Spanish website Biciclismo is reporting that Ben Swift has definitely signed for Team Sky – and claims to have photographic proof with what it says is a picture of Swift in a Team Sky shirt.
Having jumped the gun a little back in November when it seemed that Swift was about to sign for the new British outfit, a rumour quickly scotched by his existing team, Katusha, you’ll forgive us for erring on the caution this time round, especially since these days, you can work wonders with Photohop. We should know…!
Having said that, whispers about Swift joinng Team Sky have persisted, and resurfaced last month when he was named in its squad by organisers of the forthcoming Tour Down Under, with team principal Dave Brailsford claiming that at the time he had been led to believe that Swift was effectively a free agent due to a mid-contract renegotiation of terms on Katusha’s part.
Blogger Simon Lamb, who runs the Gazzetta della Bici site, alerted a wider audience to the Spanish website’s photo through a post on Twitpic, for which we thank him. Team Sky is officially launching in London tomorrow, we’ll be there so we’ll find out soon enough whether the rumours are true this time.
8 thoughts on “Ben Swift in a Team Sky shirt – the real deal this time?”
Speaking of the Sky launch,
Speaking of the Sky launch, I’m going so if anyone has a question they’d like me to ask any of the Sky riders or management stick it on here and I’ll do my best to get you an answer. Or if anyone else asks it first to get you their answer 🙂
He’s listed on the BC website
He’s listed on the BC website as a team member . . .
http://bit.ly/8gAEs6
Thanks Neil, it’s looking
Thanks Neil, it’s looking increasingly like he’ll be unveiled at lunchtime.
IT’S OFFICIAL!
IT’S OFFICIAL! http://www.teamsky.com/profile/0,27291,17543_5771643,00.html
Thanks Jon!
Interesting by
Thanks Jon!
Interesting by the way that the tweet saying the website had gone live came through a good half an hour before the email… Twitter is the future (well, at least till the next big thing comes along)
Guess Ben had better get the
Guess Ben had better get the sewing machine out to run up some new shirts for his dogs:
http://road.cc/content/blog/9558-ben-swifts-biggest-fans
Here’s the official press
Here’s the official press release… and he rode past me earlier on to a stage in a swanky London office block. I can confirm he was wearing Sky kit
BEN SWIFT JOINS TEAM SKY
Talented British Rider Completes 2010 Line-Up
Monday 4 January 2010
Ben Swift will join Team Sky as its final rider for the 2010 roster.
The signing was announced on the day the new professional road team and its colours were seen in public for the first time, at the official Team Presentation.
In 2009, 22-year old Ben Swift enjoyed a debut professional season that many riders would dream of; he finished a Grand Tour and the Giro d’Italia, and he scored a win and a string of top ten placings, including a top three finish in a stage of the Giro.
Swift’s apprenticeship was served with the British Cycling Academy, under the guidance of Rod Ellingworth and Max Sciandri and he is now joins Team Sky after one year with the Russian team Katusha.
Ben Swift said; “I’m really pleased with my first season. But I think I’m more surprised than pleased. I never expected to ride the Giro, then to get placings there, and to finish; that’s what I was most happy about.”
“I’m massively grateful to Katusha for the opportunities they gave me,” says Swift, “but coming to Team Sky feels like coming home because I know so many of the support staff and riders. I will be in the perfect environment to grow as a rider with Team Sky.”
For Team Principal Dave Brailsford, Swift is a valuable addition to an already impressive line-up. He said; “Ben is a real talent and his future looks bright because he ticks all the boxes that it takes to make it in this sport. He’s extremely serious, skilled on bike, he can climb and sprint and I really believe he can go far with us. We’ve worked quite some time with him on the track and I think the next years could be a massive breakthrough for him on the road as well”.
Ben Swift is the 26th rider to be secured for Team Sky. He will now be one of eight British riders – with Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas, Steve Cummings, Pete Kennaugh, Chris Froome, Ian Stannard and Russell Downing – in an international line-up. Alongside them are; Davide Vigano, Dario Cioni, Morris Possoni [all Italy], Edvald Boasson Hagen, Kurt Arvesen, Lars Petter Nordhaug [Norway], Chris Sutton, Simon Gerrans, Mathew Hayman [Australia], Sylvain Calzati, Nicolas Portal [France], Thomas Löfkvist [Sweden], Kjell Carlstrom [Finland], John Lee Augustyn [South Africa], Juan Antonio Flecha [Spain] Michael Barry [Canada], Greg Henderson [New Zealand] and Serge Pauwels [Belgium].
Ben Swift career highlights:
Gold medal – team pursuit, 2007 under-23 European track championships;
1st – final stage and king of the mountains, 2007 Giro delle Regioni;
1st – King of the Mountains, 2007 Tour of Britain;
1st – 2008 Coppa della Pace;
1st – 2008 GP Coppa Romita;
4th – 2008 under-23 world road race championship;
1st – stage 7 of 2009 Tour of Britain;
3rd – stage 2 of 2009 Giro d’Italia;
2nd – 2009 Nokere Koerse;
2nd, 3rd and 4th – stages five, two and four respectively, 2009 Vuelta al Pais Vasco
Two birds with one
Two birds with one stone!