Team Sky announces squads for January and February races

Team Sky has announced its squads for the first two months of its debut ProTour season, covering the world from the Tour Down Under in Australia as its very first race, to the Tours of Qatar and Oman in the Middle East, and finishing with the Clasica di Almeria in Spain at the end of February.

The team will make its racing debut in the Cancer Council Helpline Classic, a city criterium in Adelaide, Australia, on January 17, followed by the ProTour-ranked Tour Down Under January 19-24. The seven-man squad will feature new signing Ben Swift.

That will be followed b the GP Cycliste la Marseillaise on January, with Peter Kennaugh riding his first professional race at the tender age of 20.

Team captain Bradley Wiggins will start his season in February with the five-stage Etoile de Besseges (February 3-7), while Edvald Boasson Hagen will lead Team Sky in the Tours of Qatar (February 7-12) and Oman (February 14-19).

Further races include the Tour du Haut Var (Feb. 20-21) and the Vuelta a Andalucia (February 21-25). The month finishes off with a series of one-day races, including the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (February 27), GP dell'Insubria-Lugano (February 27), Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne (February 28), GP di Lugano (February 28) and the Clasica de Almeria (February 28).

Tour Down Under: Russell Downing, Chris Froome, Mat Hayman, Greg Henderson, Chris Sutton, Ben Swift and Davide Viganò.

GP Cycliste la Marseillaise John-Lee Augustyn, Michael Barry, Sylvain Calzati, Steve Cummings, Peter Kennaugh, Nicolas Portal and Morris Possoni.

Etoile de Bessèges: John-Lee Augustyn, Michael Barry, Sylvain Calzati, Steve Cummings, Peter Kennaugh, Nicolas Portal, Morris Possoni and Bradley Wiggins.

Tour of Qatar: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Russell Downing, Juan Antonio Flecha, Lars-Petter Nordhaug, Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas and Davide Viganò.

Tour of Oman: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Juan Antonio Flecha, Mathew Hayman, Lars-Petter Nordhaug, Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton and Geraint Thomas.

Tour du Haut Var:  Michael Barry, Sylvain Calzati, Dario Cioni, Chris Froome, Peter Kennaugh, Morris Possoni, Ben Swift and Davide Viganò.

Vuelta a Andalucia: Kjell Carlström, Steve Cummings, Simon Gerrans, Greg Henderson, Thomas Löfkvist, Serge Pauwels, Nicolas Portal and Bradley Wiggins.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Michael Barry, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Juan Antonio Flecha, Mathew Hayman, Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton and Davide Viganò.

GP dell'Insubria-Lugano: John-Lee Augustyn, Sylvain Calzati, Dario Cioni, Chris Froome, Peter Kennaugh, Morris Possoni and Ben Swift.

Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Michael Barry, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Juan Antonio Flecha, Mathew Hayman, Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton and Davide Viganò.

GP di Lugano: John-Lee Augustyn, Sylvain Calzati, Dario Cioni, Chris Froome, Peter Kennaugh, Morris Possoni and Ben Swift.

Clasica de Almeria: Kjell Carlström, Steve Cummings, Russell Downing, Simon Gerrans, Greg Henderson, Thomas Löfkvist, Serge Pauwels and Nicolas Portal.