Cycling: Cycle Classic lures pro team

The One Pro team strut their stuff.

The first Professional Continental road cycling team to come out of Britain will compete in the New Zealand Cycle Classic to be held entirely in Wairarapa from January 20 to 24.

The One Pro Cycling organisation has gained an UCI Pro Continental licence for 2016 which makes them eligible to receive invites to the world's biggest races including the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

Their decision to contest the New Zealand Cycle Classic, the only UCI-sanctioned event on our shores next year, will represent their debut in this country and is a major coup for the event. Race director Jorge Sandoval said it would be a "real treat" to have a squad of their calibre strutting their stuff over Wairarapa terrain.

"They are a highly ranked team and it's very exciting to have them here," he said.

Sandoval's sentiments are echoed by One Pro Cycling sports director Matt Winston who said the NZCC would be the first race of their season and they were eager to get under way in what was now a key event on the UCI calendar.

"Five days of international racing on some of the best roads this country has to offer, what more could you ask for?"

One Pro would have a completely new dynamic in 2016 with several new and experienced riders added to their roster. They were keen to kick-start their season with a strong performance, with a stage win one of their immediate objectives.

Their full squad includes nine British riders, three Australians, three Danes, two Poles and three Kiwis. Among them are Tasmanian Tour de France and Tour of Italy stage winner Matt Goss, former Garmin-Sharp rider Steele Von Hoff and Britain's Kristian House and Josh Hunt while New Zealand fans can look forward to cheering on three of their own, James Oram, Dion Smith and Hayden McCormick.

Smith is being touted for big things after a fifth place at the Tour of Alberta and numerous top-10 finishes in the USA Pro Challenge with the Hincapie Team. He is looking forward to racing for his new line-up.

"When I was offered the chance to join One Pro Cycling, the decision was an easy one. The team are already pursuing the direction I want to go and they have great opportunities for me to develop and grow as a rider," he said.

McCormick is the youngest of the Kiwi trio to sign up. He moved from the Lotto-Soudal under-23 team and says he can't wait to develop in a new team surrounded by Kiwi mates.

Briton House joined One Pro after eight successful seasons with JLT Condor and has a British national road race title in his CV. His aggressive riding style has also seen him take out the overall classification in the Tour of South Africa, the King of the Mountains title at the Tour of Britain and stage wins in the Tour of Japan.

Fellow Briton Hunt has made a big impact as a member of the One Pro squad this year, particularly in a supporting role. He was part of the time trial team that secured second place in the Ronde van Midden this year.

For Sandoval the entry of One Pro is a further sign of the excellent reputation the NZCC has built the past 29 years. He is looking forward to announcing more international teams contesting the 2016 edition over the coming weeks. All told it will involve five stages with the highlights likely on the 160km stage four when riders face some of the toughest hill climbs in Wairarapa.

That stage will finish at the top of the toughest of them all, Admiral Hill in the Gladstone district.