Three new signings for Team Sky

Team Sky has announced a further trio of signings, including Australian sprinter Chris Sutton, stage winner and second overall in this year’s Tour of Britain and nephew of British Cycling track coach, Shane Sutton.

Earlier this month, 25-year-old Sutton also finished second overall in his home country’s SunTour behind Garmin-Slipstream team-mate Bradley Wiggins; whether the latter will join Sutton at the new British team is, of course, one of the more intriguing facets of this year’s round of contract negotiations.

Also confirmed as arriving at Team Sky are the Canadian Michael Barry of Columbia-HTC, and Cervélo TestTeam’s Belgian rider, Serge Pauwels. Frenchman Sylvain Calzati from Agritubel, whose career highlight is a stage win in Lorient during the 2006 Tour de France, is widely expected to become Team Sky’s 20th signing later this week.

The current team roster is shaping up to be an exciting blend of youth and experience with a British core. The 19 names confirmed to date, with their countries, are:

John-Lee Augustyn (South Africa)
Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Norway)

Michael Barry (Canada)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)
Kjell Carlstrom (Finland)
Steve Cummings (Great Britain)

Russell Downing (Great Britain)

Juan Antonio Flecha (Spain)

Chris Froome (Great Britain)

Simon Gerrans (Australia)

Greg Henderson (New Zealand)

Thomas Lövkvist (Sweden)

Peter Kennaugh (Great Britain)

Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Norway)

Serge Pauwels (Belgium)

Morris Possoni (Italy)

Ian Stannard (Great Britain)

Chris Sutton (Australia)

Geraint Thomas (Great Britain).