Two Pennsylvania racers - one eastern and one western - are joining the Jelly Belly professional team in 2010, Cyclingnews.com reported.
Mike “Meatball” Friedman, from Pittsburgh, will be joining the team, sponsored by the candy company. Friedman will be leaving the Garmin-Slipstream team, with whom he has competed in some of the European Spring Classics.
And Jonathan Chodroff, of Kennett Square, who turned pro this year with Team OUCH presented by Maxxis, will also be moving to Jelly Belly. Chodroff, a time trialing specialist and climber, appeared in several regional races this year, including the Millersville Road Race.
At OUCH, he was on the roster with two other Pennsylvanians, Bobby Lea, of Mertztown, and Lancaster County native Floyd Landis.
Landis, meanwhile, has been the subject of transfer rumors. Supposedly, he was considering a move to Rock Racing. Landis, who has a contract with OUCH through next year, has not commented on the rumor. He did, however, tell a New Zealand newspaper he believes it is unlikely he will ever race the Tour de France again. According to a Cyclingnews.com article, Landis acknowledged his lackluster comeback this year from a two-year doping suspension. He also blamed “politics” between the UCI, the sport’s international governing body, and the tour organizer. Landis is in New Zealand racing in the Tour of the Southland.
