Those coming on board include Jelte Slagter, Norman Hansen, Acevedo, Gaimon, Cardoso and others
Finalising what will be the youngest lineup in the team’s history, the Garmin Sharp squad today announced the composition of the 2014 team, with nine new signings amongst the 29-man roster.
“This is our youngest roster ever, which I’m happy about and proud of,” said the team’s CEO Jonathan Vaughters in the announcement. “It brings us back to the roots of this organization. We have the most talented riders in the world, it’s now our job to help them realize that talent and realize their dreams.”
The team had a fine 2013 season, with one of the young riders brought up through the ranks, Dan Martin, taking a stage win in the Tour de France and also winning both Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Volta a Catalanya. He was the highest-ranked rider on the team at the end of the year, finishing sixth in the UCI WorldTour despite crashing out of the Vuelta a España.
The next-best rider in the WorldTour standings was another developing talent, Andrew Talansky. He won a stage and finished second overall in Paris-Nice, and also took tenth in his first Tour de France.
The success of two riders developed by the team plus the ongoing improvement shown by others such as Lachlan Morton explains the team’s decision to go with a young roster.
In all nine new riders will don team colours in 2013; these are the former US pro champion Ben King, the 2013 Santos Tour Down Under winner Tom Jelte Slagter, two time US under 23 TT champion Nathan Brown, Olympic gold medallist Lasse Norman Hansen, Dutch U23 TT and RR champion Dylan Van Baarle, 2011 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner Sebastian Langeveld, 2013 Tour of California podium finisher Janier Acevedo, the developing American force Phil Gaimon and the climbing specialist Andre Cardoso.
A number of long-standing team members are leaving, including Dave Zabriskie and Christian Vande Velde. Others such as Ryder Hesjedal, Tom Danielson and David Millar remain on board.
The team will continue to develop Morton and the Tour of Alberta winner Rohan Dennis, amongst others, while
Tyler Farrar will once again represent its sprinting hopes.
The others remaining are Jack Bauer, Nathan Brown, Thomas Dekker, Caleb Fairly, Koldo Fernandez de Larrea, Nathan Haas, Alex Howes, Raymond Kreder, Ramunas Navardauskas, Nick Nuyens, Johan Vansummeren, Steele Von Hoff and Fabian Wegmann.
The 2014 team kit has not yet been unveiled but is expected to be revealed in the coming days.
Team Garmin-Sharp 2014 Roster
Janier Acevedo
Jack Bauer
Nathan Brown
Andre Cardoso
Tom Danielson
Thomas Dekker
Rohan Dennis
Caleb Fairly
Tyler Farrar
Koldo Fernandez de Larrea
Phil Gaimon
Nathan Haas
Lasse Hansen
Ryder Hesjedal
Alex Howes
Ben King
Raymond Kreder
Sebastian Langeveld
Dan Martin
David Millar
Lachlan Morton
Ramunas Navardauskas
Nick Nuyens
Tom-Jelte Slagter
Andrew Talansky
Dylan Van Baarle
Johan Vansummeren
Steele Von Hoff
Fabian Wegmann