Irish rider Matt Brammeier has signed for Azerbaijan based Synergy Baku cycling team.
Brammeier, who has ridden for HTC Highroad and Omega Pharma Quick Step, joins a team which has former Team Sky rider Jeremy Hunt as its Sporting Director andis managed by David McQuaid, the son of the former UCI president Pat, after being forced to look for alternative employment following the news that the Champion System team would not be competing in the 2014 season.
The Irish champion may have dropped down a level but getting a ride for the 2014 season was more important and he told cyclingnews.com: “The main thing is that I am still a bike rider next season.
With the teams such as Euskatel, Saur-Sojasun, Vacansoleil DCM and Champion Systems forced to fold due to not being able to get new sponsors, there are plenty of riders looking for rides for the new season which starts in Australia with the Jayco Sun Herald Tour in the opening week of 2014 and Brammeier said: “I had contact from a couple of WorldTour teams and I think in any other year, I would have had a place on a WorldTour team for next year, but it’s just been a crazy market this year with five teams going under and so many riders left without teams.”