Orica-Scott confirms 25-men squad for 2018 season
Nov 09 2017 10:27 pm CET
Photo of the Orica-SCOTT jersey by Orica-SCOTT
Orica-Scott has confirmed the 25 riders that will form the squad for the 2018 season. The team welcomes five new riders, while six went to other squads.
The additions to the Australian team include classics specialist and sprinter Matteo Trentin, who won four stages at the 2017 Vuelta a España, as well as the experienced New Zealander Jack Bauer.
"We are in a better place than we were 12 months ago in all areas," said head sports director Matt White. "One of the reasons for that is we have bought very well; our new signings definitely compliment the squad we already have in place.
"For example, Trentin and Bauer are two riders who are going to bolster our classics group and also add a lot to our sprint train around Caleb Ewan so I am sure we will see significant gains for us in those two areas."
Apart from these two men, Spaniard Mikel Nieve, who showed his strength as a domestique for Chris Froome in races like the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, will also join Orica-Scott to support and mentor the team's young general classification leaders.
"Obviously bringing in a rider like Nieve, who has been one of Chris Froome’s right-hand men through numerous Grand Tours is a great signing for us," White commented. "He will be playing a similar role here and lending his experience and support to our younger GC guys while also being very capable of winning some big races in his own right.
"The strengthening of our squad in key areas allows us to work towards clear objectives for 2018 and it’s really exciting. Going after more monument success and results in the classics are definitely part of that along with stages and GC results in all three Grand Tours."
Orica-Scott has clear objectives for the 2018 season. "There is only one monument we haven’t already won and that’s the Tour of Flanders, it’s possibly the hardest one to win, but we have a team capable of winning it and we want to be up there challenging," he explained.
"Then comes the Grand Tours, we want to be competitive in all three and that includes stage wins and the general classification. It will be a busy year and we are really looking forward to it."
Orica-Scott 2018 roster:
Michael Albasini
Sam Bewley
Jack Bauer
Esteban Chaves
Luke Durbridge
Alexander Edmondson
Caleb Ewan
Jack Haig
Lucas Hamilton
Mathew Hayman
Michael Hepburn
Damien Howson
Daryl Impey
Christopher Juul-Jensen
Roger Kluge
Roman Kreuziger
Cameron Meyer
Luka Mezgec
Mikel Nieve
Robert Power
Matteo Trentin
Svein Tuft
Carlos Verona
Adam Yates
Simon Yates
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