Bradley Wiggins team member Daniel Patten on easy choice

Sir Bradley Wiggins will join his new team after he leaves Team Sky at the end of April

Essex cyclist Daniel Patten has said it was an easy decision to join Sir Bradley Wiggins' cycling team.

The 28-year-old has raced mainly in Belgium and the US, but will compete domestically as part of the new team formed by Olympic champion Wiggins.

"After a lot of years with a lack of options, this was a no brainer," he told BBC Essex.

"As soon as talk of possibly joining the team came about, my mind was set on that one thing."

Daniel Patten raced for teams in the USA last year

Patten will ride alongside England's Andy Tennant, Jon Dibben, Steven Burke, and Mike Thompson, Welshman Owain Doull, Mark Christian of the Isle of Man and Scotland's Iain Paton, as well as Wiggins himself once he leaves Team Sky at the end of April.

Team Wiggins is designed to help the four-time Olympic champion, Tour de France winner and reigning world time-trial champion with his preparations for Rio 2016.

Patten, from Corringham, has yet to meet 34-year-old Wiggins, but said his entry to the team was arranged by the former British Cycling coach Simon Cope, who is directeur sportif of Team Wiggins.

"There were a couple of phone calls with more-than-promising news, but until you get the official email with the subject line 'Wiggins Team'... then I knew it was definitely happening," he said.

"To be riding alongside such a rider, who's had the career he's had, I couldn't ask for more this season.

"It's relatively early. This year will be a domestic programme - national series and national championships."

Patten has spent the past two years cycling in the USA and before that rode for three years on the Belgian circuit.