February 3, 2010
Kirsten Wild’s tire puncture spoils final
The first stage (103.5km) of the Ladies Tour of Qatar from the Museum of Islamic Art to Al Khor Corniche ended in a bunch sprint. Cervélo TestTeam’s sprint ace Kirsten Wild, defending here title from 2009, ended up with a puncture in the last 500 metres.
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Women’s Team
“The team controlled the race from the beginning and that continued right up to the last 500 meters before the finish until Kirsten’s tire puncture,” said Egon van Kessel, Sports Director. “At the beginning of the race there was big break away of 18 riders, we had 4 riders involved. But the group finally pulled back, after 60 kilometres due to crashes. When the groups did come together we worked very hard for the victory and Kirsten was able to pick up some bonification seconds in the intermediate sprint. Today we were the best team in the race, but the wind was not really good so we couldn’t make something from that. We also had some bad news losing Lizzie Armitstead today due to a crash. She has already been examined by the doctors and was able to return to the hotel but unfortunately she is out of the race.
“It was too bad that I punctured in the last 500 meters of the race,” said Kirsten Wild. “I felt really strong and we rode a really great race with our team. “During the race I was able to pick up some bonification seconds so I am not too far away from the leaders position and everything is open for the next stages”.
February 2, 2010
Thor Hushovd postpones his season debut
Thor Hushovd was scheduled to start the Étoile de Bessèges on Wednesday, but because of a bad cold he will postpone his season debut until the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal, which begins February 17.
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Hushovd is suffering from a severe cold, with congestion and tightness in the chest. These symptoms generally pass in three or four days, so in theory he could have started on Wednesday, but with an eye on important races later in the spring, he decided it would be better to be 100 percent healthy first and get in some good training days before lining up to race.
“Of course it’s boring having to sit out the first race of the year,” said Hushovd, “but I think long term and do not want to risk running my body down so early in the season. There are many important races to come. Now I will take the opportunity to prepare well for the Volta ao Algarve in just over two weeks.”
Hushovd will start with light training on Tuesday and then increase the training load gradually throughout the week. As of Monday, he will be training at a normal level again. He’ll be home in Monaco, where he has both excellent training conditions and other professionals to train with.
Thor Hushovd’s profile
February 1, 2010
Cervélo TestTeam officially begin racing
The men and women of Cervélo TestTeam both officially begin racing this week. The men’s team will start with the French five-day stage race Étoile de Bessèges. A few days later the team will line up under the desert sun to compete in the Tour of Qatar. The women’s team will start the season defending their championship at the 2nd Ladies Tour of Qatar.
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Men’s Team
The Étoile de Bessèges, held annually in southern France, around Bessèges, will represent the official start of the Cervélo TestTeam season. Please note that Thor Hushovd who was to start his season with this race, is ill and will not be competing as planned.
“We are looking forward to starting in Bessèges, as it will be the first race for our team in 2010,” said Sports Director Alex Sans Vega. “It will give us the opportunity to check our fitness and strength against the other teams, as some of them have already started their season in the Tour Down Under or G.P. Marseillaise. The Étoile de Bessèges is a good race for our riders. It will help them in their preparations, but we will also try to get some results—all our riders will have the freedom to show themselves at their best at the start of the season.”
The team is also returning to the Middle East after last year’s success with the stage win of Roger Hammond (GBR) and with six riders placed in the top 10. Heinrich Haussler (GER) (second overall last year) and Hammond (third overall last year) will lead the team again. Sports Director Jens Zemke has good memories of the race from last year. “It will be very difficult to repeat the excellent result of our first showdown one year ago,” he said. “We have two new riders in our Qatar squad, Theo Bos (NED) and Davide Appollonio (ITA); the others are all Qatar experienced. We also want to test our new components and bikes. This race is another big step forward. Our main goal is to prepare our team for a successful spring campaign.”
Women’s Team
From February 3 to 5 the women’s team will kick of the season in Qatar. Kirsten Wild (NED), the world number two and defending champion, will lead the team in this three-day stage race.
The riders’ daily efforts will unfold among the splendid settings of the Museum of Islamic Art, the Al Khor Corniche, the Al Zubarah fort, the Oryx Farm, and the Sealine Beach Resort, culminating with the final stage on the sumptuous Doha Corniche. Sports Director Egon van Kessel (NED) is looking forward to the season start: “At the training camp in Portugal, I got my first impression of the team that will participate in Qatar. Based on what I saw in the training camp and the level of our riders, our goal will be to again win this first big event of the year for the women.”
January 25, 2010
Cervélo TestTeam will ride in Bont cycling shoes this season
Cervélo TestTeam is pleased to welcome Bont Cycling as a Cervélo TestTeam Partner.
“We’re very excited to start a partnership with Bont Cycling. They have a very innovative production technique that creates a light, stiff and comfortable shoe,” said Gerard Vroomen, Cervélo co-founder. “It also provides the perfect interface with the Speedplay pedals used by Cervélo TestTeam, as the four-bolt system and thin sole puts the cleat and therefore the pedal spindle closer to the rider’s foot.”
