Archbold lands new contract
South Canterbury professional cyclist Shane Archbold will be back riding in Europe next year after signing with a new team.
The man dubbed the ‘flying mullet’ from Timaru will join Irish Pro Continental team Aqua Blue Sport for the 2018 season.
Archbold has just returned to top-level cycling following an injury sustained in the 2016 Tour de France and is riding with his German team Bora-hansgrohe in the Presidential Tour of Turkey with some successs.
Lead out rider Archbold has helped deliver to three consecutive stage wins for team-mate Sam Bennett in Turkey.
The 28-year-old said he was very happy to have picked up a contract with the Irish team after three years with Bora-hansgrohe .
"Having been through a challenging period of my career hampered by injury, I am ready to move on to the next chapter.
‘‘I have followed the progress of Aqua Blue Sport with interest and believe the team to be an excellent fit for my future ambition.
‘‘I look forward to a fresh start, to getting to know my new teammates and to some exciting racing in 2018.’’
Aqua Blue Sport general manager Stephen Moore said Archbold was a welcome addition to the team.
‘‘Shane has demonstrated great resilience in returning to form following a spell of rehabilitation and since coming back to racing has shown a resurgence of the kind of ability that brought him to the World Tour.
‘‘We are delighted to have him on board for 2018 and look forward to taking advantage of his strengths.’’
Aqua Blue Sport is Ireland’s first UCI Professional Continental cycling team, founded by Irishman Rick Delaney and launched in January 2017, with the long-term vision to compete on the highest stage of world sport.
Archbold will team up with fellow Kiwi Aaron Gate who joined the team for his first year as a full professional.
It will be Archbold’s second stint on an Irish team after he spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons at Continental squad An Post-Chain Reaction.
He left them to join Bora in 2015, where he linked up again with his old An Post team-mate Bennett, forming a key part of his lead-out train.
The switch of teams caps off a bright spot in what has been a tough 12 months for Archbold.
He sustained a broken pelvis when he crashed on stage 17 of his Tour de France debut in 2016 and although he completed the stage, had to abandon the race four days shy of the finish in Paris.