Championships, falling foul to the wind to some extent.
For 2012, he has his eye on a number of stage races - inparticular those combining flat stages, hilly stages and time trials.
Spoiler
2008 - British National Team
127th, Tour of Britain
130th, Giro del Capo
138th, Milano-Torino
2010 - 100% Me
1st, Tour of Wellington, Stage 4
4th, Bikeline 2-Day, Stage 2
7th, Tour of Wellington, Stage 1
7th, Tour of Wellington, Stage 7
10th, British TT Championships
13th, British RR Championships
15th, Tour of Wellington
21st, Tour du Faso
27th, Tour of Britain
28th, Tour de Luxembourg
31st, Post Danmark Rundt
36th, Bayern-Rundfahrt
39th, Etoile de Besseges
39th, Isle of Man TT
41st, KBC De Panne Tour
47th, Paris-Tours
67th, Bikeline 2-Day
2011 - Cafe de Colombia (On Loan from Us)
1st, Giro d'Italia, Stage 13
KoM Leader, Giro d'Italia, Stages 13 and 14
2nd, FBD Eire Tour, Stage 8
2nd, FBD Eire Tour, KoM Classification
4th, British TT Championships
6th, Criterium Series Spain
7th, British RR Championships
13th, Giro d'Italia, KoM Classification
30th, Milano San Remo
41st, World TT Championships
42nd, Tirreno-Adriatico
43rd, Chrono des Herbiers
49th, Tour of Qatar
63rd, Tour de Suisse
77th, Criterium International
90th, Giro d'Italia
93rd, Deutschland Tour
101st, GP Fourmies
102nd, GP Yekeratinburg
111th, Rund um Koln
111th, Classique du Grand-Duche
115th, FBD Eire Tour
127th, World RR Championships
2012 will be Alex Dowsett's 4th season with the squad, but apart from in the recent Tour de l'Avenir, its not since 2009 that he has actually ridden for us! Back then he impressed, taking 2nd place in two one day races: Giro del Lazio and GP Plouay.
What has followed is two years of development in the ProTour. 2010 was limited to domestique duties for Virgin Media - also getting to ride the Tour de France, but last season he really stepped up for La Gazzetta della Sport from the very first race. A brilliant 11th overall was followed later in the season by 15th overall at the FBD Eire Tour.
Results elsewhere also showed significant improvement and he performed strongly in the end of season Under 23 races - being his final Under 23 season. Mountains are not his strength, but he battled to a 12th overall in Avenir, and then in the U23 Worlds - the fourth time he had ridden the event - he came so close to a medal, ultimately taking 4th.
And now to 2012, set to be a good season for him - at last he will be given the opportunity to lead the team at times! At current he is slated to slot into the hilly team as #2 to Chris Froome, with opportunities across the season to ride for himself. His 2009 2nd placings came in the hills, from breakaways - can he do the same when battling outright against his rivals?
Spoiler
2008 - British National Team
23rd, U23 World TT Championships
24th, U23 World RR Championships
2009 - Procycling-BBC
2nd, Giro del Lazio
2nd, GP Plouay
3rd, Vuelta Ciclista a Lleida, Stage 2
4th, Vuelta Ciclista a Lleida, Stage 4
10th, Tour de l'Avenir, Stage 1
22nd, Vuelta Ciclista a Lleida
23rd, British RR Championships
27th, Giro dell'Emelia
34th, Tre Valli Varesine
35th, Omloop Het Volk
35th, Post Danmark Rundt
39th, Tour de l'Avenir
42nd, GP Bradlo
50th, Tour du Langkawi
50th, Bikeline 2-Day
53rd, U23 World RR Championships
111th, Criterium du Dauphine Libere (PT)
2010 - Virgin Media (Loaned from Us)
8th, Tour de Georgia, KoM
28th, British RR Championships
66th, U23 World RR Championships
83rd, Giro dell'Emelia
87th, Paris-Nice
94th, Tour de Suisse
94th, Seine-Marne-Seine
99th, Criterium International
102nd, Tour de Romandie
103rd, Tour of Northern Europe
106th, Volta Ciclista al Catalunya
110th, Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
110th, Vuelta a Asturias
113th, Giro di Lombardia
123rd, Fleche-Wallone
123rd, Liege-Bastogne-Liege
123rd, Tour de France
126th, Rund um Koln
127th, Badaling International
133rd, Amstel Gold Race
134th, Japan Cup
2011 - La Gazzetta dello Sport (On Loan from Us)
4th, U23 World RR Championships
4th, Tour de l'Avenir, Stage 6
7th, Tour de l'Avenir, Stage 3
11th, Tour of Qatar
12th, Tour de l'Avenir
15th, FBD Eire Tour
21st, British RR Championships
32nd, GP de Fourmies
42nd, Seine-Marne-Seine
46th, Tirreno-Adriatico
53rd, Criterium International
