PRE-SEASON PREPARATIONS FOR BRITISH TEAMS

The winter transfer merry-go-round is finally over and the British teams can settle down and focus on the serious business of winning bike races.

This year?s Premier Calendar series kicks off on March 14 with the Bikeline Two Day in Flintshire, North Wales, and ends at the Richmond GP in August, with a healthy total of 13 events in all.

Throw in three separate circuit race series and a smattering of foreign stage races some of the bigger teams are riding and you have a very busy summer for the home-based bunch.

RIDERS

Russell Downing

Malcolm Elliott

Graham Briggs

Peter Williams

Andy Roche

Lee Davis

Dale Appleby

James Sampson

MANAGER

Phil Griffiths

BIKES

Pinarello

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

A ten-day training camp in Lanzarote for the squad, followed by seven days back home before a 10-day stint in Majorca.

FIRST RACES

Russell Downing, Malcolm Elliott and two other (as yet) unnamed riders head to Singapore in February.

RIDERS

Dean Downing

Chris Newton

Kristian House

Ben Greenwood

Rhys Lloyd

Tom Southam

Simon Richardson

Matt Cronshaw

Liam Holohan

Darren Lapthorne

Mike Rudling

Dan Craven

MANAGER

John Herety

BIKES

Condor

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

The bulk of the 12-man outfit has just completed a training camp in Gascony, South-West France, with manager John Herety, while four of the team train in Australia and Chris Newton hooks up with the national squad. The team launch takes place this week (January 23) in London, after which the luxurious surroundings of Reads Hotel in Majorca becomes base for another week of training

FIRST RACES

Two South African stage races, the Tour of Boland and the Giro del Capo, kick-start the season starting February 21. Those riders not making the long haul trip will fly the Rapha flag at the Eddie Soens on March 9.

RIDERS

Tony Gibb

Jeroen Janssen

Jon Mozley

Stephen Adams

Tom Barras

Evan Oliphant

Tom Murray

Jon Tiernan-Locke

Ross Creber

MANAGER

Eddie White

BIKES

Cervélo

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Evan Oliphant, third overall finisher in the 2008 Premier Calendar, returns from his usual winter of racing and training in Australia. The remaining nine riders are currently training together at weekends before flying out to Majorca.

FIRST RACES

Plowmans kick off with the Tour of Majorca, starting on February 4. The five-stage season-opener attracts plenty of top teams ? Rabobank, Caisse D?Epargne and Quick Step rode in 2008 ? so the boys in pink will have their work cut out. The squad stay on the island for another 10 days for some (hopefully) warm weather training, with an invite to the Giro del Capo stage race in South Africa in early March currently being considered.

RIDERS

Rob Hayles

Ed Clancy

Andy Tennant

Mark McNally

Ian Wilkinson

Rob Partridge

Ian Bibby

David Fletcher

MANAGER

Keith Lambert

BIKES

Boardman

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Training camp in Majorca

FIRST RACES

The Eddie Soens at Aintree racecourse on March 7 followed a week later by the opening Premier Calendar round of the season, the Bikeline Two Day in North Wales.

RIDERS

Steve Lampier

Matthew Kipling

James Stewart

Rab Wardell

James Moss

Jack Pullar

Alex Bhogal

Vincent Veilleux

MANAGER

Chris Truett

BIKES

Kinesis

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

The all-new line up had a team get-together in Southport recently and head to Playa la Carmen in Lanzarote for a 12-day training camp in early February.

FIRST RACES

The Eddie Soens on March 7.

RIDERS

Matt Stephens

Robin Sharman

Kit Gilham

Wouter Sybrandy

Andrew Bye

Neil Swithenbank

James Williamson

Dan Duguid

Tom Last

MANAGER

Matt Stephens

BIKES

Specialized

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Three-day training camp in Cheshire.

FIRST RACES

The Circuit of Ashurst on March 1.

RIDERS

Ben Luckwell

Grant Bayton

Marcin Bialoblocki

Will Bjergfelt

Richard Wilkinson

Mark Perry

Billy Jo Whenman

MANAGER

Clive Richardson

BIKES

Wilier

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Training on home roads before a week long camp in Granada, Spain, starting February 21.

FIRST RACES

Severn Bridge Road Race on March 1.

RIDERS

Roy Chamberlain

Matt Higgins

Simon Gaywood

Chris McNamara

Richard Cartland

Mark Wordsworth

Martin Freeman

Karl Freeman

Tom Kirk

Nick Jones

MANAGER

Dick Hooper

BIKES

Trek

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Most of the team work full-time, so no training camps, but plenty of training over the next few weeks.

FIRST RACES

The Perfs Pedal Race and Eddie Soens, followed by the Bikeline Two Day in Wales.

RIDERS

Steven Charles

Ian Franklin

Steven Griffiths

James Jackson

Daniel Kogan

Andy Lyons

Adam Norris

Nino Piccoli

Dean Shannon

Joe Skipper

Ben Thompson

James Whatling

MANAGER

Alan Rosner

BIKES

BMC

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

The team head to Majorca for a week?s training camp in the hills. The new squad will hold its official launch at the Redbridge Cycling Centre on February 1.

FIRST RACES

Local race, Jock Wadley Memorial in Essex, followed by the Premier Calendar event, the Bikeline Two Day.

RIDERS

Gary Hand

David Smith

James McCallum

Duncan Urquhart

Scott Macrae

Gordon Murdoch

David Lines

Callum Wilkinson

Kevin Barclay

Josh James

Alistair Robinson

MANAGER

Jonathan McBain

BIKES

Giant

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Two mini training camps in Scotland already with most of the UCI-registered team aiming to get some miles in on the Continent during February.

FIRST RACES

No details of opening races but looking for a strong ride on home roads in the Girvan in April.

RELATED LINKS

Rapha-Condor head south for season start

Plowman Craven_and_Pearl Izumi join forces

Plowman team to race Tour of Mallorca

Kinesis squad expands for 2009