New Australian cycling team GreenEDGE have confirmed young stars Cameron and Travis Meyer and Jack Bobridge as their first signings. After weeks of speculation, the team started negotiating formally with riders on August 1 and their first official recruits are three of the hottest young talents in the sport. Cameron Meyer is a five-time world track champion, while Bobridge has three world titles on the boards.
Cameron and Bobridge will be key members of the team pursuit squad next year at the London Olympics and Australia's battle against Great Britain and Russia will be one of the highlights of the Games. GreenEDGE hope to become the first Australian-based team to ride in the Tour de France next year. Bobridge and Cameron are unlikely to ride in the Tour until after the London Games. Cameron's younger brother Travis won the national road title last year, but his season this year is already over because of leg surgery two months ago.
The older Meyer has already competed in the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) and won this year's Tour Down Under. Cameron and Bobridge also have won the national time trial title on the road. Earlier this year, Bobridge broke Chris Boardman's world record for the individual pursuit, a track event that is no longer on the Olympic program. Boardman's record had stood since the 1990s and was considered unbreakable. There was speculation at the start of this week that GreenEDGE had signed Australian greats Stuart O'Grady and Robbie McEwen, but the two stars insist they are yet to decide their teams for next season.
HTC-Highroad confirmed on Thursday night that they are disbanding and that means Australians Mark Renshaw, Matt Goss and Leigh Howard are definitely in the transfer market. Renshaw is the leadout man for British sprint ace Mark Cavendish and might follow him to another team. But Goss and Howard would appear strong chances to join GreenEDGE. The cyclingnews website is reporting Daniel Teklehaymanot from Eritrea has also signed with GreenEDGE, which will know later this year whether its bid to secure a top-level racing licence has been successful.