Team Sky hits the road

Team Sky Pro Cycling has been officially launched at a glitzy ceremony in central London.

The launch was preceded by a ride featuring most of the squad's riders and 300 members of the public who won their places via a competition on the team's facebook page.

Three groups of 100 rode from different locations - the London Eye, Guildhall and Regent's Park - towards a central meeting point on The Mall.

The riders and staff were then introduced to the world's media.

Team Principal Dave Brailsford said: "We started talking a long time ago about setting up a top-level British team but needed to reach a critical mass of riders to achieve it. Now here we are.

"We're ambitious but the key thing for us is to make sure everything is centred on the rider.

"We want to treat the riders with dignity and respect so that they can be the best then can be."

The stated aim of the team is to win the Tour de France with a British rider within five years and Brailsford added: "People need to be motivated to get the best out of them and we want them to achieve excellence.

"Team spirit is critical to us so the personality of the riders played a big part in our recruitment."

There are eight British riders in the team and 12 different nationalities in total.

Brailsford was also delighted at the success of the ride before the launch, saying: "It's engaging with the public which is what this project is all about.

"And that's why we wanted to have a ride today where the team rode with cycling fans - it's a huge day for us.

All 22 riders present at the launch cycled onto the stage at the presentation at Millbank Tower, with three-time Olympic gold medallist and Tour de France fourth Bradley Wiggins the last man to be introduced.

"The thing with this team is that we'll do everything we can to be in the best possible shape to win the Tour de France," promised Wiggins.

"We've done it on the track and I'm sure we can do it on the road.

"If it works it will be fantastic and I think it will work. With a company like Sky behind it and a man like Dave Brailsford in charge, I think this is the biggest thing to hit professional cycling in years."