UnitedHealthcare signs Euser, Bazzana, Summerhill, others for 2013

American Pro Continental team UnitedHealthcare announced a run of new signings on Monday, including Spidertech-C10 refugee Lucas Euser and former U.S. criterium champion John Murphy.

The team, whose veteran road captain Rory Sutherland recently announced that he would leave for a two-year deal with Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank, announced Monday its signing of eight new riders, including Luke Keough, younger brother of current UnitedHealthcare sprinter Jake Keough.

Euser, Murphy, all-rounder Kiel Reijnen (Team Type 1-Sanofi) and 2012 stagiaire Danny Summerhill make up the remainder of the team’s new American signings. Murphy won his 2009 criterium national title riding for the team when it was known as OUCH-Maxxis.

Italian Alessandro Bazzana and Slovakian Aldo Ino Ilesic, both of Team Type 1, and Irish track rider and London Olympian Martyn Irvine will also join the team next year. Director Mike Tamayo pointed to Bazzana, Ilesic, Irvine and Keough as key additions to the team’s sprint efforts.

“My goal has always been to race at the top level of the sport and now I have the chance to do so with UnitedHealthcare,” said the younger Keough, who joins from SmartStop-Mountain Khakis after winning the USA Crits crown in September. “They are some of the best guys in the sport and my goals are to learn from them, gain experience and become an asset to a winning squad.”

Reijnen and Euser, on the other hand, are two riders the team expects to bolster its climbing and stage race ambitions.

“Kiel [Reijnen] has been on the podium at the [USA Cycling Professional National Championships] and at some of the hardest mountaintop finishes in Asia. With the proper support and preparation, we expect big things from Kiel this year,” Tamayo said.

“I look forward to being part of a strong and competitive team,” said Euser, who suffered a career-threatening run-in with a car in Girona, Spain, in 2009, before forging a comeback with Spidertech. “The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team [has] a strong commitment to winning… This is sweet reward after coming back from a nearly career-ending injury.”

Tamayo said in a statement, “It is no secret we have high expectations for our team, and we are pleased to have a total of 21 riders who fit the bill and [who] we believe can help us reach our goals.”