Boosting their roster from six to eight riders for 2009, Team Kinesis UK officially unveiled their exciting new line-up in front of supporters and sponsors at the Core Bike Show near Silverstone in Northamptonshire last week.
Following a successful season in 2008, attention has been switched from the development of youth riders to focusing on strength in depth.
Steve Lampier, James Stewart, Rab Wardell, James Moss and Jack Pullar, plus new additions Alex Bhogal and Vincent Veilleux (both from Quebec) will lead the team?s assault on the domestic calendar, as well as several races on the continent.
"Team Kinesis has come a long way over the last six years, evolving from an eight-man junior squad to one of the premier teams in the UK,? explained team manager, Chris Truett.
"We will be building on our success from last year and will hopefully raise the standard for TKUK to the next level.
"My team will be mainly a Premier Calendar/Tour Series squad and will also attend some national crits. We have a great race program again this year, with yet more invites to Europe, as well as from overseas.
"The team will be aggressive and determined, more than ever, for top placings this year. We have more staff and backing behind us, as well as sponsors that are really supportive, which is great."
Among those moving on to pastures new were Matt Cronshaw, who has since been snapped up by Rapha-Condor, James Sampson (CandiTV-Pinarello), Kit Gilham (Sigma-Sport) and Tom Last (Sigma-Sport).
"Last year was probably our most exciting year," said Kinesis' creative design director, Dom Mason. "We were in the press a lot and really pushed things. We almost had a win with Tom Last, who was only just beaten on the finish line when he put his arms in the air to celebrate prematurely, but that incident generated more press than just about anything else.
"Last season was very exciting and we had a real good profile, but what I am really looking forward to is seeing what these lads can really do against all the other teams who are on far greater budgets. That's going to be the really interesting thing.
"It will be a good season, we will definitely have fun and I don't doubt that we will be on the podiums."
2009 line-up:
Steve Lampier
James Stewart
Rab Wardell
James Moss
Jack Pullar
Alex Bhogal
Vincent Veilleux
Above: Team Kinesis launch at the Core Bike Show
Above: Team Kinesis raring to go in 2009
PREMIER CALENDAR 2008
2008 Premier Calendar index
PREMIER CALENDAR 2008: CYCLING WEEKLY'S COVERAGE
Click on the links to find our more about each race.
RICHMOND GP
Report: Downing takes his seventh Premier Calendar of the year
Preview
TOUR OF PENDLE
Report: Hayles takes Tour of Pendle
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EAST YORKSHIRE CLASSIC
Report: Russell Downing yet again
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TOUR OF BLACKPOOL
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NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ROAD RACE
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News: Gossip from the National Champs
Preview: Who's going to win?
Preview: Ask the textperts
Preview: The riders' verdicts
Cycling Weekly Classic: From the Archives, Robert Millar's Island Magic 1995
The Big Preview
British National Championships roll of honour
GP OF WALES
Report: Russell Downing wins in Wales
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BEAUMONT TROPHY
Report: Hayles wins his first of the season
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LINCOLN GP
Analysis: Battle of the Brothers
Analysis: Should they rename Michaelgate Downing Street?
Report: Russell Downing wins
Preview
CHAS MESSENGER
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Report day two: Russell Downing wins
Report day one
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EAST MIDLANDS CICLE CLASSIC
How the Irish pulled off a coup
Reaction and analysis
Report: Ciaran Power wins
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TOUR OF THE RESERVOIR
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Report: Russell Downing wins Tour of the Reservoir
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GIRVAN
Analysis: Battle of the Brothers
Report: Russell Downing wins the Girvan overall
Report: Partridge wins stage three
Report: Downing makes it two in a row
Report: Russell Downing wins stage one
Preview: Can Oliphant end 21 years of hurt?
BIKELINE
Analysis
Report: Dean Downing wins overall
Report: Oliphant takes stage two
Report: Wilkinson wins stage one time trial
Preview
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