Garmin-Transitions says goodbye to Wiggins

December 10th, 2009 by Ron Callahan View Comments

In a press release from Garmin-Transitions today, the team acknowledged that breakout rider Bradley Wiggins has made a transfer to Britain’s new Sky Team:

Bradley Wiggins will not be racing for Team Garmin-Transitions in 2010. Although we understand his strong desire to be a part of the UK’s first-ever Pro Tour team, we would have loved to continue with him through 2010. His departure is not the outcome we hoped for. That said, Team Garmin-Transitions has an incredible group of riders assembled for the season. As always, we have worked hard to build a team that will be competitive throughout the year. The team features Christian Vande Velde who was 8th overall in the 2009 Tour after significant injuries; including five broken vertebrae; sprint sensation Tyler Farrar, David Zabriskie, David Millar, Dan Martin and other outstanding athletes that we’re fortunate to work with. In addition to the great new talent we have signed including Johan Van Summeren and Jack Bobridge, we have renewed our partnership with Garmin and added Transitions and POM Wonderful to our family of sponsors. And we’ve expanded our sports science program to include some of the best sports scientists in the world. We will continue to give our fans many reasons to cheer in 2010 and we look forward to exciting racing in the months to come.

Wiggins has signed to ride with Team Sky through 2013 and offers the team a higher chance of achieving their goal of putting a British rider on the Tour de France podium. Wiggins looks forward to his chances, saying:

“The main thing is to be part of Team Sky and then look forward to next year. The key is to prepare to be the best we possibly can be and if that’s a win, it’s a win, if it’s a podium it’s a podium.”

The move is a bit of a homecoming for Wiggins, who rode with Britain’s development program from age 18 and worked with much of the staff and management that now forms Team Sky.

“The back-room staff, Shane Sutton, Dave Brailsford, I’ve grown up with them from a boy really. I’ve been part of the British Cycling team since 18 years of age, been to three Olympic Games with them and 10 World Championships. It was the natural move really, to come home to them. It’s the ideal scenario really.”

“It’s going to be one of the strongest teams out there. It’s been hand-picked on personality as well as riding ability, there’s a mix of young riders and experienced riders and there’s a British core, which is the point of it all really.”

On leaving Garmin for Sky, Wiggins said:

“It was always a difficult situation trying to leave Garmin because I had a great time there. I leave a lot of friends, and the back room staff there but there was only one team I would leave them for, and that’s coming home to Team Sky and Dave and all the people who have helped me with my Olympic success.”

Together with seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong’s Team RadioShack, Team Sky will make its first competitive appearance at the Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia from Jan. 17 to 24.