Pegasus Racing signs Darren Lapthorne
The Pegasus Racing Team has added 2007 Australian road race champion Darren Lapthorne to their roster for the 2011 season.
Lapthorne and the Australian Pro Continental team, built on the foundation of Fly V Australia, will be heading to Europe next to tackle some of the world top races. He is moving to his countries first Pro squad after spending two years with Continental team
Rapha-Condor-Sharp.
“I’m so pleased that Darren has secured a place with Pegasus,” said John Herety, manager of Rapha-Condor-Sharp to
VeloNation.
“Without doubt, he was one of the classiest riders I have had the pleasure of working with. The chance to ride with what is in effect an Aussie national team must a dream come true for him.”
The 27-year-old rider most recently won a stage at the Tour de Beauce with his previous team, before joining Pegasus at the team’s first training camp, where he rode with countryman and 12-time Tour de France stage winner Robbie McEwen.
“I personally believe Darren will thrive at the higher level events Pegasus plan to ride and I expect to see Darren Lapthorne's name prominent in major races in 2011,” said Herety, who supported his former rider in the transfer rather than trying to hold
on to him.
Pegasus Racing will be racing in 2011 to achieve a ProTeam licence the following year. McEwen, the team’s biggest name so far, is joined by several others from the ProTour peloton, including Svein Tuft, Robbie Hunter and Trent Lowe of Garmin-Transitions,
Christian Knees of Milram, Daryl Impey of RadioShack and Serguei Klimov of Katusha.
Herety and Rapha-Condor-Sharp are in Italy developing the Gran Corsa Italia race, organized by Sharp UK and the Prostate Cancer Society. The race is modeled closely on the route of the 2011 Giro d’Italia.
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