American team looking to build on 2014 performances
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The UnitedHealthcare men come to the front leading up to the base of the climb(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Janez Brajkovic (Astana)(Image credit: El Pedal de Frodo - www.elpedaldefrodo.com)
Tanner Putt is returning and is expected to be a leader on the road in 2014.(Image credit: Casey B. Gibson)
Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare) at the start in the yellow jersey(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
American Pro-Continental team UnitedHealthcare have announced its men's roster for 2015 with several new additions to the team. While focused on the American racing circuit, the team's 2014 calendar also included several WorldTour races such as Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and La Flèche Wallonne and its team for next season is built around balancing campaigns on both the international and domestic front.
UnitedHealthcare is looking to new signings Janez Brajkovic and the Italian duo of Marco Canola and Daniele Ratto to add stage wins and overall results in 2015 and continuing its success from this season.
"We have a well-rounded and immensely capable squad assembled for 2015," general manager Mike Tamayo said. "When you have a sponsorship commitment into the future, like that of UnitedHealthcare, we have to think beyond results of today.
"We have hired some impressive talents for 2015 but also hired some young up-and-coming riders for the future. We're excited to hit the road and start racing."
After an injury interrupted season with Astana, Brajkovic is looking to get back to his best at the American squad as he told Cyclingnews last month.
"I'm really looking forward to racing in America. I was asking every year if I could do some American races, but that wasn't possible so I'm really looking forward to coming back to the States and riding there," Brajkovic told Cyclingnews. "California, Utah and Colorado will be my three main goals. For now, I have those in mind, but I will have to wait and go through the schedule in December and see what the team wants."
Canola joins from Bardiani–CSF Squad and is looking to build on his 2014 season in which he won a stage of the Giro d'Italia and the mountains classification at Tirreno-Adriatico. Ratto, who also has a grand tour stage win on his palmarès from the 2013 Vuelta a España, will be looking for stage wins in 2015.
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The majority of riders from 2014 remain with the team for next season including Kiel Reijnen who took wins at the Philadelphia Cycling Classic and the opening stage of the USA Pro Challenge where he also won the points classification. Climbers Lucas Esuer and Issac Bolivar have also been retained for the upcoming season.
The team's successful 'criterium squad' remains unchanged in 2015 with USA national criterium champion John Murphy and four-time grand tour stage winner Robert Förster joining Karl Menzies, Adrian Hegyvary, Brad White, Ken Hanson, Hilton Clarke, Carlos Alzate and Luke Keough.
The team has also added two young up and coming riders who they see as investments for the future.
American national U23 road champion Tanner Putt posted top-ten results at the Tour of Utah, U23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege this season while he placed 13th at the U23 World Championships in Ponferrada.
Italian Federico Zurlo rode as a stagiaire for the team at the Tour of Denmark this year with the 20-year-old's performance, along with his numerous U23 victories, demonstrating to the team his capabilities on the bike to earn himself a professional contract.
2015 UnitedHealthcare roster: Adrian Hegyvary (USA), Alessandro Bazzana (Italy), Brad White (USA), Carlos Alzate (Colombia), Chris Jones (USA), Daniele Ratto (Italy), Danny Summerhill (USA), Davide Frattini (Italy), Federico Zurlo(Italy), Hilton Clarke (Australia), Isaac Bolivar (Colombia), Janez Brajkovic (Slovenia), John Murphy (USA), Jonny Clarke (Australia), Karl Menzies (Australia), Ken Hanson (USA), Kiel Reijnen (USA), Lucas Euser (USA), Luke Keough (USA), Marco Canola (Italy), Robert Förster (Germany) and Tanner Putt (USA).
