With his move to JLT Condor confirmed, Brenton Jones has turned his attention to making an immediate impact with the British Continental squad at the three-day Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic from January 1.
"That will be the first goal and they have already approached me with their goals and wanting to hit the ground running as well so I think that will be a good first race," Jones told Cyclingnews of the criterium series that he won overall in 2014.
Having spent the last two seasons with Drapac at Pro-Continental level, Jones won stages at the Tours of Japan, Korea, and Hainan and was a regular top-ten finisher at the stage races he started. In 2016, his results became more consistent with his two stage wins and the points classification at the Tour of Korea a season highlight.
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While the 24-year-old explained he would have "loved" to have remained at the Pro-Continental level in 2017, he is quick to state that he believes JLT Condor's race programme will provide him with ample opportunity and is looking forward to the challenge.
"John Herety was definitely very supportive in my decision to decide, and yes I was speaking to a lot of teams, and I've definitely appreciated his patience in trying to find something," he said in reference to the team manager and search for a team. "He is definitely more than happy to take me under his wing and give me a great year, which I know I will have, but he was hoping that I would find something else. It's not a fall-back, everything happens for a reason so it will be an opportunity and it is something I am looking forward to with the team. With John and Tom [Southam], I have known then for several years and I have raced against the team for several years so it is something I can fit into and be comfortable."
Herety and his JLT Condor team are regulars down under over the Australian summer, racing the Bay Crits, Herald Sun Tour and more recently, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. With the Cadel Evans race becoming a WorldTour event, the Continental licensed team won't be returning in 2017 but will be lining up for the Herald Sun Tour.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
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