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UNO, the VIS and the Junior Development Squad

In 2005-06, UNO was proud to be the provider of clothing to the Victorian Institute of Sport and to be working with the VIS to identify and support junior riders through the establishment of the UNO-VIS Junior Development Squad, with Team UNO 2004 rider David Pell providing seniority and experience. The junior riders selected to join the new Development Squad in 2005-06 were:

• Alex Smyth, winner of the 2004 Victorian Schoolboys Championship and National Under 17 Road Championship, and the 2005 Victorian Under 19 sprint champion;
• Leigh Howard, joined UNO as the 15 year old dynamo from Geelong, who took an unprecedented 6 out of 6 gold medals and broke two Australian records at the 2005 Australian Junior Track Championships and was crowned Champion of Champions; then in August 2006 went on to win gold at the World junior track championships in Belgium;
• Jayden Rippon from Colac who joined Team UNO as a 12 year old, won his first away-from-home race, and finished 2nd in the open-class Casterton 50, the day after his 13th birthday.
• Aidan McInerney was selected after finishing second (to Leigh Howard) in the Victorian Schools Championships; and
• James Langedyk joined the Squad after he won the U19 Victorian sprint title.

Leigh was inducted into the VIS in June 2005 on a full scholarship, and Alex was given a part-scholarship.

In January 2006, 15 year-old Ben Sanders from Melbourne was selected by UNO as the young rider with potential and was invited to join the Junior Development Squad. In his first race ever (Echucha, 21Jan) Ben won the B grade scratch race and the Wheelrace and was third in the Time Trial. In his second race (Wangaratta, 5Feb) Ben finished second in the U17 2k Wheelrace; and in his third race (Melbourne, 10-11Feb) won bronze in Time Trial and in the Pursuit ("I had never done a Pursuit before, I just went out and did it!"). As a result, Ben was selected for the Victorian U17 Team.

UNO achknowledges the encouragement and support of given to Team UNO by Team Alex in providing Inexa bikes and Pazzaz shoes, also Bob Miller of Flite Helmets for making available the range of Etto helmets, and Paul Anstey and Blood Toyota for additional support.

To read about each of the UNO-VIS Junior Development Squad riders, click on their names above.