Aussie Morton gets Garmin U23 ride

Australian youngster Lachlan Morton will spend 2010 with Jonathan Vaughters’ Felt-Holowesko Partners Garmin Under 23 squad after signing to ride with the American team. At just 17-yeard-old the opportunity to ride with Vaughters’ squad represents a remarkable opportunity for Morton.

“I can’t think of any team I would rather join, as they have a great reputation for supporting and developing young riders,” Morton told Port Macquarie News. “The 2010 racing calendar, which I just received, includes races in Italy, France and Canada, as well as the US.”

Morton will be the youngest member of the Felt-Holowesko Partners Garmin squad when he bases himself in Boulder, Colorado next year. Morton is well known as a youngster to watch for the future in his home state of New South Wales, having already bagged a swag of age division national titles.

He won the United States of American Under 17 Road Championship race in 2008 while riding with the Real Aussie Kids program. He won that race ahead of Daniel Tisdell and Anders Newbury, but more importantly caught the attention of Vaughters which set the foundation of his signing to the former Discovery Channel rider’s U23 team.

While Morton will spend much of 2010 racing in North America, the squad will allow Morton to return to Australia to qualify for the International Cycling Union (UCI) Junior Road World Championships. Making the U23 squad is one of Morton’s biggest aims for next season, according to the rider.

“My main ambition for next year is still to represent Australia at the Junior Worlds if I can,” said Morton. “And, Garmin is very supportive of this.”

Morton is the younger brother of 20-year-old Angus Morton, who currently rides for Australian Continental squad Drapac-Porsche.

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