Recently the news was confirmed that Team NetApp will extend and welcome Endura as a second name sponsor through to the end of 2014.

This is seen as a merger in many quarters but to me it looks a bit more more like the closure of the Endura Racing team with sponsorship, resources and some of the bigger name riders moving to the German squad.

Finance in pro cycling is tough as it is in many other areas of business right now, and I’m sure this decision wasn’t taken lightly- if Endura Racing had been able to secure a big sponsor to meet its ambition to gain Pro Continental status then I’m sure it would have continued.

However it does raise a few questions:

Who are the 8 riders? One presumes it will be the bigger names that have raced the European circuit this year but this is just speculation. Paul Voss is German so that is an obvious fit and we may see the likes of Camano, Mandri, Wetterhall and Dempster but hopefully there will be some UK riders moving up too. Bibby’s future is uncertain, and you’d expect riders who have focused more on the UK calendar like Wilkinson and McEvoy to be looking for new squads but there are some talented young riders like Rowsell and Thwaites.

Photo: Ian Bibby, Tour Series Kirkcaldy by Larry Hickmott | www.VeloUK.net

What about the riders who are left? Hopefully they can all find teams, and this announcement has come relatively early on. Brian Smith is good at moving riders from team to team and has hinted that Endura needs a presence in the UK so maybe a low level sponsorship or involvement in one of the domestic squads will remain. I’ve seen it mentioned that Endura still need a presence in the UK and they have been incredibly successful in the Tour Series and Premier Calendar this year.

John Tiernan Locke’s future is unconfirmed but everybody thinks he’ll be moving to Sky. I joked today that Netapp were working to help Endura pull back the break in the Tour of Britain, because maybe they would benefit from Locke’s points next year, but he has said he is expecting to join a World Tour team. It will be interesting to see where he goes and how he develops.

Most importantly: what colour will the kit be? I have enjoyed the black and lime green and it would be a shame if this disappears but I would expect it to be different.

It will be great to see a Scottish-backed outfit moving onwards and upwards to European level, but I can’t help but feel this is the end of an era for a team that has its genesis in a local shop team from Pedal Power in West Calder. There’s a sad tinge but also expectancy for the future.

Photo by Joolze Dymond | www.joolzedymond.com

Below is the news in full:
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It’s been a while since I covered Scotland’s pro team, Endura Racing, and there has been lots of action in recent months with the team continuing to step up the level of performance.

A team time trial win in the Czech Cycling Tour, Scott Thwaites’ win in the U23 category in the British Championship road race, or the same riders’ win at the Lincoln GP are a few of the stand-outs.

Jack Bauer’s win in the Tour of Utah’s second stage in Provo on Thursday came as he jumped clear to surprise the sprinters with 500m to go, powering all the way to the line. The former New Zealand road race champion’s impressive attack opened up a clear gap in just a few pedal strokes and Elia Viviani (Liquigas Cannondale) and Jake Keough (UnitedHealthcare) were unable able to catch the charging Kiwi at the end of the 160km stage.

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Rene Mandri is one of Endura Racing’s new recruits for 2011 and I have been keeping an eye out to see what type of rider he is. After the Tour of Bretagne, I’m still not quite sure, but it’s clear he is stong enough to get in a break and stay away, as well as to win a sprint from a small group. Below is a press report from Cyclevox about his recent 2nd place in the Breton stage race.

After a string of high-profile performances in Europe over the last few weeks, Endura Racing are beginning to find their footing as a team that can deliver results and mix it with the best pro cycling teams in the world. Estonian Rene Mandri capitalised on this rich vein of confidence running through the squad to take a stage win and second on GC at last week’s Tour de Bretagne – Trophée des Granitiers in France.

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