Greg Le Mond sponsored team targeting "sporting ethics and integrity" launched in Britain

By Nick Butler

January 27 - A new Bike Pure cycling team co-sponsored by cycling legend Greg Le Mond and targeting "a solid platform for it's riders to understand the importance of sporting values" has been launched.

The development team, consisting of six of Great Britain's most talented teenage riders, will be known as Bike Pure - LeMond - Aspire Velotech and will compete on the domestic circuit in road, track and cyclo-cross disciplines.

But while they will be targeting sporting success, the ethos behind Bike Pure is to promote messages regarding "sporting ethics and integrity" to the next generation of athletes and cycling fans in Britain.

To do this educational leaflets, packs and blue wristbands will be promoted and distributed at events to ensure that all cyclists can help play a part and have a role to play in the promotion of better values in the sport following several decades of doping problems.

Le Mond, winner of three Tour de France titles in 1986, 1989 and 1990 in addition to two world titles, has since become a prominent anti-doping campaigner whose vigorous stance has led to clashes with other figures, most notably Lance Armstrong.

Teenage members of the Bike Pure team pose following the unveiling ©Bike Pure

Greg Le Mond will hope to import his values and ethics to the new generation of teenage riders unveiled at the launch of the team ©Bike Pure

The all female team, consisting of England's Hester Stembridge, Paige Milward, Frankie Morgans-Slader, Anna-Marie Hughes, and Lucy Harper, as well as the Isle of Man's Sophie Black, will be managed by Karl Nielsen, a police officer who is also a director of Welsh Cycling.

Following the launch, Nielsen described what he sees as "an exciting project".

"Bike Pure is passionate about rider development and women's cycling, and this is a great opportunity to try new methods of development", he said.

"Development of riders needs to be both on and off the bike.

"Our junior women have to juggle their educational aspirations as well as their cycling ones, and add to the mix a quality family and social life, these next two years are busy and fundamental to their futures

"With this programme, and method of recording riders' personal data at this stage in their careers, by the time they hit their senior years, they will be extremely aware and knowledgeable on areas of substance use and misuse in our sport."

There will be a focus on development on and off the bike ©Bike Pure

There will be a focus on development on and off the bike within the new team ©Bike Pure

Co-founder Andy Layhe expressed similar views regarding the development of young riders while he also stressed the importance of supporting women's cycling.

"We feel it's very important we support grass roots cycling, notably women's cycling and development whilst at the same time promoting sporting integrity at events up and down the country", he said.

"Our talented young riders will act as role models for Bike Pure and cycling fans up and down the country.

"Cycling has become very popular in the UK and this gives us a great opportunity to bring Bike Pure's message closer to the masses."

He added that Nielsen has been "paramount in the formation and structure of the team and I'd like to thank him personally for having the same passion and drive for clean cycling that Bike Pure has shown since it's inception."

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