British Riders for Sky Pro Team

Team Sky have announced the first riders to sign for the new British professional cycling team. Six British riders are the first to be secured for Team Sky, the road team created by Sky and managed by British Cycling Performance Director Dave Brailsford CBE. Together, the riders bring Tour de France experience, Olympic and Commonwealth medals, success from the Tour of Britain, and a wealth of young developing talent.

The riders named so far are: Chris Froome, Steve Cummings, Geraint Thomas, Russell Downing, Peter Kennaugh and Ian Stannard.

Dream Come True for Russell Downing

For a team of this stature, all the riders in it are going to be top professionals and for one, Russell Downing, finally he has had the call to arms that he has deserved for many a year. Russell has dominated the British scene for years now and with the help of his boss Phil Griffiths at Yellow Ltd, the rider known as ‘Fonzy’ has finally got the opportunity to test himself against the very best in the world.

As the team was being announced on Sky News at midday, Russell was out riding with the lads on a relaxing two hour steady ride after finishing his ‘training’ for the Tour of Britain the day before with another of his epic six hour training efforts. "I have to be pretty happy signing for a team like Sky. I have been in talks with them all season and Ireland was an amazing victory and helped clinch the deal."

Russell has been winning Premier Calendar races for over a decade now and it’s been a long slog to get into a team at this level. "When I was 19/20, it was like I was always there or thereabouts winning Premiers here in Britain and trying to go abroad. The Linda McCartney team was the big that happened for me then and it was a three year deal but that all went pear shaped. After that I was never sure it was going to happen. America turned out to be disappointing and since then I have stayed focused and got the results."

"I rode amazing in Ireland last year and did so again this year. When you have five Saxobanks all attacking you and you have the legs to attack them at the end it makes you realise where you need to be. It’s been really busy since Ireland and Phil (Griffiths) has been amazing getting on the phone as he has been for the last two years.”

Russell confirmed Sky were not the only team interested in signing him adding "I left all that to Phil. After Ireland, I was getting a little itchy wondering if a team was going to sign me and after a week I started ringing Phil and he just said, you just get on with riding your bike, I'm sorting all this. I had faith in him and then Dave Brailsford rang me a few days ago and that was it, decision made."

For all of the British and English speaking riders, signing for a English speaking team has many advantages especially as it allows them to know a lot more about what is going on which is not always the case in a team where the first language spoken is not English. "That was an important part of the equation” Russell says before adding “having been on the GB squad, I  knew they are better than the professional outfits. I've be on training camps with GB and the other British pros would say how amazing the setup was. So it is nice to be part of that"

Russell is also aware that Team Sky is going to be a high profile racing team both here in Britain and abroad and important for the sport as a whole. “The whole thing about Sky is to get people on bikes and the youngsters have got to look up to something and what better than with Team Sky -- it's quite an appropriate name!”

Russell had a special word to say about his current boss at CandiTV/Marshalls Pasta racing team, Phil Griffiths who has provided the Pinarello bikes he has raced on for years now as well as Rudy Project glasses and watches and god knows what else. “Phil has got us into the big races as a shop window as well as running his big business (Yellow Ltd)  and I can't thank him enough. He’s always had time for me and has been fantastic."

Finally, a slogan ‘living the dream’ is more associated with his older brother Dean (who rides for Rapha Condor) but now, Russell is also living the dream of a lifetime. “Yes, it may be Dean's slogan but I have always wanted to ride at ProTour level and do the big races and now it looks like that is going to happen so that is really good.”

In parting, Russell said “I had better start doing seven hours now instead of six!”

THE OTHER RIDERS FOR TEAM SKY

GERAINT THOMAS MBE: Born in Cardiff, the 23 year-old came through the British Cycling Academy and is a former winner of the Junior Paris Roubaix. Turned professional with Barloworld in 2007, becoming the youngest rider in that year's Tour de France and the first Welshman to ride it for 40 years. Won Gold for Team Pursuit at Beijing Olympics.

Geraint Thomas (Above)

PETER KENNAUGH: Aged 20, and one of the most promising talents to emerge in several years, he turns professional with Team Sky. Peter progressed through the Academy to become the British Under-23 Champion and to dominate the Under-23 calendar in Italy, winning the Trofeo Bastianelli, GP Capadarco and a stage of the Baby Giro. Born on the Isle of Man and partners fellow Manxman Mark Cavendish in Madison on the track.

Peter Kennaugh (above)

STEVE CUMMINGS: The 28-year old from Birkenhead is in his fifth season as a professional, riding for Discovery with Lance Armstrong and then with Barloworld. The former Junior National Road champion has now taken three professional wins. A strong time-trial rider, he helped GB to Team Pursuit Gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Silver at the 2004 Olympics and the World Championship in 2005.

Steve Cummings (above)

CHRIS FROOME: Started in mountain biking in South Africa before moving onto the road, he is an outstanding climber with great potential to develop further. Turned pro in 2007 and is now in his third professional season. Currently with Barloworld, the 24-year old completed the Tour de France in 2008 and was seventh amongst the young riders at the 2009 Giro d'Italia.

Chris Froome (above)

IAN STANNARD: Born in Chelmsford, the 22-year old made his professional road debut two years ago as a trainee with T-Mobile. He came 3rd in last year's Tour of Britain - riding for the GB team and finishing one place behind Steve Cummings - and was selected to ride this year's Giro d'Italia with the new ISD team.

Ian Stannard (above)

More Riders to Come

Over the following months they will be joined in Team Sky by up to twenty riders. Further announcements will be made as these riders are secured.

"Today brings an important milestone. Team Sky is a major project for British sport; a British Professional Cycling team built to take on the Tour de France," said Team Principal Dave Brailsford.

"We have a rider-centred philosophy so these are the people at its heart. It gives me huge satisfaction to announce these first riders. And as a British Team, I am proud that the first on our roster are British.

"They bring experience of the Tour de France, honours from the Olympics and World Championships, and exciting talent. We can help them continue to develop in this new environment and I know that they can help Team Sky take on the best on the road and win."

"We have put a lot of time and energy into identifying and recruiting riders who will fit the Team Sky ethos and performance principles. Their style and approach to racing will only enhance our prospects of encouraging a nation of people to get out and ride."

He concluded; "In the coming weeks and months they will be joined by other riders, from Britain and overseas. We will announce their new team-mates as and when we are able to. In the meantime, we will continue to respect all riders' arrangements with existing teams and only comment on the riders we have signed, as and when we do."

Team Sky philosophy
Team Sky brings to a professional road team the performance principles that have worked so well with the current GB teams; commitment, meticulous planning, the aggregation of marginal gains and a rider-centred philosophy.

The team aims to: create the first British winner of the Tour de France within five years; inspire people of all ages and abilities to get on their bikes, through the team's positive profile, attitude and success; and add further support to competitive cycling in Great Britain.

Team Sky will have a core of British riders, coaches and support staff and its British HQ is in Manchester, home to the GB cycling team. The initial squad of around 25 riders will be supported by a team of coaches, technicians and support staff drawn from across the cycling world, many of whom work throughout the year with British elite and developing riders. It will compete from the start of 2010 and hopes to gain an invitation to next year's Tour de France.