GreenEDGE are continuing their surge to become Australian’s first World Tour team, and with the signing of Stuart O’Grady (over from Leopard-Trek) for the 2012 season and the defection of Travis Meyer, Cameron Meyer and Jack Bobridge (all from Garmin-Cervélo) and the addition of Pieter Weening from Rabobank – the ambition now looks one step closer. O’Grady, the only Australian to have won the Paris-Roubaix classic and a leading team member at Leopard-Trek where he takes the role of “road captain” (the rider who helps decide and coordinate tactics on the fly mid-race), has stated that the chance to ride for “home squad” was one that he couldn’t turn down.
Although Tour de France champion Cadel Evans is thought likely to see out the remainder of his career at BMC he is a long time friend of GreenEDGE mastermind Shayne Bannan and attended a team function in Italy this May – speaking of O’Grady’s move, Evans commented “I was really pleased to see that news, about Stuey going to GreenEDGE… When he (Bannan) does something, he does it properly and he doesn’t lose perspective, he doesn’t lose vision.” Evan’s has also vowed to help out his old friend in any way possible, though jokingly admits that should Bannan end up signing the likes of Contador or the Schleck Brothers to his fledgling team he will, “…help a little less.”
