Bialoblocki fronts Wilier's new domestic outfit

BIALOBLOCKI HEADS UP NEW LOOK WILIER TEAM FOR 2010

With twenty-seven wins last year, Sport Beans Wilier enjoyed an incredibly successful season that saw it finish as the fourth-ranked team nationally.

The team looked set to fold with Sports Beans ending its sponsorship deal but with new sponsors on board and a bigger and stronger squad, the team will be looking for even greater success in 2010.

Surpassing last year's Premier Calendar performance of third and eighth overall, and, subject to invitation, challenging for honours in the Tour Series will be high on the team's objectives for 2010, as four new signings brings the roster for the new season to ten.

Polish strongman Marcin Bialoblocki once again fronts the squad and will be looking to challenge for overall domestic honours after finishing third last year, despite several weeks off due to a broken collarbone. 

Will Bjergfelt, winner of the Perfs Pedal Race and the Totnes Vire 2-day; Grant Bayton, winner of the Python Road Race; Mark Perry, double South Region Champion; Billy-Joe Whenman and rider/manager Ben Luckwell, who missed much of last year due to a broken foot, all remain from last year.    

New signings for 2010 are Ian Rees, who guested for the team in several Tour Series events in 2009; Jon Pain, winner of the Castle Combe Summer Series; Matt Rowe, winner of the Echelon Spiuk 2-day and Commonwealth hopeful Chris Spence complete a promising line-up.

Extra sponsorship will be provided by Bigmaggys.com (a new bike shop run partly by Magnus Backstedt) and Prendas Ciclismo.

Wilier/Bigmaggys.com/Prendas Ciclismo 2010 line-up

Grant Bayton - Elite

Marcin Bialoblocki - Elite

Will Bjergfelt - Elite

Ben Luckwell (Team Manager) - Elite

Jon Pain - Elite

Mark Perry - Elite

Ian Rees - Elite

Matt Rowe - Elite

Chris Spence - First

Billy-Joe Whenman - First

Above: Mark Perry, Ben Luckwell (third from left), Magnus Backstedt (second from right) with some of the team's sponsors

ENDURA OFFICIAL LAUNCH AT SILVERSTONE

One of the most promising-looking domestic teams will launch at Silverstone racing circuit on January 29.

Endura will reveal itself to the press at the end of January before heading to France for an early season racing campaign.

"The 29th of January will be a significant milestone in the evolution of the 2010 Endura Racing project," said team director Jim McFarlane.

"We have been trying to keep this venue under wraps for a while now, and Rob Hayles in particular was pretty excited when he heard about the plans. He visited the venue in early December and gave it a big stamp of approval.

"Our ethos is to seek out excellence in everything we do with this team. Silverstone is the home to motor sport in the UK and has technology and speed at its heart - something to which the Endura Racing team aspires, it is also a state-of-the-art environment that will be a perfect launch-pad for our 2010 aspirations."

VERENTI SIGNS PARTNERSHIP KILO TO GO SPORTIVES

Kilo to Go, organisers of some of Britain's biggest sportive events, has teamed up with Verenti in 2010, a new manufacturer of sportive-oriented bikes.

The bikes, available from March, are expected to become a big feature on the UK sportive scene.

Kicking off the season this year will be The Cheshire Cat on March 28 and runs until the end of October with the Tour of the Peak.

More details can be found at www.kilotogo.com

NEW SIGNINGS ON THE HORIZON

Soon after the addition of Sarah Storey to the new women's cycling team run by Stefan Wyman, entitled ‘Horizon Fitness', the squad has revealed three further signings to its 2010 line-up. 

British criterium and Derny champion Dani King will join the new outfit from Vision 1 Racing. Having previously worked with team manager Wyman during 2009, it will be a smooth transition for the Southampton sensation.

"I'm hoping to build on my successes of 2009, competing internationally and achieving top results for both myself and the team," King explained.

"I'm looking forward to racing with the other girls and becoming a step closer to my ultimate aim of being World Champion and Olympic Gold medallist."  

Also joining the team will be experienced cyclo-cross rider Gabby Day (who is already in her fifth year of riding with Wyman) and European track champion, Ella Sadler-Andrews

"These three riders are all very strong and despite being young are experienced not only in the UK, but around the world also," Wyman said of his signings.

"Dani will lead the team in the many of the classic style races in northern Europe. She's going to be a great rider and I think it's a really good step for her to come to our team for 2010. We'll be progressing very fast as a team, and so will she as rider. It looks like an exciting future together," added Wyman.

ENTRIES ONLINE FOR THE SPRING ONION

The SWRC Spring Onion sportive will feature online entry for the first time this year.

The 60-mile route through the Surrey lanes encompasses some 1,400 metres of climbing, more than enough to test the legs so early in the year (March 14).

Entries are available via www.sientries.co.uk

WYMAN UP TO SECOND OVERALL IN GVA TROPHY

Britain's Helen Wyman edged closer to the overall lead in the GVA Trophy with fifth place in the Loenhout event last week, won by Dutchwoman Daphny Van Den Brand.

The result puts the Briton just four points behind Pavla Havlikova in the overall standings.

"I'm focused 100% on the end of the season," said a slightly disappointed Wyman. "Training sometimes therefore has to come first and it affects your race day performances. But that's the way it has to be. Still, fifth here today was good and moves me closer to the lead in the GVA overall.

"11th in Zolder was also pretty solid as I really wasn't anywhere near the top of my game. I'm looking forward to another solid training block now and working hard for the end of January."