Revolution Race Management would like to announce the team for 2011.
The 2010 season provided a pilot year for the formation of the Revolution Racing brand that was setup by former NZ cyclist and now coach Steve Elden and experienced business manager Richard Aitken. The two passionate cyclists joined forces and paired up in 2009 to find sponsors, support and guidance for a team based approach to the NZ cycling scene that is common in racing throughout Europe and USA.
The men's team for 2011 will be named: "Team Mico-Revolution Racing" and has extended its budget and race calendar to match the list of other growing NZ teams. The strong young roster of riders "Team Mico" has assembled are looking forward to an exciting year and giving the larger more established teams a good run for their money.
Building on the partnerships formed last year with the Revolution Racing Management; Mico (Bathrooms, Pipelines and Plumbing) is again this year's main title sponsor. A family of co-sponsors help to provide products and services. These are supplied in the form of: nutritional bars and gels supplier to the team; Mule Bar, Website and media liaison for team; BillboardMe.co.nz, Professional coaching, testing and bike setups; Protrain, Team clothing provider; Tineli. Team kit and graphics designer; RGB Design, and last year's co-sponsor All About Plumbing. All sponsorship support and racing logistics are managed and directed by Steve Elden and Richard Aitken who jointly apply their individual strengths to the team's structure.
For 2011 Team Mico-Revolution Racing has signed:
Joe Cooper (Wellington): This year has been a great season for Joe, winning the Tour of Taranaki and defending his title at the Tour of New Caledonia however the highlight has to be winning stage three and the KOM Jersey at the Tour of Southland. Joe Cooper said "I see myself as a GC contender with my climbing and TT abilities and I am looking forward to beginning my 2011 domestic season with Team Mico-Revolution Racing before heading off to fulfil my dream of racing in Europe over the NZ winter months"
Brad Carter (Cambridge): Brad has a long list of consistent race results throughout NZ and Europe in 2010 and brings good international experience to the team. Brad said "I love racing my bike! Over the last few years I have represented New Zealand in teams and raced in France and Spain. I go best in races when the road starts to tilt upwards and I like to be aggressive and find breaks in one day races!"
Josh Brown (Palmerston North): Josh returns to Mico-Revolution Racing for 2011 and has been racing 6 years now working his way up from the junior ranks now into the senior ranks. He was the 2007 U19 TT Champion and spent time racing in Australia and Canada with the National team. In 2008 and 2009 he spent the season in Belgium racing for Amateur team VC Ardennes before returning to NZ in 2010 to study and race domestically for Mico-All About Plumbing. After a quiet 2010 season due to illness he is hoping to regain good form and have a competitive 2011.
Dan Waluszewski (Wellington): Dan is another rider that returns to Mico-Revolution Racing team. Dan enjoys the NZ team racing and is a power house to the team line up. He is the current Wellington, Road, Crit, and TT champion. Dan has also raced for NZ at the Oceania champs over the years and this year returned to the NZ road team for the Tour of Tahiti were he took out the final stage with a spectacular and dominant sprint finish.
Louis Wright (Matamata): The 2011 season will also be Louis second year racing with the Mico-Revolution Racing Team. This year Louis was selected to ride for the New Zealand U19 Road team after consistent results in the national selection races including a 3rd place overall in the Rotorua Junior Tour and a 4th place in the National Time Trial Championships. Louis says "My NZ selection meant I represented New Zealand along with five other riders in the Nations Cup in Quebec, Canada. Our team won the team's classification and I finished a credible 10th place in the individual category. I am currently training and preparing for a tough 2011 season where I will ride for the Mico-Revolution Racing team but spend the majority of the season in France, racing for a French Club team. I am anticipating a fantastic introductory year to elite/senior racing with Steve, Richard and the rest of the boys."
Matt Wheatcroft (Auckland): Matt joins the team after catching the eye of director Steve Elden while he was manager of the Bike NZ team in Tahiti this year that included Matt. Riding with the NZ team Matt rode well in the U23 category to finish 4th U23 and 9th overall in what is a challenging tour. I'm confident Matt will step up and perform well in 2010 and fit in well to gain some further development for him to take away to his international career.
Steve Elden calls the teams structure a "win-win."
Our sponsors get a great return for investment, in the form of advertising. With the riders kitted out head to toe with sponsors logos and messages that are seen daily by thousands of potential customers, when the team members are on our roads training. All this before the team even enters a race or competition.
Following competition with media coverage of all forms, seen by the public and the supporters of cycling in this hottest and fastest growing NZ sport.
On the other side of the coin our riders get travel, race support and gear that would normally be a huge expense to any individual.
The Mico-Revolution Racing Team we have put together this year is a well balanced team of riders who share strengths and camaraderie that we are looking to foster for a successful year of competition in this highly competitive sport.
That completes the current line up, more riders and sponsors may be added to the list as it is always an evolving project. This roster will see Team Mico-Revolution Racing lining up for our first outing at the NZ Elite Champs in Christchurch in early January followed by the Hub Cycles Tour of Hawkes Bay and then the UCI 2.2 Trust House Tour of Wellington later in January.
Plans are still taking shape on the woman's team so keep an eye on the Revolution Racing management to build their next squad.
The Confirmed Team Roster to date is:
- Joe Cooper
- Brad Carter
- Josh Brown
- Dan Waluszewski
- Louis Wright
- Matt Wheatcroft
- Steve Elden (Director)
- Richard Aitken (Director)
