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Dan Craven - forward thinking · 07/02/09

Dan Craven

New signing, Dan Craven, looks back on 2008 and forward to 2009 with the team.

Dan writes:

After a fantastic four years riding for the amateur squad, Team Fidi BC.com (with Fabrizio Biaggi and Davide Bortoluzzo), I am now taking a step up in my cycling career. As of January I have officially become a member of Rapha Condor for the 2009 season.

This signals a very important change in my cycling career as I move up the ranks and transfer to England, the European country with the most exciting prospects for cycling. This is evident by looking at Britain’s medal count in the track cycling events at the recent Olympics, even though the level of domestic road racing still has further to improve.

Rapha Condor is a continental team with both sponsors based in London, while most of the team’s riders live in the vicinity of Manchester. During 2008 they proved to be the strongest team in Britain, as well as racking up good results when competing internationally.

I first became interested in the team when racing against them at the 2.2 ranked Tour du Loire et Cher in France but only recently made further contact. Ben Greenwood, one of my new team mates whom I know from his racing stint in Italy in 2006/2007 was responsible for the introduction to manager, John Herety, and things moved along quickly from there.

My only hesitation to join the team was because I was still waiting to hear from a pro continental team. Although they wanted me they had yet to offer me a contract and I eventually realised that the trust I felt to Rapha Condor was way more important than stepping up another level.

The team boasts an Olympic medal winner in Chris Newton and the only other foreigner with me is the Australian, Darryl Lapthorne, 2007 Australian National Champion.

Another change will be that I plan on studying part time. I have not yet decide what I shall be adding to my BA.PPE degree, but will be making up my mind in the near future.

My training for the 2009 has just started and is moving along nicely as my body has been responding very well to the power training that I have started using over the last twelve months. I will be joining the team in London for the official presentation towards the end of January before flying to Majorca for a team training camp and further preparation for what lies ahead.

2009 is certainly going to be a very interesting and exciting year for me and I invite you to follow my progress throughout the year.

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