HTC-Highroad's riders have all secured contracts for next season with new teams, from Mark Cavendish to the last, Craig Lewis. The American confirmed this week that he will ride for Champion System in 2012.
"I'll mostly be racing in Europe next year," Lewis wrote on Twitter. "Just a few in Asia and the U.S."
Former Navigators general manager, Ed Beamon, runs the team. He is applying to race as a second division squad.
The American HTC team is closing its doors this season after its general manger, Bob Stapleton failed to find a replacement sponsor.
"I really just want to see the people here succeed," Stapleton told Cycling Weekly at the Tour de France. "If we have 30 or 40 athletes that come out of this programme and lead the sport forward then I'd be really happy."
Sky signed Cavendish, Bernhard Eisel, Danny Pate and Kanstantsin Siutsou. American Caleb Fairly is reported to have found a team.
HTC riders and their new teams: Michael Albasini (GreenEdge), Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol), Matthew Brammeier (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Mark Cavendish (Sky), John Degenkolb (Skil-Shimano), Bernhard Eisel (Sky), Caleb Fairly (TBA), Jan Ghyselinck (Cofidis), Matthew Goss (GreenEdge), Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Patrick Gretsch (Skil-Shimano), Leigh Howard (GreenEdge), Craig Lewis (Champion System), Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Danny Pate (Sky), Marco Pinotti (BMC Racing), Frantisek Rabon (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Alex Rasmussen (Suspension), Mark Renshaw (Rabobank), Hayden Roulston (Radio Shack-Nissan), Kanstantsin Siutsou (Sky), Gatis Smukulis (Katusha), Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing), Martin Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
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Wegelius joins Garmin-Cervélo
Charly Wegelius will switch from professional rider to sports director next year. American team, Garmin-Cervélo signed the 33-year-old Brit to help lead its team, which includes David Millar and Tyler Farrar.
GreenEdge completes roster
GreenEdge completed its roster on Tuesday by adding Luke Durbridge and Michael Hepburn. The two 20-year-olds complete the Australian team's roster for its debut season next year.
Both riders helped Australia win the team pursuit at this year's track World Championships in Holland. GreenEdge wants to support them in their quest for medals at the London Olympics.
"Although we're a road team, part of our mission is to support our riders who have ambitions on the track," the team's general manager, Shayne Bannan said in a press release. "Luke and Michael will form a critical part of Australia's hopes to win gold in the team pursuit in London. They are both also massive talents on the road and any team would want on their roster."
GreenEdge, with the confirmation of Lithuanian Aidis Kruopis, now has 30 riders in its roster and hopes to race as Australia's first top-division team next year. The UCI licence commission will announce a definitive list of 18 WorldTour teams on December 10.
GreenEdge riders: Michael Albasini (Sui), Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn), Jack Bobridge (Aus), Simon Clarke (Aus), Baden Cooke (Aus), Allan Davis (Aus), Julian Dean (NZ), Mitchell Docker (Aus), Luke Durbridge (Aus), Simon Gerrans (Aus), Matt Goss (Aus), Michael Hepburn (Aus), Leigh Howard (Aus), Daryl Impey (RSA), Jens Keukeleire (Bel), Aidis Kruopis (Ltu), Brett Lancaster (Aus), Sebastian Langeveld (Ned), Robbie McEwen (Aus), Christian Meier (Can), Cameron Meyer (Aus), Travis Meyer (Aus), Jens Mouris (Ned), Stuart O'Grady (Aus), Wesley Sulzberger (Aus), Daniel Teklehaymanot (Eritrea), Svein Tuft (Can), Tomas Vaitkus (Lit), Pieter Weening (Ned) and Matt Wilson (Aus)
Olympic champion Longo in court for missed doping controls
Jeannie Longo appeared in court on Tuesday to defend herself against doping charges. The French cycling legend missed three out-of-competition controls over the last two years.
Her lawyers Pierre Albert and Burno Ravaz, according to L'Equipe, argued to the French Cycling Federation (FFC) that she should not have been in the testing pool when the all three controls were missed. She missed on in the USA on June 20 following two on home soil.
The 53-year-old won a gold medal in the road race at the 1996 Atlanta Games. She is also a 13-time world champion.
Related links
Cycling Weekly's transfer index: Who's going where in 2012?
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Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
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