Green Edge sign Matt Wilson and Baden Cooke – Cycling News
Two more Australian riders Baden Cooke and Matt Wilson has joined the Australian Team Green Edge for the 2012 season. Team currently awaits their UCI Pro Tour licence as it is hopeful to find a sponsor for the coming season.
The complete list of team members is expected to be announced shortly as there are new cyclists joining the team every day. Cyclists like Matthew Goss, Jack Bobridge, Cameron Meyer, Travis Meyer, Julian Dean, Matthew Lloyd, Baden Cooke and Matthew Wilson
have already signed the squad as team manager Shayne Bannan mentioned that he aims to include 75 percent Australian riders in the team.
During an interview Shayne told a famous cycling website that team has signed 90 percent of the cyclists for the coming season and the complete roster for team Green Edge will be announced in coming weeks.
Wilson currently rides for team Garmin-Cervelo and had been the Australian national champion in 2004 while Cooke who is currently with Saxo Bank-SunGard won the green jersey at Tour de France 2003.
Wilson commented on joining the team as he stated that Team Green Edge is just like a family to him considering most of the riders in the team are Australians and hence he has good understanding with them. He started his career 14 years ago in the Australian
Under-23 team lead by Shayne Bannan and has now availed the opportunity to work with Bannan again as he said, “With Bannan, Neil Stephens and Gerry Ryan, who has been a long time supporter of mine and of Australian cycling generally, I have complete faith
in the future of the team.”
Baden Cooke is the second addition to the team and the 32-year-old shared his thoughts on joining the team as he stated, “Matt Wilson is my friend, Simon Gerrans grew up just down the road, I’ve spent a lot of time on the road with Stuart O’ Grady, everyone
on the team is a friend and there won’t be another team in the peloton with such a close bond.”
He is confident that his performance in the Classics will be improved as he is in the best of form and he is looking forward to improve his performance in his new team.
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