Two Aussies and a New Zealander may join British squad for 2010
Mathew Hayman (Rabobank) is primed for another day of hard yakka before the fifth stage. (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Two more Australians and a New Zealander may be joining the new British Team Sky for 2010. Road riders Mathew Hayman, Chris Sutton and Greg Henderson will make the move according to ozcycling.com.
The team has already reportedly signed Simon Gerrans from Cervelo. Representing Australia, Hayman, 31, would make the move from Rabobank while Sutton, 24, would transfer from Garmin-Slipstream. The Kiwi Henderson, who won stage two of the Vuelta a Espana this weekend, now rides for Columbia-HTC.
Australia's influence on the team extends beyond just the riders. Scott Sunderland and Shane Sutton are already part of the management.
Sky's latest still-to-be-confirmed signings seem to support an unofficial team policy of not hiring foreign riders who might compete with British riders on the track. All three riders from Oceania compete on the road.
South African John-Lee Augustyn and Brits Steve Cummings, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas have also been linked to the new Sky team.
Official confirmation of recent rider transfers is likely soon as September 1 is the date the UCI lays down as the earliest a contract can be finalised.
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