Downing to Pinarello

By Gerry McManus

Russell Downing has signed the UK based Pinarello RT for 2008. The former British road race champion joins Malcolm Elliott, Lee Davis and Andy Roche in the team run by cycle distributor Phil Griffiths. Downing was beset with visa problems this year and was stranded in the UK for most of the year, unable to re-join his Team HealthNet - Maxxis team.

Elliott is looking forward to being in a strong team for next year. "It's going to be an interesting year," he said. "We are already getting proposals and invitations from people and we are considering registering as UCI Continental team. If that happens then we will certainly have to expand the team but we are still looking at more riders at the moment anyway. It will raise the standard we need to achieve and it certainly motivate me."