By Cyclingnews,
Multiple African champion Daniel Teklehaymanot has signed a two-year contract with GreenEdge. The World Cycling Center (WCC), Switzerland, where the Eritrean talent has ridden since 2009, has confirmed the transfer to Cyclingnews.
Teklehaymanot, 23, is the first confirmed transfer to the new Australian structure, which he hopes will join the WorldTour in its first year in the professional peloton. Cyclingnews understands that he met with GreenEdge’s managers for the first time in early June, when the Australians went to Switzerland for some meetings with the UCI. Some other teams were interested in signing him, like Quick Step, FDJ and, above all, AG2R-La Mondiale.
Teklehaymanot wore a pro team’s jersey in 2010, as a stagiaire for Cervélo-Test Team, but never signed any contract afterwards.
Last winter, two squads had tried to recruit him, the American-based Team Type 1 and a Chinese project which ultimately never got off the ground. The WCC, however, advised Teklehaymanot to remain an amateur one more year.
Teklehaymanot showed himself in 2008 at the Tour de la Paix, in Ivory Coast, finishing 5th overall ahead of riders such as Nicolas Roche. As WCC rider he had good performances at the Under-23 Nations Cup, finishing 6th overall in the Tour de l’Avenir (2009) and winning a stage of the Tour du Lac de Saguenay, Canada (2010).
This year, Teklehaymanot has divided his time between Switzerland and African competitions. Last November, he became African Continental Champion in the team time-trial, individual time trial and road race, both at Under-23 and senior level. Ten days later he triumphed at the hilly Tour of Rwanda (2.2).
Well-known by the western media, which depicts him as an ambassador of Sub-Saharan cycling and the first African rider who could potentially ride the Tour de France for some time, Teklehaymanot is also a star in Eritrea, and one of the most famous people in the East African country.
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Young guns Cameron Meyer, Travis Meyer and Jack Bobridge join GreenEDGE
By Herald Sun,
THREE of Australia’s most talented young cyclists, Cameron Meyer, Travis Meyer and Jack Bobridge, are the first recruits for the new GreenEDGE professional cycling team, which plans to contest the Tour de France next year.
They have been joined by the best young cyclist in Africa, Daniel Teklehaymanot, 23, of Eritrea, who will be a special project for the new organisation.
Cameron Meyer, 23, has won five world championships on the track, Travis, 22, won the Australian road championship at his first attempt, and Bobridge, 23, has won three track titles.
All are destined for careers on the road as a new generation prepares to take over from this year’s first Australian winner of the Tour, Cadel Evans.
The elder Meyer – who also won this year’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide – and Bobridge will be part of Australia’s powerful track squad at next year’s London Olympics. Travis is already focusing solely on his road career.
GreenEDGE founder Gerry Ryan said today: “This is what we are about, trying to develop some kids. But we will be putting some experienced heads in with them as well.”
Ryan and his general manager, Shayne Bannan, are negotiating with veterans Stuart O’Grady, 37, and Robbie McEwen, 39, but do not expect answers for at least another week.
