Cantwell to Saxo Bank-SunGard for 2012

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Australian Jonathan Cantwell has signed with Saxo Bank-SunGard for one year, the Danish team announced Tuesday afternoon.  The 29-year-old is a criterium specialist.

Cantwell rode for the Continental-ranked Fly V Australia team in 2009 and 2010, bringing in 37 wins in those two seasons.  He had signed with the Pegasus Project for the 2011 season, and when it folded, he joined V Australia again as of May.  He had eight wins this year, including the Australian Criterium Championship. Virtually all of his career wins have been in criteriums, but he's had high placings in stage races such as Tour of China, Tour of Hainan and the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.

The end of last month Cantwell told Cyclingnews that he was still looking for a new team for the coming year, after having several options fall through. 

"Jonathan has won many races in the past four years whilst riding in Australia and the States and has shown he is a winner,” said team owner Bjarne Riis. “I feel he now deserves a shot at the very top level. He is a hard working person and a tough guy, and I believe he can further lift his level. So I see Jonathan as an asset for us in the stage races, when it comes to helping out J.J. Haedo in the sprints, or going for a win himself.”

"To get a spot on Saxo Bank-SunGard is pretty much a dream come true for me, and if I could choose a team myself, it would be this team, so I couldn't be happier, and I'm really looking forward to get onboard," Cantwell explains.

He plans to "be a strong lead out for J.J. Haedo and just learn from Bjarne Riis, his group of sport directors and my new team mates. I'm 29 year old, and I have been waiting for this opportunity, so I definitely want to show my face too”

While Cantwell is willing to do helper work, he also has an eye out for himself.  “Number one is to do the job, the team asks from me, and secondly, if I'm told that "this is your chance", then I want to take it with both hands and go for a win," he said.