GP Development Team

We are very pleased to announce the addition of the following development riders to the GP team ranks...

• Jed McDermott
• Daniel Shepherd
• James Truebridge
• Luke McDermott

The team will mentor and support these young men in the development of their cycling careers. All of this wouldn't be possible without the assistance of our generous sponsors...

• Ricoh NZ
• Armstrong Sport
• Rocket Espresso Milano
• J Tomlinson & Co Ltd
• Champion System

Check out the rider profiles below and keep an eye out for Jed, Dan, James and Luke on the roads around Wellington and New Zealand!

Jed McDermott

- Age 14

- Race category Under 17

- Bike Specialized Tarmac

- Number of years cycling 4

- Average hours training per week 10 on a good week

- Strengths Hills
- Favourite equipment LeMond trainer and Garmin computer
- Favourite race TA Junior Tour
- Favourite training ride Makara
- Favourite training partner Christian Davy
- Favourite pro Andy Schleck
- Favourite music Green Day
- Favourite movie Hot Fuzz
- Favourite food Subway
- Other sports Hot Yoga, swimming
- Best result to date 5th TA Junior Tour (Under 15)
- Goals Make Under 17 NZ Team next year

Daniel Shepherd

- Age 16

- Race category Under 19

- Bike BMC TeamMachine SLR01

- Number of years cycling 3 years

- Average hours training per week 10 

- Strengths Sprints
- Favourite equipment BMC road bike and mavic shoes, helmet
- Favourite race Wellington Centre Champs Road Race
- Favourite training ride Makara loop and Korokoro
- Favourite training partner don't have one
- Favourite pro Lee Evans haha or other wise Joe Cooper, Cadel Evans
- Favourite music Rock and Drum and Bass
- Favourite movie Fast and Furious 5
- Favourite food Fried Rice
- Best result to date 3rd Under 19 Wellington centre champs
- Goals To race to the best of my ability, finish Taupo under 4:15

James Truebridge

- Age 17
- Race category Under 19
- Bike Pinarello FP3
- Number of years cycling MTB since 12, road since 14
- Average hours training per week 10
- Strengths Like to think I'm a bit of an all rounder
- Favourite equipment Meo GP kit of course! The Erg
- Favourite race Wedneday Worlds! TA Junior Tour

- Favourite training ride Makara on a sunny Friday late afternoon. Aka's

- Favourite training partner Anyone who is up for a good yarn about anything, not just cycling. Luke so I don' get lazy on the hills. 

- Favourite pro Tom Boonen, Cadel Evans, Ivan Basso, Daniele Bennati

- Favourite music Old school hip hop and any decent homegrown NZ music. @peace, Shapeshifter and Fat Freddy's, David Dallas, A Tribe called Quest. 

- Favourite movie Shutter Island, any cycling movies

- Favourite food Seafood, pies

- Other sports Hockey, basketball

- Best result to date Stage 2 win at CHB Junior Tour, 5th Rotorua Junior Tour

- Goals To get the NZ kit this year

Luke McDermott

- Age 18
- Race category Under 23
- Bike Cannondale System Six
- Number of years cycling 5
- Average hours training per week 13
- Strengths Hills
- Favourite equipment SRM
- Favourite race Taupo and Rice Mountain Classic
- Favourite training ride Aka's and Makara
- Favourite training partner Silas and James Truebridge
- Favourite pro Joe Cooper, Cadel Evans
- Favourite music Ministry of Sound
- Favourite food Lasagne and anything with lots of sugar
- Best result to date Wellington Centre Under 23 Champ and NZ Development U19 Team last year
- Goals To finish my accounting degree then give cycling a real good crack and try to race overseas. In the meantime to keep improving and enjoy cycling.