Capitalising on the recent grown of cycling in Queensland, the Brisbane Continental Cycling Team will launch from 2018. Run by former Budget Forklifts rider Josh Prete, individual pursuit world champion Jordan Kerby headlines the inaugural squad.
The team is a continuation of the Cobra9 squad which has steadily grown in recent years, racing the National Road Series (NRS) and earning invites to the NZ Cycling Classic. In 2018, the Brisbane Continental Cycling Team is aiming to be a top-three NRS team and earn invitations to UCI races in Australia, like the Herald Sun Tour, and Asia via its Continental license.
"I really want to see this team take off and be something I would have wanted to be a part of when I was racing in Queensland," Prete told Cyclingnews of the team based in Brisbane, Queensland. "I think there are too many talented cyclists that don't get picked up or decide to give it up before they should. It is not through the fault of another teams or anything really."
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From Atherton in Far North Queensland, Prete found himself having to have to travel further and further south to pursue his cycling dream. During his career, 26-year-old Prete rode with the Continental Budget Forklifts team which was based out of Queensland. Since the team ended at the end of 2015, there has been a lack of options for Queenslanders and Prete is aiming to take advantage of that fact, providing an a pathway to success.
"I've wanted to have something based out of Brisbane to support the catchment ahead of Queensland for cycling but also to attract talented riders to come to Brisbane to race as well. I want create a high level-racing scene like what is already established in Melbourne or Sydney," he said of his aim. "There hasn't been that team that people aim for. I feel it is really important for people to see what a good team can do in races. There are heaps of talented guys in Queensland but they all seem to be individuals. Which is fair as there is no real emphasis on working together as a team and how important that is for race results."
Since hanging up his wheels, Prete has become a co-owner of The Pedaler bike shop in Queensland which also functioned as a service course for Cobra9. When Prete started on the Continental team project, the working title for the team was The Pedaler Continental Cycling Team. However, Prete explained he rebranded the project to better represent Brisbane and Queensland.
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