Kruopis to An Post, Sporza journalist to attempt hour record
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Martin Kohler (BMC)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The race leader, Jai Crawford (Genesys Wealth Advisers)(Image credit: Sonoko Tanaka)
Ryan Mullen (Ireland) rides to the silver medal(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Aidis Kruopis in the blue jersey(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Kohler looking to pursue personal ambitions in 2015 Having turned pro with BMC in 2008, Swiss rider Martin Kohler will be in unfamiliar territory next season as his contracted was not renewed by the WorldTour team. The 29-year-old explained to radsport-news he was disappointed by the decision.
"I was very surprised that my contract was not renewed after seven years of service as a domestique," he said.
After winning the Swiss time trial title in 2011 and road race in 2012, Kohler explained that after his wins he expected the team would allow a little more freedom at races.
"I could not even chase my own opportunities, which made me a little disappointed," he added.
While not wanting to announce his team for the upcoming season until his contract is signed, Kohler is clear on his ambition to pursue personal targets.
"I want to finally open my account, I can win races and spend time at the front," he said. "My athletic goals and my ambitions are far from exhausted."
Kruopis heads to An Post Chain Reaction Sean Kelly team Irish Continental team An Post Chain Reaction have confirmed that Irish road champion and silver medallist in the U23 World championships time trial, Ryan Mullen, will stay with the squad in 2015 where he will be joined by Aidis Kruopis who leaves Orica-GreenEdge after three seasons.
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"I'm really happy to stay with An Post," Mullen said on the team website. "It's been a great year for me and that's down to the experience I'm getting with the team and the guidance from Kurt. I'm really keen to further progress my development on the road and the team's programme is perfect for this so I'm really looking forward to just getting started again."
Kroupis, who won the sprints classification at the Tour de Langkawi in March, is looking to relaunch his career at the team which he believes can provide the necessary race program to do so.
Lithuanian road race champion Paulius Siskevicius also joins the team as does Lotto-Belisol stagiaire Xandro Meurisse, Belgians Alexander Maes and Jens Vandenbogaerde, Australian Jordan Stannus, Briton Alistair Slater and Irish quartet Eoin McCarthy, Conor Dunne, Jack Wilson and Sean Downey.
Jai Crawford to Kinan Pro Cycling Australian Jai Crawford will ride for the new Japanese UCI Continental team Kinan Pro Cycling in 2015 after spending this season with Australian Pro-Continental outfit Drapac. The 31-year-old won a stage at the 2010 edition of the Tour of Utah and finished fourth overall in the same year.
Crawford's best overall result in 2014 was at the Tour de Kumano where he placed seventh overall and will join the newly created team for 2015.
Sporza journalist to attempt hour record While the hour record has become a new focus for several riders in the professional peloton, Belgian journalist Ruben Van Gucht has decided to make his own attempt on the record which was recently set at 51.850km by IAM Cycling's Matthias Brändle.
Van Gucht will make his attempt on November 21 at the Flemish Cycling Centre Eddy Merckx in Ghent and has been training with help from Tom Boonen and Tom Steels. Van Gucht tweeted that he is expecting to ride between 38-40 kilometres.
