Cameron Bayly and Nick Walker join nine-man outfit
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The early break (l-r): Neil Van Der Ploeg and Brodie Talbot, both of Search2Retain/MyTeam2, Cameron Jennings (Budget Forklifts) and Nathan Haas (Genesys Wealth Advisers).(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Luke Fetch crushed the U23 competition(Image credit: Russell Baker)
Luke Fetch (Search2Retain) in action during the 40km third stage in San Remo.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Numero uno: Neil Van Der Ploeg from Victoria takes out the men's under 23 cross country.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
search2retain cycling released details of their 2012 squad today with an emphasis on more individual support for a smaller number of riders. The 2011 squad consisted of 14 riders and the 2012 squad has been trimmed back to a roster of nine.
Team Director, Peter Shandon noted that the team achieved most of its objectives for 2011 with podiums in each road event they competed in and dominance in mountain bike events such as Tour de Timor.
"We had two main objectives at the commencement of the season; develop our ability to ride together as a team and go for stage victories and I am really satisfied that we have made excellent progress in both areas," he explained.
The team has added Cameron Bayly and Nick Walker to the squad for 2012. Nick Walker is a proven performer and will provide the team with additional criterium capability. Cameron Bayly is a promising under 23 rider and has been highly recommended by some of the biggest names in Australian cycling and is currently coached by Henk Vogels. Both are expected to flourish in the team culture that search2retain cycling has developed over the past three years.
Team management believes that this will be a watershed year for the team. Both Luke Fetch and Bayly are serious contenders for under 23 titles. Fetch has already won the opening round of the Australian Mountain Bike National series cross country event in Perth last month following on from his 3rd place in October's Melbourne to Warrnambool.
The team's elite men are all improving with the likes of Jay Bourke and Neil van Der Ploeg both finding form throughout the season. Bourke (ex professional triathlete and elite runner) has only been road racing for a couple of years and goes from strength to strength with each event and the team expects that he will continue to improve throughout 2012. Neil van Der Ploeg was completing his final year of university this year and plans to really step up his training for 2012.
The team plans to compete in a number of Asian road and mountain bike races in 2012 and use this as valuable learning for gaining a Continental licence in 2013.
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search2retain cycling for 2012: Cal Britten, Cameron Bayly, Charles Howlett, Jake Klajnblat, Jay Bourke, Luke Fetch, Neil van Der Ploeg, Nick Walker and Tom Donald
