Another of HTC Highroad’s riders has relocated to a new team for next season, with Danny Pate being confirmed today as moving to the Sky Procycling squad for 2012.
The former world under 23 time trial champion has spent practically all of his career with American teams, although he started off in 2000 with the Italian Saeco squad. After stints with Prime Alliance, Health Net-Maxxis and Jelly Belly, he was with the Slipstream setup from 2006 to the end of 2010. He spent one year with the HTC Highroad setup this year, but any hopes to continue were dashed when the team management announced that it would stop due to a lack of sponsors.
He appears to have landed on his feet, and indeed had a choice about where he wanted to go. “I was fortunate to have a number of offers from teams for next season,” he revealed. “After riding with HTC-Highroad, I wanted to stay at the highest level in cycling and be part of the most professional team in the peloton. That is why I have chosen Team Sky and I am delighted to be joining one of the best-structured teams ever in cycling.”
Pate had a solid season, doing a lot of good work for the team and helping Mark Cavendish secure the first green jersey of his career. The Manx rider also took five stage wins, extending his overall total to twenty, and Pate’s work at the head of the peloton was an important factor in that.
He also won the King of the Mountains competition in the recent GP Cycliste de Montréal, showing that he still has it to ride for himself when team duties allow it.
Pate gave reasons why he felt Sky Procycling is the best team to be with, and also underlined that he is prepared to keep riding for others. “Team Sky has a fantastic back room staff, some highly talented riders and a shared motivation to be the best. I know it’s a team that I am going to do well with and I am very proud to be joining this ambitious and exciting project,” he said.
“For the team my work as a domestique will remain my main focus and on a personal level I will be looking to target the World Championship TTT in 2012.”
That team time trial championship will be an addition to the worlds programme from 2012 onwards. Unlike the other events at the championships, it will be run off in trade teams, and Pate knows that Sky Procycling will have a strong chance.
Although Mark Cavendish has been linked to the Quick Step team this week, something the team itself denies, it is thought that Team Sky is still the most likely destination. However team principal Dave Brailsford admitted this week that the situation is a ‘complicated’ one, with image rights and possibly also equipment choices believed to be a factor.
If things are worked out, though, Cavendish will have the advantage of having riders like Pate alongside. Although they’ve worked together for just one year, they will know how each other works and that will be a plus for Sky Procycling.
Either way, Brailford believes Pate will be a big addition. “Danny is a hugely experienced rider with a fantastic pedigree. As well as being one of the peloton’s strongest riders he is also a world-class time triallist,” he said.
“Throughout this season Danny has shown the calibre of bike rider he is with his performances for HTC-Highroad. We’ve seen him chasing down breakaways week-in, week-out and have been really impressed with the way he goes about his business. He’s capable of being on the front of the peloton for long periods, day after day, and that’s testament to the way he looks after himself both on and off the bike.”
He also believes he’ll help the developing riders. “His experience was also a major attraction for us and we will be looking to him to impart some of that on the younger guys in the team,” he added.