Riders set to lend their voices to official team song
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The team outside Melbourne's Town Hall.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Shayne Bannan (right) with Neil Stephens in Melbourne with GreenEdge.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Gerry Ryan (left) and Shayne Bannan of GreenEdge(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Gerry Ryan could be excused for studying the horse-racing form guide on a sunny Saturday in Melbourne but instead was with his passion of GreenEdge at the Town Hall.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
GreenEdge riders relax in the shade of Melbourne's Town Hall.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
An iconic Melbourne tram passes by the GreenEdge function at the Town Hall.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Bystanders and trams make their way around the GreenEdge function on Melbourne's busy Swanston Street.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
The GreenEdge 'meet & greet' was held in Melbourne's cbd where tourists can hop on a horse carriage to travel around the streets.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
The full squad of GreenEdge riders outside Melbourne's Town Hall.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
A couple of A1 sprinters in Robbie McEwen (left) and Matt Goss in Melbourne.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Ho, ho, ho! The news of GreenEdge obtaining a Pro-Tour licence has been like a christmas present to cycling fans in Australia - thanks Santa!(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Western Australian Cameron Meyer will be a key figure in the team's quest for grand tour stage victories.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Matt White (left) chats with Shayne Bannan in Melbourne.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Cool shades are a plenty at GreenEdge with Leigh Howard and Simon Clarke (rear) sporting examples.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle welcomes GreenEdge to the city.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Mitchell Docker (left) and Brett Lancaster of GreenEdge.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
The experienced Baden Cooke will have plenty of knowledge to hand down to the youngsters of the GreenEdge team(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Matt Wilson of GreenEdge.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
The team pose for photographs outside Melbourne's Town Hall.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
On the busiest street for cycling traffic in Australia, the 30 riders of GreenEdge were presented to the public and the media in their spiritual home of Melbourne on Saturday – the only official media event from the two-week training camp which is due to wrap up on Monday.
Out the front of the Melbourne Town Hall on Swanston Street in the CBD, the first Australian team in the WorldTour were dressed in casual shirts and jeans and did their best to look fresh-faced after a night with financial backer Gerry Ryan, owner of 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain, at the Mooney Valley races. Meantime, City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle welcomed the group.
After just over a week in the nation's capital, Canberra, undergoing physical and medical testing at the Australian Institute of Sport, the festivities of recent days had included a training session with Melbourne Storm rugby league team, along with the odd round of golf and go-karting.
The affair was very relaxed, with curious and not-so-curious onlookers passing by on the footpath their minds seemingly more on the task of their Christmas shopping, while the constant hum of the trams provided a constant reminder of the location.
Along with the riders, key staff members including Neil Stephens and Matt White were also in attendance, with an official announcement regarding their roles with GreenEdge expected in coming weeks.
Perhaps a little hurried, time was at a premium with the GreenEdge team's next appointment at the home of Australian music industry identity, Molly Meldrum, where curiously a team song was to be recorded. Still under wraps, the song is believed to be a re-working of a Tom Petty tune. On the penultimate day of the first official team camp, GreenEdge was indeed in wind-down mode with team bonding being the prime focus.
Click here for a full photo gallery from the event.
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As a sports journalist and producer since 1997, Jane has covered Olympic and Commonwealth Games, rugby league, motorsport, cricket, surfing, triathlon, rugby union, and golf for print, radio, television and online. However her enduring passion has been cycling.
Jane is a former Australian Editor of Cyclingnews from 2011 to 2013 and continues to freelance within the cycling industry.