Michael Albasini has won his home race GP Gippingen twice and is the defending champion in the event that is held later today. He will have full support from his Orica-GreenEDGE team that will also welcome back mountain bike star Nino Schurter on the team.

Sitting on the calendar two days before the Tour de Suisse, the GP du canton d’Argovie is a perfect opener before the nine day tour. In 2013 ORICA-GreenEDGE unleashed a magnificent display of team support to set up Michael Albasini for the win in Gippingen.

On a course that is situated just miles from his hometown of Lanterswil, Albasini will once again be the man to watch. With its lumpy 12 kilometre circuits, the 181 kilometre race is ideally suited for the local rider’s aggressive racing style.

“We will go in with full support and try to do our best with Alba,” says Sport Director Neil Stephens.

Returning to the line-up for ORICA-GreenEDGE is another Swiss legend, Nino Schurter, who recently turned heads at the Tour de Romandie when he made his first foray onto the WorldTour circuit. After an impressive ride in Romandie, Schurter went on to win the mountain bike World Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic a couple weeks later.

“It’s great to welcome back Nino to the programme,” says Stephens. “It was really positive to see him go off from Romandie and have such a successful campaign on the mountain bike. He’s going from strength to strength. He’s going to be a major player and profiteer of late breaks on any number of stages at Suisse.”

Mitch Docker and Simon Yates are the only two riders amongst the eight headed to Gippengen who will not race Tour de Suisse. For the young Yates, it is his first race back after sustaining a broken collarbone six weeks ago in Turkey.

“Yates’ form is a little unknown, but I expect good support from the other riders,” added Stephens. “We have great climbing support from Nino, Clarke, and Chaves for Alba. Mitch is also going along really well. The team is really motivated to help deliver Alba to another victory."

Orica-GreenEDGE for the GP Gippingen:

Michael Albasini, Simon Yates, Johan Esteban Chaves, Mathew Hayman, Nino Schurter, Mitchell Docker, Simon Clarke and Cameron Meyer