Team News – 2015 CatfordCC Equipe/Banks

2014_August_Prendas_Bannerr4

Names of riders released for the under 23 and junior 2015 CatfordCC Equipe/Banks team

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Team News – 2015 CatfordCC Equipe/Banks

NOTE: Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

For 2015 CatfordCC Equipe/Banks team will be the sole UK Elite squad entirely under 23. The team will be backed by Catford Club member and leading fashion designer Jeff Banks, CBE, with additional support coming once again from Condor Cycles, Garmin, Campagnolo and Catford CC. Coming on board this year to supply race nutrition will be OTE Sports.

In 2014 the team joined the top ranks with a squad of under 23 riders tackling the new British Cycling Elite National Road Series after being awarded one of the 10 Elite National Status positions and rode every round of these, pitting themselves against the leading UK Pro and amateur teams. The team rode well throughout the year and as the season progressed produced some great results at their first tilt at this level of racing.

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Highlights of the 2014 season were
Henry Latimer riding over 100 miles in the break, then attacking to secure a great solo win in the Central Region RR Championship, Lawrence Carpenter going from strength to strength as the season progressed, firstly being just seconds off the podium in the British Under 23 Time Trial Championship and producing some great rides in the Elite Series.

At the Ryedale Grand Prix, Lawrence achieved a top twenty place after attacking the remaining riders with just 4k left – only 20 of the UK’s very best finished what was generally accepted as one of the hardest races this year. In the last event – The Ipswich GP – Lawrence spent over 100 miles in the main break of three with full-time pros for company, showing what is to come next season!

Harry Godding came in mid-season and won his very first race in CatfordCC Equipe/Banks colours. He has been a consistent finisher in many of the Elite Series, along with Ashley Dennis, who also had a great win towards the back end of the season, Harry and Ash will both be retained for 2015. Other members of the team, notably James Walsby and Steve Cavey also had wins, but both will move into the club team as they have now passed 23.

James will be instrumental in making the club side grow in 2015. Towards the end of the season two teams – Liam Yates/Ewan Tuohy and Lawrence Carpenter/Henry Latimer rode the prestigious 2 up ‘Duo Normande’ TT in Northern France: both finished in the top ten, despite both teams experiencing punctures, without which Lawrence and Henry would have without doubt finished on the podium – a fine end of year result for the team.

Lawrence Carpenter and Henry Latimer both progressed and gained sufficient points to start 2015 as Elite Riders, while Harry Godding and Ashley Dennis will start 2015 as 1st Category riders. All have been retained in the A team for the 2015 season.

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2015
Elite rider Tom Neale will join the squad from Team Corley Cycles after a great year that saw him win many races, including the East Midlands Championship in 2014. He was amongst the highest ranked amateur under 23 riders in the UK, finishing the season with an impressive 499 points. Tom also bagged a top 20 at the Elite Stockton GP, a result on which he hopes to build in 2015.

Ben Chapman, who had a great Junior Tour of Wales, winning the KOM Jersey, will join the team. An Elite for 2015, Ben will be stepping up to his first year as a senior, having already dabbled in the Elite Series, just missing the top 20 at the Leicester Castle Classic in August.

Chris Fennell joins the squad after a meteoric rise in 2014. He originally focused on time trials and was crowned the Under 23 CTT series overall winner. Concentrating more now on road racing, he was crowned overall winner in the Kalas Cup stage race alongside a fine solo individual stage win. Chris is excited about the step up to National level road racing in 2015 within a strong team environment.

Our final new signing, Josh Green, has had a steady 2014, taking various podiums in National B races despite an early season knee injury that put paid to the first half of the year. Josh will be looking to get a solid winter behind him and take his talent to the next level in the road series.

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This brings the Under 23 team to 8 riders – 4 Elite and 4 1st Cat that will tackle the very best UK races as a British Cycling Elite Team. They will compete in The Elite Road Series, hope to guest in the Pearl Izumi Tour Series and ride a few small stage races. They will once again be coached by the experienced team at Trainsharp Cycle Coaching.

Team manager Mike Morgan said – “2014 was a hard year for us, starting at the very bottom of the Elite system in the UK. Many of the riders were racing at levels they had not experienced before – but Team sponsor Jeff Banks and the Club are determined to give the under 23 development squad the best opportunity we can, to enable them to compete at the very top of the tree. With the riders that have been retained, who have a season of experience alongside the new riders coming on board, we feel that we have a real chance to make a national impact in many races in 2015.”

“We will be targeting National Championships: on paper we have some of the strongest candidates for the National under 23 TT in 2015 and, with a full 8 man team able to tackle the Road Race, we hope to be able to put in a strong challenge for the podium.”

Liam Yates, Jez McCann and Ewan Tuohy will again ride for the team competing at a local level. They will also ride some national races with a view to improving their performances and, if successful, knock on the door for a chance to shine in the higher level A team. In 2014, Ewan had some good placings in Hill Climbs, Liam focused on time trialling and will in 2015 ride more road events and Jez, after a frustrating year of many crashes in his final Junior year, is looking forward to a much improved 2015.

2015 Junior Team

In the 2015 the junior feeder team will also be ramped up. Last year Louis Modell rode most of the Junior National series as a first year junior and achieved some fine top 6 positions in these races, finishing the season as ranked 8th in the BC table, along with some fine placings in senior road races. With a stronger junior setup for 2015, Louis will be the team leader, consolidating his position as one of the best juniors in the UK, and making a strong tilt for national series wins.

Matt Webber will step up from the Youth ranks to ride his first year as a junior. In 2014 Matt won 8 races and for long periods of the season was ranked the No 1 Youth in the UK. An unfortunate accident the week before the National Championship Race meant he could not compete: he would have been one of the favourites for the title. Matt also rode a few Senior Races on closed circuits and was always comfortable in these, so we have high hopes that he will continue to progress in 2015.

Joining the team for 2015, is local powerhouse Gabriel Evans, the National Junior 25 mile TT champion. Placed 2nd in the National 10 (by 4 sec after having a mechanical), Gabriel has been putting out some very strong numbers in training. With the opportunity of being in a more structured team for 2015, he is aiming for strong results in the National Road Series as well as retaining his National title…. and hopes to gain another one along the way!

Matt Clements will join the squad determined to improve on his first junior year: he has made great strides over the last season. Matt is riding the National Junior British Cycling Cyclo Cross series and presently sits in 5th place in the UK. He is sure with a strong winter’s training his performances will be greatly improved.

www.catfordequipe-jeffbanks.co.uk

Manager: Mike Morgan

Under 23 Elite Team:
Henry Latimer
Lawrence Carpenter
Tom Neale
Ben Chapman
Ashley Dennis
Harry Godding
Chris Fennell
Josh Green

Under 23 Regional Team:
Liam Yates
Jez McCann
Ewan Tuohy

Junior Team:
Louis Modell
Matthew Webber
Gabriel Evans
Matthew Clements

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