Plowman Craven 2008

Plowman Craven, one of the UKs most successful professional cycling teams, have announced their squad for 2008. Ten riders were introduced to the media at the Team's pre-season training camp at Limoux in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, five of them new faces for 2008.

2008 Team Line Up with the backdrop of Limoux

Tom Barras (formerly Team Merlin), Evan Oliphant (formerly DFL), Neil Coleman (formerly Abercrombie and Fitch from the US), Alex Higham (formerly Rapha) and under-23 rider James Jackson (formerly Ciclos Unos) join existing riders Simon Richardson, Simon Gaywood, James Millard, James McCallum and Team captain Tony Gibb as they aim to repeat their successful 2007 season, which saw the Team clinch four National titles and lead both the individual and team elite rankings. Track specialist Craig MacLean, who was not at the training camp due to racing commitments, completes the Plowman Craven line-up.

As well as introducing new riders, the Team also unveiled their line up of sponsors for the coming year. After a season sharing team naming rights with Evans Cycles, Plowman Craven will once again be the title sponsor, with additional support coming from LifeForce, who store white blood cells as insurance against immune system breakdown. Specialist clothing manufacturer Imsport and bike supplier Pinnacle continue their close association with the Team – both companies have successfully used the riders to develop and test their products, most notably the full carbon race bikes the Team will use this season and compression clothing - with further product support coming from Fulcrum wheels, Limar helmets, Northwave shoes, Tacx and High 5 energy drink. New sponsor Thumbprint Design join the Royal Institution of Surveyors and Leica who continue their association from last year.

Speaking at the launch Simon Barnes, Team founder and boss of Herts based geomatics company Plowman Craven, outlined the Team's plans for 2008:

"Last season was a great year for us. Not only were we one of the most successful domestic teams, but we stepped up a level to compete in two UCI tours, the tours of Ireland and Britain, and did not disgrace ourselves. No other team can boast the range of success we had last year: Premier Calendar wins, National Circuit series wins, TT wins and records, and four National Championships.

"Last year's squad was strong, as the results demonstrate, but I'm convinced that this year's is even stronger. We now have a solid group of riders who can ride as a unit and control races. And any one of them has the ability to go down the road and take a win."

Once again we'll be targeting the Premier Calendar events and National Circuit Series as well as the Tours of Ireland and Britain, but we're also planning to increase our racing in Europe.

"There is no doubt that other teams have raised the bar this year and there is some serious competition out there. We are partly responsible for that by taking the standard up a notch last season and we welcome the fact that domestic racing is set for another exciting year."