Sam Bewley joins Orica-GreenEDGE

GreenEDGE continue to strengthen their team for the European summer, with New Zealander and Olympic Bronze medal holder in the 4000M Teams Pursuit Sam Bewley has joining Orica-GreenEDGE.

He has already started racing for GreenEDGE at the Bayern-Rundfahrt. He joins from his previous team, BikeNZ Pure Black Racing, after failing to win a pro-tour contract after the demise of Radioshack-Nissan.

He replaces retiring superstar sprinter, Australian Robbie McEwen. He joins another team pursuit specialist Jack Bobridge, who ironically was his kiwi team beat in the Bronze Medal race in 2008.

This begins the development of interesting rivalry in the team leading up to the Olympic games, especially with Michael Hepburn also being an Orica-GreenEDGE rider.

Bewley’s inclusion into the Orica-GreenEDGE squad was first mooted late last year. Ironically Sam made his name in the Radioshack-Nissan squad by being in the lead-out train that delivered the majority of McEwen’s win’s in 2011.

It’s a changing of the guard with the retirement of stalwart Robbie McEwen. While no doubt a big loss to Australian cycling, fans will be buoyed by the level of talent coming through in the next generation.