Aussie Hayman signs up for Sky

New British cycling team Sky have signed up two new riders in the shape of Australia's Commonwealth Games road race champion Mathew Hayman and Frenchman Nicolas Portal.

The move by Hayman comes after 10 years at the Dutch Rabobank team, while Portal has joined from the Caisse d'Epargne team.

Born in Sydney and raised in Canberra, Hayman's greatest triumph was collecting the gold medal at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 in the men's road race.
 
The 31-year-old has been a loyal servant since joining Rabobank in 2000.

Hayman's best result this year was 4th at Gent-Wevelgem in the European Spring and has been a regular member of Australia's national squad since 1996.

The 30-year-old Portal, who had raced for Caisse since 2006 and joins Agritubel's Sylvain Calzati in becoming the second French rider to join Sky, has spent a large part of this season on the sidelines because of an irregular heart beat.

The Sky Racing team will make its debut in 2010 with the view earning a wild card for the Tour de France.