SINGAPORE, 15 Jan 2014 – AFTER a spectacular 2013 season packed with historic accomplishments on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Asia Tour, the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team returns in 2014 with a roster of 18 riders, including more Singaporeans (nine).

The team also receives backing from two new major sponsors: local insurance giant Great Eastern (Official Insurer) and luxury watch brand deLaCour (Official Timepiece).

Singapore’s only professional cycling outfit continues to grow from strength to strength, as it enters its third season as a UCI-certified Continental Team. The 2014 season will see a boost in the squad’s numbers from 11 to 18 riders overall and from seven to nine Singaporeans. The local riders include 2013 South-east Asian (SEA) Games competitors Goh Choon Huat, Ho Jun Rong and Low Ji Wen. Proving its commitment to grooming young local cyclists, the team has also added 2012 national Junior Individual Time Trial champion Benedict Lee and Travis Woodford to its ranks and will give the youngsters much-needed exposure to high-level racing around the region.

The OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team’s ultimate goal this season is to guide a local rider to Singapore’s first-ever stage podium finish on the UCI Asia Tour. Its other goals include further developing the talent pool of Singaporean cyclists and bringing more Singaporean road cyclists under its umbrella of support.

While the team will no longer have the services of Malaysian stalwart Loh Sea Keong, who has signed with UCI ProTeam Giant-Shimano of the Netherlands, it has added new riders Jang Chan Jae (South Korea), Mitchell Mulhern (Australia), Rico Rogers (New Zealand) and Ronald Yeung (Hong Kong). As part of its exchange programme with the search2retain powered by health.com.au team from Australia, the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team also welcomes permanently onto its roster Aussies Eric Sheppard and Cameron Bayly for the 2014 season.

"We burst on the scene at the UCI Asia Tour last year and enjoyed some terrific results, but we are far from satisfied," said Daniel Loy, Team Principal of the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team. "I believe our riders are capable of a lot more. I maintain that our Singaporean cyclists are not far from delivering a UCI Tour podium finish. At the same time, we are eager to see what our young newcomers are capable of."

The squad will continue to receive strong corporate backing in its quest for jerseys and podium finishes. OCBC Bank enters the second of its three-year title sponsorship deal. Together with its title sponsorship of OCBC Cycle Singapore, the nation’s premier mass-participation cycling event, this partnership has established OCBC Bank as the most prominent brand associated with the sport of cycling locally.

"We are very proud of the team’s achievements in 2013," said Ms Koh Ching Ching, Head of Group Corporate Communications of OCBC Bank. "They showed true grit and determination in their relentless pursuit for success. Sea Keong’s step up to a UCI ProTeam signals that the team is on the right track. It means that our sponsorship of the team to develop aspiring cyclists and help them fulfil their dreams is right. I am confident that the boys, especially the Singaporeans, will again lift their game this year and put the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team on the podium."

On top of the addition of Great Eastern and deLaCour, key sponsors such as 100PLUS (Official Isotonic Drink), Wilier (Official Bicycle Frame), Vittoria (Official Tyre), Rudy Project (Official Helmet and Sunglasses), Champion System (Official Apparel) and TheSufferfest.com (Official Training Video) will continue to provide the team with cash and value-in-kind support.

Commented Colin Chan, Great Eastern Life's Chief Marketing Officer, "Great Eastern is proud to be supporting the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team as the Official Insurer. As a LIFE company, we are passionate not only about delivering insurance solutions but also helping the community Live Great through sports. This Live Great spirit is epitomised by the determined young men on this team. The roster has more Singaporeans than ever before, and we look forward to sharing their journey as they chase their dream of competing as professional cyclists."

This support will be crucial in order for the team to top its marvelous sophomore season on the UCI Asia Tour. With just a lone King of the Mountains (KOM) jersey to its name from its rookie season in 2012, the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team stormed to the overall yellow jersey at the five-stage Jelajah Malaysia race in 2013, in addition to three stage wins, nine stage podium finishes and four other jerseys on the UCI Asia Tour.

The Singaporean riders combined for 12 top-20 stage finishes and four top-10 stage finishes on the UCI Asia Tour. They also excelled in national colours, capturing four titles at the Singapore National Road Cycling Championships and sending three representatives to the SEA Games in Myanmar.

Outside of racing, Team Manager Justin Cheong completed the Sports Director course at UCI’s headquarters in Switzerland. The certification is required to lead a UCI ProTeam or a Professional Continental Team, but not necessary for a Continental Team. Nonetheless, Cheong’s Sports Director certification is an indication of the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team’s larger vision of becoming one of Asia’s premiere cycling squads.

This gives the OCBC Singapore Pro Cycling Team a total of three UCI certifications: Coach (Loy), Riders’ Agent (Cheong) and Sports Director.

"The possession of all three certifications gives us both a shared depth of technical knowledge governing the sport of professional cycling," Cheong said. "We believe this will translate into the ability to better manage our riders and team operations as we continue to grow."

The team’s 2014 calendar will be similarly packed with more than 20 races, including high-profile ones such as the New Zealand Cycle Classic, the Herald Sun Tour in Australia and Le Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia in the next two months.

The team kicks off the season on Saturday with newcomers Bayly, Rogers and Yeung, as well as holdovers Ryan Chan, Ahmad Haidar bin Anuawar and Thomas Rabou challenging an elite international field in the OCBC Cycle Malaysia Professional Criterium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.