2008 News Archive
2007 News Archive
Johansson out of Tour of Ireland due to injury
17th August 2007
Freddy Johansson has had to pull out of the Plowman Craven Evans Cycles squad for the Tour of Ireland due to injury. The 21-year old Swedish international severely damaged his knee during a crash in last weekend's final Premier Calendar race, the Tour of Pendle, and doctors have advised him not to ride for the foreseeable future.
"Freddy has a serious injury and we don't want to take any chances," commented Team manager Garry Beckett. "At 21 he has time on his side and his focus needs to be on properly diagnosing and sorting this injury and not making it worse by riding."
Johansson's place in the squad will be filed by new signing Simon Richardson. The 24-year old former mountain biker for Volkswagon-Trek has a strong road palmares, having ridden for John Herety's GB Academy squad in 2005 and racing both the Girvan and the Archer. This season has also seen him riding Premier Calendar events, most notably the Bikeline and Rutland races. Simon's move to the road follows the successful transition of mountain bike riders like this year's Tour de France runner-up Cadel Evans, although he will briefly return to the trails this autumn as part of the GB cross-country team for the World MTB Championships in Fort William, Scotland.
Simon will not be the only new face in the Plowman Craven Evans Cycles squad in Ireland. Richard Wilkinson will also be seen in the distinctive pink and blue Impsport kit having been loaned to the squad for the Tours of Ireland and Britain by his Rapha Condor Team. Wilkinson recently finished 13th in the National Road Championships.
"Both Richard and Simon will be welcome additions to our squad," acknowledged Beckett. "I looked after Simon when he was with the GB squad and I know what he is capable of. We've been watching Richard race against us all season and we have been impressed by his solid performances in the Premier Calendar, and in particular his support for his team mates. We're grateful to Rapha Condor for lending him to us."
The Plowman Craven Evans Cycles squad has undergone a number of changes in recent weeks. Jason Allen has returned home to New Zealand having secured funding to pursue his aim of selection for next year's Olympics and James Taylor, last year's National Circuit Series Champion for the Team, has left to concentrate on a new full-time role as Olympic Talent Team coach for Wales with British Cycling. He will be looking after the 14-16 year old Talent Team riders in Wales and developing riders for the 2010 Welsh Commonwealth Games team.
Simon Barnes, team founder and boss of Hertfordshire based Geomatics company Plowman Craven, said he was sad to see James and Jason leave but understood their reasons:
"We are all sorry that JT and Jason are leaving Plowman Craven Evans Cycles, but we understand their reasons.
"JTs coaching position is a great opportunity for him and it's difficult to combine a full time job with the demands of pro racing. He has been a great rider for the Team, helping set the squad up and giving us total commitment and effort as well as a National Championship. His experience as a rider will be invaluable as a coach, and I'm convinced he will be an inspiration to those he works with. We hope to continue working with him in the future.
"Jason wants to concentrate on selection for the New Zealand Olympic track squad and we also support him in that.
"We wish them both well."
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