Recently-crowned European individual and team pursuit champion Andy Tennant believes that joining the new UCI-ranked team being put together by Bradley Wiggins for 2015 is an “obvious move”.
Cycling Weekly revealed last week that Tennant, along with Mark Christian, look set to ride alongside the 2012 Tour de France winner at the development team he is setting up for next season. Olympic gold medallist Steven Burke is also understood to be joining the squad, which aims to support the Great Britain’s men’s endurance team in the build-up to the Rio 2016 Games.
In 2009, Tennant was part of the Halfords team that was set up with a similar aim of developing British talent, and he believes joining Wiggins’s new venture will boost his chances of competing in his first Games.
“It think it will better than Halfords – there will be more money involved,” he joked.
“I got approached by Brad at the Commonwealth Games. He put the project to me, and I was really keen.
“If anyone can pull the sponsors together, he’s the man. He told me why he wanted to do this team. He’s texting me a lot, he’s a fantastic guy. It should be a really good team.
“For my development, this team will be a great place for me.”
Tennant rode for Madison-Genesis in 2013 and 2014, but found his chances limited at the fledgling British team.
“It’s difficult to juggle the track and the road at times,” added Tennant. “It was easy at Rapha Condor-Sharp, but it was more difficult at Motorpoint [in 2010] and with Madison. I have great admiration for Roger [Hammond, team manager] and the team, but I don’t think I was the ideal rider for them.
“My commitment is on the track, that’s where I want to continue to be, and this new team is the perfect opportunity to help me reach my goal of being Olympic champion.”
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