Optum Pro Cycling announces 2015 roster
On Tuesday, Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies announced their official roster for 2015. There are two new key World Tour signings, Garmin-Sharp’s Phil Gaimon and Canadian rider Guillaume Boivin who is making the switch from Cannondale Pro Cycling. Other signings include Canadians Pierrick Naud from Garneau-Quebecor and Michael Woods who raced for 5hr Energy during the second half of the 2014 season.
The team has always had a strong contingent of Canadian riders in its roster. Jonas Carney who is the high performance director has always looked to pull from North America’s strong talent pool when selecting his roster. Canadian Will Routley who was a stage winner and the King of the Mountains at this year’s Tour of California will again race for the orange and black in 2015. Another prominent Canadian Ryan Anderson will again be racing for Optum in 2015 as well.
Carney has said that he feels that the 2015 squad could be one of the strongest ever in the team’s history. However, with the team’s “on-paper” strength comes great expectations. The overall target is to exceed the accomplishments of 2015.
The team will begin their 2015 campaign abroad at several races outside of the their regular North American reach. The team will race in Portugal at the Volta ao Alentejo / Liberty Seguros stage race, as well as the Volta a Costa Vicentina, Cycling Portugal – Classica de Loulé, and the Grande Premio do Guadiana. Carney feels that racing abroad in the early season will be absolutely integral to the team’s success later in the season at major targets such as the Tour of California.
A final goal for the team is the team time trial world championships at the end of the season. The World Championships are slated to be in Richmond, VA in 2015 and the prospect of competing on home soil is a great motivator for the squad.
The full press release can be found at Optum Pro Cycling.
