GreenEDGE has snagged a major sponsor in Orica. This is a watershed in Australian professional cycling, with a multinational company with a major Australian presence and long history signing on the dotted line for a massive three years of sponsorship.
This is huge and demonstrates the vision of both Shayne Bannan and Gerry Ryan.
Shayne Bannan was a long standing high performance coach for Cycling Australian and Mr Ryan a highly successful businessman with a keen interest in developing sport (not to mention many other philanthropic endeavours). The mix was right, the time was right, but lacking was a major naming sponsor.
Orica brand has had a hammering in the media, it has had issues with contamination, spills and poor judgement in materials handling. But like all industries it seeks to improve its image by undertaking community activities that show it’s not a corporate monolith hell bent on pure destruction.
As an environmentalist with an honours degree in Chemistry, I have noticed Orica has improved its manufacturing business here in Australia. It has introduced MIEX technology to improve its wastewater and invested in research that will improve our drinking water quality here in Australia (that’s a pet one with me).
I think it’s an excellent strategic position Orica has done to ally its self to the GreenEDGE project.
But onto the Giro
Orica-GreenEDGE has quite openly stated it is targeting stage wins for the Giro. Matt Goss is their man to achieve this and they are also very keen to win the stage four team time trial. There are six stages that are up for the sprinters in the first two weeks.
Certainly the riders would be told that they need to dig deep for the sake of their new sponsor, particularly after Matt Goss was second so many times in the Tour of Turkey, which is the pre-eminent lead-up race for the sprinters.
It will be good to see Jack Bobridge race his first road race since the Australian Road Race Nationals earlier this year. I am also looking forward to Dan Jones from OzCycling and his backstage passes.
So are the goals for Orica-GreenEDGE – stage wins and possibly some time in the Maglia Rosa –possible? Most certainly and I’m looking forward to watching this come into fruition.
Racing for Orica-GreenEDGE at the Giro is Brett Lancaster, Christian Meier, Daryl Impey, Fumiyuki Beppu, Jack Bobridge, Jens Keukeleire, Matt Goss, Svein Tuft and Tomas Vaitkus.
Go Orica-GreenEDGE!
(However, I won’t be changing my handle!)
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