GARMIN-CHIPOTLE BOSS: WHY I SIGNED WIGGINS

Jonathan Vaughters has been relatively quiet in the transfer market so far, with Bradley Wiggins the only significant addition to the Garmin-Chipotle squad for 2009.

Although Vaughters (pictured) says he may add more riders, he?s unlikely to sign any big names, stressing he is very happy with the composition of the squad and warning rivals that Garmin have a young gem in Irish national champion Dan Martin.

Explaining the decision to hire Wiggins, who rode for High Road this season, and made just one appearance in the new Team Columbia jersey, at the Tour of Britain, Vaughters said.

?I suppose you could look at it as strengthening what we?re already good at, but there is method to my madness.

?I?ve always liked Brad as a person but on the bike he really focused on the track last year. That?s going to be his last year majoring on the track for a little while and he?s going to concentrate 100 per cent on the road, which he really hasn?t done up to this point.

?I think he has got a few tricks up his sleeve and hopefully I can bring that out.?

Asked if he knew whether rumours that the team time trial will return to the first week of the Tour de France next year, Vaughters said: ?Well, I?m certainly hearing those rumours and I really hope they are true.

?When we looked at recruitment for next year, we realised we?re in a tricky position. Sprinting is really not worth going after because Cavendish is going to be so dominant. With climbing, well, we already decided a while back to pick some young climbers and develop them rather than signing up expensive established climbing talent. I mean, I have to be careful how I say this, but with the stringent anti-doping policy, we could end up buying a dud.

?So, what are we based on? How do we try to be the best in the business? Yes, we are adding to what we are already good at, but if there?s a team time trial, and if we could win it by a minute, minute-and-a-half, is that enough to put Christian Vande Velde in a position to win the Tour de France? We hope so.?

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