American rider Mike Friedman announced his retirement from a decade-long career in professional cycling on Friday.
He spent the last four seasons racing with the Continental team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies where he had success at the Tour of Elk Grove, Tour de Korea and Tour of the Battenkill, among others. He also spent one season with Jelly Belly p/b Kenda where he won the overall title at the Tour de Korea and took stage podiums at the Tour of Thailand.
Friedman spent three years racing with Garmin-Slipstream from 2007-2009. During those years he competed in the Spring Classics such as Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix, and represented the team primarily as a domestique.
During his career, Friedman won six national titles while racing on the track and competed for the US in the madison at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
“From the bottom of my heart, I want to personally thank everyone who involved themselves in my life of cycling,” Friedman said. “Every moment was truly special, and all of the support allowed me to keep ‘chasing the dream’. For every professional athlete, retirement will come, but that doesn't mean what we enjoy doing so much has to retire with it. I’m very excited for what the future holds, and plan on attacking it with the same energy I put towards my cycling career.”
Orica-AIS signs new talent
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The Australia-based women’s team Orica-AIS has announced a series of new signings for the 2015 season that include Sarah Roy, Chloe McConville and Lizzie Williams.
The team’s director Gene Bates noted some of the high points of the 2014 season with Emma Johansson’s win at the Cittiglio World Cup, Trofeo Alfredo Binda, and placing third at the World Championships. In addition, Valentina Scandolara won the women's one-day Giro del Trentino.
Bates said that the team plans to target races and focus on preparing riders for specific goals next year.
McConville has experience racing with Australia’s national team. She returns to the peloton after taking some time to recover from deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms.
Roy, the Australian criterium champion, joins the team from French outfit Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86. Williams joins the squad after racing for several months in the US and Canada with Vanderkitten.
Orica-AIS will start the 2015 season at the Bay Cycling Classic, Australian championships, Santos Women’s Series in Adelaide and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
Vini Fantini-Nippo ends 2014 season at the Japan Cup
Grega Bole will lead the team that also includes Pierpaolo De Negri, Manabu Ishibashi, Genki Yamamoto and Takashi Miyazawa.
Damiano Cunego, who has signed with Vini Fantini-Nippo for next season, will be racing with his current team Lampre-Merida at the Japan Cup. The Italian was third last year.
The Japan Cup criterium will take place on Saturday October 19, followed by the Japan Cup itself on Sunday.