53rd, Tour of California
61st, Rund um Koln
64th, Amstel Gold Race
67th, Tour de Suisse
70th, GP Yekeratinburg
86th, Liege-Bastogne-Liege
89th, World RR Championships
98th, Tour of Northern Europe
99th, Fleche Wallone
103rd, Ronde van Vlaanderen
132nd, Milano San Remo
135th, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
137th, Paris-Roubaix
139th, Strade Bianche
148th, Gent-Wevelgem
Rapha Condor - Qhubeka is pleased to announce that 19 teams have made the transfer to them from last year's incarnation of Team 100% Me. Adam Blythe and Peter Kennaugh are amongst those, with Blythe being the highest paid on the team.
Rumours are emerging from the Rapha Condor Qhubeka camp that there has been a fall out between two of their lead 3 British sprinters on the team. It is unclear whether it is Swift vs Kennaugh, Kennaugh vs Cavendish or Swift vs Cavendish - but what is clear is that the situation has become increasingly untenable.
Rapha Condor remain tight lipped on the details, but the indication is increasinly suggesting that one of Swift, Cavendish and Kennaugh will be leaving the team during the upcoming transfers season.
Leading figures in British Cycling are said to be unsurprised - the situation of having not only the best 3 British sprinters, but 3 of the Worlds best sprinters, all in the same team, was perhaps always unlikely to work - and all 3 suffered dissapointing seasons in 2011.
Should it be the case that one leaves, Rapha Condor are clear that they would only listen to serious offers, and the identity of the rider to leave may boil down to who receives the highest offers.
Word has it that the management over at the Cyclevox team have gotten excited over the news regarding Rapha Condor - Qhubeka's sprinters.
Unsurprisingly, the team would seem to want to take one of them as a team leader for the sprints. However, this is largely reliant on the wages of these riders and, considering Cyclevox's comparibly small budget, how much Rapha Condor are looking to acquire in exhance for their talents.
Unfortunately, given that Cyclevox has no riders on their roster, the team are unable to offer anything greater than a money exchange, and a curious if the management at Rapha Condor would be willing to accept that.
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Since becoming Rapha Condor - Qhubeka, a British-African outfit, our plan all along has been to invest plenty of money into young African riders during the transfer season. Thus, receiving money for a British sprinter, as well as freeing the cap space of either 220k, 260k or 280k, is the most appealing option for the team.
Word is out that German team, Festina, could be looking to strenghten their sprinting side, and have expressed their interest in Ben Swift and Peter Kennaugh.
Sporting directeur, Manolo Saiz of the team has inquired as to which minimum amount Rapha Condor will be looking at to begin talks.
Rapha Condor - Qhubeka are not willing to name a specific price, but only offers of a notable standard will be considered. Teams should be aware that they are bidding against our expectations, and not other teams, any low bids will be seen as a sign that a team is not serious about acquiring such a top sprinter.
You seem to have just listed all of my best riders, except the 3 Ive already hinted at being available. Thus, the riders have all assured us that they have no intention to leave, as it appears Pendletons are not interested in any particularly one of them particularly, more British riders as a whole.
Pendleton's were merely wondering as to if any of the above riders expressed a particular desire to leave. At the moment (disregards the sprinters already mentioned) Geraint Thomas is a man who we would sincerely like to spearhead our cobbles challenge in the ProTour, as Blythe will surely be leading Rapha on the rough-stuff in the Continental Tour.
Rapha Condor - Qhubeka are pleased to announce the signing of Ian Bibby to the team for 2012. He tore through the British domestic scene in 2011, riding for Team Motorpoint, and has rightfully earnt the right to step up to the continental division.
And at only €95,000, it is a great value signing for us!
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