The Madison-Genesis team for the 2014 season has been unveiled.
Team manager, Roger Hammond, and eleven of the riders were introduced to the press at the IceBike trade show of title sponsor, Madison, in Milton Keynes.
New Zealanders, Tom Scully and Mike Northey, signed in the closed season from Team Raleigh and Node4-Giordana respectively, were absent. Northey’s partner is expecting a baby and Scully is competing in the madison event at the UCI Track World Championships in Cali, Colombia.
Madison Genesis, which last year finished second overall in the Tour Series, and raced against UCI WorldTour opposition in the RideLondon-Surrey Classic and the Tour of Britain, has been strengthened for 2014.
Hammond, twice a British champion, and who raced in cycling’s top tier for several years, finishing third at the 2004 Paris-Roubaix, said the addition of three riders to the roster would increase competition for selection. Helping his riders to achieve their potential would remain his goal, he continued, adding that the team would build from its experiences of a successful debut season.
This year’s squad features key signings of established riders from the domestic scene and developing riders whom the team hopes will become the stars of tomorrow. Scully, who last year won the Redditch round of the Tour Series and the London Nocturne, will add firepower to the performance of the Milton Keynes’ squad in criterium races, with the Tour Series of televised city centre races offering prime exposure for the team’s sponsors. And Northey, who performed aggressively in the Tour Series and the Tour of Britain, could add all-round strength to the team.
Tobyn Horton, who has previously competed for Raleigh and last year raced with the now defunct Team UK Youth squad, which ended the season as the number one domestic team and Tour Series winners, represents a further addition of established talent. The Channel Islander registered a series of top five placings in the country’s most prestigious criteriums and road races, including second at the Durham round of the Tour Series and fifth at the Lincoln GP.
The acquisition of Pete Hawkins, who last year raced for the now defunct IG-Sigma Sport team, represents another significant signing. The Belfast rider was wearing the leader’s jersey when he crashed out of the AN Post RAS last year, a month after finishing third overall at the Tour of the Reservoir.
While Beaumont Trophy winner, Dean Downing, has left the team to join NFTO, senior riders including Andy Tennant, a former world champion on the track, and Ian Bibby have been retained. Liam Holohan, winner of the combatitivity award on stage six of last year’s Tour of Britain, the first in the modern incarnation of the race with a summit finish and widely regarded as the most demanding, will race again for Hammond’s squad in 2014.
Alex Peters, who last year finished seventh in the Tour of Britain’s young rider category in his first season as a senior, has been retained. Scott Davies, who has raced for British Cycling’s vaunted Academy set-up, and who last year finished seventh in the junior race at the world road race championships in Florence, will contest a first full season as a senior rider in the colours of Madison Genesis.
Matt Holmes, Chris Snook, who has retained a place with the team despite having to balance racing duties with the demands of a full-time position with Madison, Dom Jelfs, and Tom Stewart complete the line-up.
Check back soon for more on the Madison Genesis team as they prepare for the season ahead.
Madison Genesis 2014
Ian Bibby
Scott Davies
Pete Hawkins
Matt Holmes
Liam Holohan
Tobyn Horton
Dom Jelfs
Mike Northey
Alex Peters
Tom Scully
Chris Snook
Tom Stewart
Andy Tennant
