Mitchelton-Scott feeder team retains Chinese connection
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It was all Mitchelton Scott podium with Lucas Hamilton taking the win(Image credit: Adrian Marshall)
Jai Hindley and Lucas Hamilton go one-two for Mitchelton-Scott(Image credit: Matteo Marchi / ISOLA PRESS)
U23 Australian national champion, Sam Jenner (NSWIS)(Image credit: Cycling Australia)
Jacob Hennessy (Great Britain)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The team classification was won by Mitchelton-Scott (Image credit: Matteo Marchi / ISOLA PRESS)
Following the announcement that Orica-Scott would be taking on the name Mitchelton-Scott from 2018, the development team of the WorldTour outfit has undergone a makeover for the new season.
The Chinese-Australian Continental team will be known as Mitchelton-BikeExchange in 2018 having raced its debut season under the Mitchelton-Scott name. While the team jersey features similar features to the Giordana kit of the WorldTour squad the striking red shoulders ensure a distinctive look.
Although the full roster is yet to be announced, Sam Jenner, Harry Sweeney, Briton Jacob Hennessy and Colombian Brayan Chaves are confirmed with further announcements to be made in coming weeks. The team makes it 2018 debut this week at the Australian national championships in Victoria.
"We are thrilled to welcome back BikeExchange and Mitchelton as major partners of our organisation," GreenEDGE Cycling's owner Gerry Ryan said. "It's a pleasure to work with innovative Australian companies that are quickly advancing into real, global establishments."
"After a very successful debut season, that included 42 podiums and 10 victories, we are excited to take this team to another level in 2018. It's Chinese essence with remain, and we are excited to sign the country's most exciting young talent, but we are also happy to add a more international element with the signings of Jacob and Brayan."
In 2017, Jai Hindley, Michael Storer and Lucas Hamilton were standout riders for the team with the trio all enjoying wins across the season. However, the trio all move into the WorldTour from 2018, with HIndley and Storer joining Team Sunweb and Hamilton Mitchelton-Scott.
Mitchelton general manager Andrew Ryan added that while stepping up as naming rights sponsors of the WorldTour team, exposure in Asia via the Continental team couldn't be passed up.
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"Whilst the WorldTour sponsorships gives us world-wide promotion, we have already seen throughout 2017 that the Continental team can give us more direct promotion in Asia," Andrew Ryan said. "We look forward to promoting our estate to this market and welcoming even more international guests to our new Mitchelton Hotel and Day Spa."
The team will continue to race on Scott bikes for 2018.
