Jens Mouris will join Stuart O'Grady in the GreenEdge engine room, the Dutchman the project's latest signing.
General Manager Shayne Bannan said that Mouris' 197 centimetre frame, which carries his 91 kilo body, makes him an important workhorse for the squad which will target the Spring Classics.
"When recruiting riders to protect our leaders it's a great advantage to have a guy as big as Jens that also knows how to hold and handle his bike on the tricky roads of the big cobblestoned classics," Bannan said in a media release.
"A measure of how strong Jens is can be found in him having won the prologue at the Olympia's Tour and the Tour of Zeeland, along with taking fourth in the prologue at the Vuelta a Espana behind the likes of Fabian Cancellara a few years ago."
"I love Australia and the Australian mentality towards sports so when I got the chance to be part of that I didn't hesitate," he explained said.
"I think I can benefit from the atmosphere and coaching in this team.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"My main ambition is to do well for the team in the spring classics, grand tours and try to be in the team that rides the team time trial world championships. And maybe get a win myself."
Mouris is the third Dutchman to join GreenEdge, following Pieter Weening and Sebastian Langeveld who have been previously announced and Bannan believes they will make a seamless transition to his team.
"Although there is a lot of interest around this being an Australian team we've stated from the start that the best thing for the team is to have a mix of experience, capabilities, temperaments and nationalities," he explained.
"Sure it's good for the Dutch guys to have a few compatriots on the team but it's how they gel with everyone else that's most important and they're on the team because we know they've got the right mentality."
As a sports journalist and producer since 1997, Jane has covered Olympic and Commonwealth Games, rugby league, motorsport, cricket, surfing, triathlon, rugby union, and golf for print, radio, television and online. However her enduring passion has been cycling.
Jane is a former Australian Editor of Cyclingnews from 2011 to 2013 and continues to freelance within the cycling industry.
