Pure Black Racing today announced Glen Chadwick as the captain of its team to contest the UCI US Continental Tour in 2011.
While Pure Black Racing will not convene as a team until the UCI US Continental Tour commences, early next year, Glen will join other members of the team for a series of preliminary races, the first of which is the upcoming 2010 Tour of Southland.
A specialist time triallist, Glen is recognised as a versatile and aggressive rider: in 2006 he was first in the Most Aggressive Rider Competition in the Tour of California; and in 2008 he won King of the Mountain on the Tour of Utah. His career highlights include a first overall in the Vuelta Mexico (2008), first in the New Zealand National Time Trial Championships (2007), first KOM Tour of Hungary (2005) and first Overall in the Tour of Korea (2003). He has also been a member of the New Zealand World Championship Team (2007).
Born in Opunake, the 33-year-old Chadwick has experience on both the US and European circuits.
He began his career in 2001 with the Belgian cycling team Landbouwkrediet-Colnago. In his first year he came second in the general classification of the Tour de Liège. After two years he moved to Taiwan to ride for the Giant Asia Racing Team, for whom, in his first year, he won two events (the Tour of Korea and the Tour of Beijing). In 2005 he rode for the Australian UCI Continental team Cyclingnews.com. After two years at the American UCI Professional Continental team Navigators Insurance he moved to Team Type 1 in 2008, where he delivered the Tour of Arkansas, the team's first overall winner of a professional stage race. In 2008 he also represented New Zealand in the road race at the Beijing Olympics. In 2009 he joined Rock Racing.
"We expect Glen to be a major contributor in the development of Pure Black Racing as New Zealand's premier international road cycling team, says team leader, Carl Williams. "With wins on five continents in his career he has the experience and reputation that make other riders look up to him."
"Like everybody else associated with Pure Black Racing I'm very excited about the future of this team," says Glen. "New Zealand has some tremendous cycling talent coming through. The power and the skill is there. The appetite is there. Add international experience and professional team management to the mix, and I think we will be very competitive."
About Pure Black Racing
Lead by America's Cup yachtsman, Star Class World Champion and Olympian, Carl Williams, Pure Black Racing will compete in UCI's US Continental Tour in 2011 with the ultimate aim of becoming a ProTour Team with entry to the Tour de France by 2015.
Pure Black Racing grew out of Team Bici Vida, a domestic high performance cycling team, which Williams launched on his return from Valencia. Bici Vida launched onto the New Zealand scene at the PowerNet Tour of New Zealand in November 2009. Starting with a core team of talented U23 riders, the team enjoyed exceptional success in New Zealand in its first year.
Working alongside Carl in the Pure Black Racing management group are investor and entrepreneur, Greg Cross, as Business Director; former Executive Director at Owens Group, Rick Ellis, as Chairman; and cycling veteran Benny Devcich, as Team Manager. That same team is now the driving force behind Pure Black Racing.
