RAPHA CONDOR ADD THREE MORE RIDERS

Rapha Condor have finalised their 2009 team after signing another three riders. The newcomers mean the team goes in to next season with 12 riders on the books.

Australian Darren Lapthorne joins the squad from the German Sparkasse team. Lapthorne (25) was a surprise winner of the Australian national championships in 2007, having turned professional the year before for the Drapac Porsche team.

19-year-old Mike Rudling from the Isle of Wight has also joined the team. Rudling rode for SP Systems Wightlink this year and is currently in Australia training with Kristian House and Tom Southam who recommended him to team manager John Herety.

Dan Craven of Namibia is the final rider to sign. Craven, the current Namibian champion, rode the time trial at the world championships in Varese this year. The 25 year old finished 51st out of 57 riders in the senior event, 5.39 minutes down on winner Bert Grabsch, after riding with an amateur team in Switzerland all year.

The latest signings come just weeks after Herety signed Simon Richardson from Plowman Craven, Tom Southam from Halfords Bikehut and Matt Cronshaw and Liam Holohan from Kinesis and Pearl Izumi respectively.

The full line-up for the Rapha Condor team for 2009 is:

Chris Newton

Dean Downing

Kristian House

Ben Greenwood

Simon Richardson (from Plowman Craven)

Tom Southam (from Halfords Bikehut)

Rhys Lloyd

Matt Cronshaw (from Kinesis)

Liam Holohan (from Pearl Izumi)

Darren Lapthorne (from Sparkasse)

Mike Rudling (from SP Systems Wightlink)

Dan Craven (from FidiBC.com)

RELATED LINKS

Rapha-Condor add Cronshaw and Holohan

Wilkinson and Partridge added to Halfords Bikehut

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