Rumours have been confirmed this week, with US Continental road racing squad Team Type 1 signing MarathonMTB.com Race Team rider Justin Morris for the 2012 season. Morris rode for MarathonMTB.com in the inaugural year of the team, and has been a great asset to the team.
“After a 1 year hiatus being back in Australia studying and pursuing the mountain bike circuit with the MarathonMTB.com Race Team, I am excited and motivated to be returning to the USA with Team Type 1,” said Morris after confirming the news of his signing.
“Team Type 1 has a truly inspirational message as its grounding and basis. This is something I am really passionate about spreading and being a part of. The message is that life with or without diabetes can be all that you dream it to be. Having lived with Type 1 diabetes for the past 15 years and racing for the past 10 years I have seen the highs and lows of life as a diabetic.
“It can be scary and frustrating at times, but having organisations like Team Type 1 as an example of overcoming the challenges posed by the disease is fabulous and a real crucial message especially to newly diagnosed diabetics. It is an honour to be involved in spreading this message and to be racing under the TT1 banner again.”
Morris raced in the US with the team’s development squad in 2010, and his move back home to Sydney, Australia was mostly to focus on completing his studies. In time, he realised that what was on offer ‘across the pond’ was a special opportunity.
“Team Type 1 has great support in the States and is run by a great group of enthusiastic and encouraging people. To have another opportunity at the pro ranks in the USA is really exciting and I plan on making the very most of it. With a full season of road racing on the cards for 2012, I’ll miss racing my mountain bike next year, but for now my focus still lies on gearing up for the Crocodile Trophy with Team Subaru/MarathonMTB.com and the final round of the Real Insurance XCM series: The Highland Fling. With miles on the road and dirt ahead it is an exciting time to be riding my bike, which puts a smile on my dial!”
More information on Team Type 1 can be found on their website.