Three of Britain’s best young riders have had their contracts renewed for 2014 with the NetApp-Endura team.
The Scottish-German squad, registered in the UCI’s second-tier Pro Continental ranks, has retained the services of three of the British riders who rode for the Endura Racing squad that won last year’s Tour of Britain.
Erick Rowsell, a graduate of British Cycling’s Academy, and brother of Olympic gold medalist, Joanna, will race again in the blue, white, and green.
Jonny McEvoy, who in 2011 was narrowly pipped to the Premier Calendar title by Ian Bibby, his team-mate at Motorpoint, has also been retained.
And Scott Thwaites, a former British under-23 champion, who racked up eight top 10 finishes this season, including second at the Tour of Qinghai Lake, will stay with the squad for 2014.
The 20-strong squad that will contest next season will also include former Endura Racing riders, Zak Dempster, an Australian who previously rode for Rapha-Condor, the Spaniard, Iker Camaño, and German rider, Paul Voss.
NetApp-Endura enjoyed a successful debut season this year, frequently punching above their weight in events on cycling’s elite UCI WorldTour.
The Vuelta a Espana proved an especially happy hunting ground, with victory on stage eight for Leopold König just four days after an impressive seventh place in the opening stage team time trial.
Jan Barta retained his Czech national road race and time trial championships, and Britain’s Russell Downing won the national circuit race championship. The Yorkshireman will race next season in the colours of new British Continental squad, NFTO.
Downing and Thwaites were among the riders who contested some of the most historic races in cycling for NetApp-Endura this season, including the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and the Amstel Gold Race.
Scottish clothing brand, Endura, will continue their sponsorship of NetApp-Endura next season, as well as becoming clothing supplier to the Spanish Movistar squad of Tour de France runner-up, Nairo Quintana and stage winner, Alex Dowsett.
NetApp-Endura 2014
Jan Barta
Cesare Benedetti
Sam Bennett
Iker Camano
David de la Cruz
Zakkari Dempster
Bartosz Huzarski
Blaz Jarc
Leopold Konig
Tiago Machado
Ralf Matzka
Jonathan McEvoy
Jose Mendes
Frantisek Padour
Erick Rowsell
Andreas Schillinger
Daniel Schorn
Michael Schwarzmann
Paul Voss
