Wiggle will continue to be the top line sponsor of the team while Honda will be holding on to its investment as the supplier of team vehicles as High5 and champion System come on board. The formation will be rebadged as Wiggle High5 for 2016.
In addition, Rochelle Gilmore, team managing director and founder, has used the winter break to make a number of key signings to strengthen Wiggle High5 for the season ahead.
These include Swedish National Champion Emma Johansson who joins the team for her final year in the pro peloton, two-time junior road race world champion Lucy Garner from Great Britain and highly regarded Dutch rider Amy Pieters.
“I had an ambition in 2012 to create the most professional women’s cycling team in the world, increase salaries for athletes and become the world number one UCI team within three years," Gilmore said.
"These goals have now been reached but we believe that the season ahead represents an opportunity for both the riders and the team to reach a completely new level. We’ll be doing all we can to support our riders’ main goals and creating a team environment that will ensure success on the road.”
The team will start 2016 with riders from ten countries. Familiar faces include Jolien D’Hoore who enjoyed an outstanding first season with the team in 2015, scoring 13 wins in total to become the most prolific winner in the women’s peloton and Australian Annette Edmondson who finished the women's Tour Down Under with the green sprinter’s Jersey.
Also on board are Elisa Longo Borghini who topped the podium at the prestigious Tour of Flanders, Giorgia Bronzini who clinched the team’s fourth World Cup win at the Tour of Chongming Island and also won Acht van Westerveld and two stages of the Route de France, Audrey Cordon-Ragot who claimed victory at the Cholet Pays de Loire Dames. Plus Giro Rosa stage winners Mayuko Hagiwara and Mara Abbott.
Wiggle High5 for 2016
Amy Roberts (GBR), Amy Pieters (NED), Audrey Cordon-Ragot (FRA), Chloe Hosking (AUS), Dani King (GBR), Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA), Lucy Garner (GBR), Mara Abbott (USA), Peta Mullens (AUS), Anna Christian (GBR), Anna Sanchis (ESP), Annette Edmondson (AUS), Emma Johansson (SWE), Giorgia Bronzini (ITA), Jolien D’hoore (BEL), Mayuko Hagiwara (JPN).
