Team Type 1 bolsters squad

Team Type 1 has re-signed Chris Jones for the 2009 season while adding US elite criterium champion Ken Hanson to its roster.

"Chris was a valuable teammate and one of the most consistent performers on the team in 2008, and we are hoping that in 2009 he will have the opportunity to step up to a leadership role when the time is right," said Team Type 1 directeur sportif Ed Beamon.

"We had a solid, cohesive core of the team this season and I expect that with the new additions to the roster we will solidify our place in 2009 as one of the top teams in America. The more the team wins, the more awareness it will bring to the global diabetes epidemic, and that is ultimately the goal of the team."

Hanson won the first stage of the FBD Insurance RÁS in Ireland in May and Beamon believes his experience at international and domestic level will serve the team well. "Ken has shown he can close the deal with victories in races like the RAS and Priority Health, and his win at the Elite National Championships validates his ability to produce under pressure."

Beamon added that, "We are trying to build a sprinting package and not focus our attention on one or two riders. I expect Ken’s role in the lead-out train will change depending on the event, conditions and the lineup, but I am confident he has the ability to be set up guy in the run in, deliver the last push or win the race depending on the situation."