CROWTHORNE’S Max Stedman can’t wait to go racing after completing his move to Britain’s newest professional cycling team.

The 20-year-old has signed for UCI Continental outfit BIKE Channel Canyon for the 2017 campaign.

On the back of a superb season with Pedal Heaven, he follows sports director Tim Elverson and eight of his old team-mates to the exciting new set-up.

And with Sky television channel BIKE and German bike manufacturers Canyon as title sponsors, Stedman is thrilled to be part of the project.

The University of Exeter student, who was seventh in Velothon Wales in May, said: “It is awesome to be part of a brand new team to the UK. With with the size of the sponsors involved, it looks to be an exciting and fun project, unique to Britain and showing a different side to a cycling team.

“Everyone is gelling well, so the team should work well together and I’m hugely looking forward to starting racing.”

Stedman’s career took flight during the summer as he backed up his Velothon Wales result with 11th in the Beaumont Trophy, seventh in the national Under 23 road race championship and ninth on general classification at the gruelling six-day Tour of Bulgaria.

Rory Townsend, Dexter Gardias, Jack Pullar, Joe Fry, Harry Tanfield, Mitchell Webber, Jake Womersley and Alex Richardson have all joined Stedman from Pedal Heaven.

The squad is made up by Sam Lowe, formerly of Team Wiggins, and Matt Nowell, who will step up from Wheelbase Altura.

Follow BIKE Channel Canyon’s progress on social media, via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on the race team’s official website www.bikechannelcanyon.co.uk