Tim Elverson’s recruitment style will deliver success with BIKE Channel Canyon.
That’s the verdict of Jack Pullar, who reckons his sports director has produced another masterstroke in assembling his new squad.
Pullar will line-up alongside Chris Opie, George Atkins, Sam Lowe and James Lowsley-Williams for the Tour of the Wolds on Sunday (12.30pm).
The eight-man team for the second leg of British Cycling’s HSBC UK Spring Cup is completed by Harry Tanfield, Rory Townsend and Jake Womersley.
That trio, like Pullar and five other BIKE Channel Canyon riders, worked with Elverson at his previous team, Pedal Heaven.
And it is Elverson’s attention to detail when building a squad which Pullar reckons will pay dividends with his new UCI Continental outfit. The 27-year-old said:
“Tim doesn’t just look at ability when he recruits his riders, he looks for decent people as well. That is really important to him.
“He invests a lot of time and money in the team himself, so he doesn’t want to invest in riders he doesn’t want to spend time with.
“That is what worked so well at Pedal Heaven last year. We had nice guys, who were good bike riders.
“Tim and Holty (Simon Holt) were mega and then you have Mark (Haylett, head mechanic), who works so hard at everything.
“This year has started the same. The atmosphere was brilliant in Holland, even though I crashed. That was rubbish! But it was a brilliant weekend with the lads.”
Elverson has selected a very fast team, including lead rider Opie, for Sunday’s 166km Tour of the Wolds, which starts and finishes in Louth.
While Pullar believes his sports director has plenty of cards to play in Lincolnshire, he understands the new dynamic with someone of Opie’s ability.
Pedal Heaven did not have an out-an-out leader. But Pullar reckons no-one will have a problem laying it all down for the Cornishman when the time comes. He added:
“Chris is obviously a very good rider but he doesn’t have an ego about him. You have some riders who are equally good but they make sure you know about it. He doesn’t.
“That makes you want to ride for him. And it is no coincidence he is the sort of rider Tim wants to have on his team.
“Last year with Pedal Heaven, because I went pretty well, I didn’t really have to work for anyone. It is different now.
“But because Chris is a very good rider and a great guy, you’ll happily do whatever you can to get him to the end. It is very exciting.”
You can follow live updates from the Tour of the Wolds on the British Cycling website or on Twitter, with reports, reaction and pictures across all our social media platforms and here at bikechannelcanyon.co.uk