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“Bont Cycling is proud and excited to become an official partner of Cervélo TestTeam,” said Steven Nemeth, Chief Executive Officer, Bont Cycling. “Our objective is to develop the best possible cycling shoe providing both the competitive and enthusiast cyclist with a cycling shoe offering true anatomical fit and comfort combined with unparalleled performance.”
“I first heard about Bont cycling shoes from other riders who said they were really good,” said Thor Hushovd, Cervélo TestTeam. “I´m a sprinter and need stiff shoes, so I wanted to try the stiffest shoes on the market. Then I ended up with the Bont. The initial fit of the shoes was not perfect, but as the whole shoe can be heat moulded we easily shaped them to my personal foot's shape and they are now 100%. Now all my effort comes down to the pedal, and I don’t lose any watts because this shoe - doesn’t move. Another big difference from other brands is that when you first put them on, you don´t have to tighten them, either before a sprint, or if they get wet! I’m looking forward to my first sprint with Bont!”
While most shoe companies use a two-piece manufacturing method, simply gluing together essentially an upper and a base, Bont cycling shoes utilize a true monocoque construction. Bont cycling shoes are made from the inside out with each layer of carbon hand-laid according to stress point and the upper is laminated to the carbon chassis with an epoxy resin. This process provides a unique one piece anatomical fit.
Based in Australia, Bont’s success during the past 35+ years has been their total commitment to innovation. Not satisfied to simply re-invent the same core product with a slightly altered look, Bont continues to develop products that set industry standards.
Visit us online at
www.bontcycling.com
January 25, 2010
Cervélo TestTeam welcomes CycleOps as a new partner
Cervélo TestTeam is pleased to welcome CycleOps, a division of Saris Cycling Group, as a Cervélo TestTeam Partner.
”Partnering with Cervélo TestTeam is an ideal fit for CycleOps. As companies we share a mutual desire to develop the best possible product for our customers“, said David Cathcart, Director of Marketing and International Sales. “This collaborative racing partnership will help us create future innovations that are born in the lab and tested on the road.”
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“The new collaboration with CycleOps fits in perfectly with the technology driven Cervélo TestTeam,” said Damon Rinard, Cervélo TestTeam Race Engineer. “Our sports directors and sports scientists look forward to working with the race-proven CycleOps PowerTap. This is another company, like our existing TestTeam partners, that understands our philosophy and is keen to work with us so that their product portfolio reaches its full potential.”
CycleOps is the leader in power. CycleOps gives cyclists the tools they need to reach their goals. CycleOps products, including the all new Joule are innovative and performance driven and form a perfect addition to the TestTeam partners.
Saris Cycling Group is Saris Cycle Racks and CycleOps Performance Training Products. Designed and built in Madison WI since 1974, SCG believes in giving back to the communities in which we do business.
Visit us online at
www.saris.com
January 22, 2010
Tour of Flanders 2010 presented
The official route of the 2010 Tour of Flanders, which takes place on Sunday, April 4, has been unveiled, and it features some significant changes from previous years. One notable modification is the removal of the Eikenmolen, where riders have launched decisive attacks in the past. Most of the changes in the course, however, are in the first part of the race, after the usual start in the Grote Markt in Brugge.
Cervélo TestTeam Sports Director Jean-Paul van Poppel, who attended the presentation in Ghent on January 20, reacted positively to the changes. “With the new start direction on the west coast,” he said, “we can expect some wind, and that will make the race more nervous immediately. But the real race, as always, will begin on the Oude Kwaremont. And with the Molenberg moved closer to the finale, the Tour of Flanders looks like a harder race.”
www.flandersclassics.be
January 21, 2010
Cervélo Test Team on SRAM RED
Cervélo TestTeam is pleased to welcome SRAM as a Cervélo TestTeam Partner.
“This is an incredible team that gives us a formidable platform for our products,” said Jason Phillips, SRAM’s European Sponsorship Manager. They are at the forefront of bicycle technology and will ultimately help us make SRAM RED even faster, lighter and more functional.”
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“We are excited about the team using SRAM this season,” said Damon Rinard, Cervélo TestTeam Race Engineer. “SRAM RED is more tolerant of contamination, more adjustable and adaptable to the bikes and the riders and, provides more reliable functionality – gear to gear, we hit the gear every time.”
The combination of Cervélo frames, Zipp wheels, and SRAM components will provide bikes that are at the forefront of innovation, offering superior ergonomics and unchallenged shift/brake lever adjustment features.
Since 1987, SRAM has revolutionized the bike world with its best in class components. Driven by advanced materials that are lightweight and highly efficient, SRAM has created the most technologically advanced groupset in the pro-peloton: SRAM RED.
Visit The Partners Section
January 21, 2010
Charlotte Becker joins Cervélo TestTeam
Team now complete for 2010
Cervélo TestTeam is pleased to announce the signing of German rider Charlotte Becker for the 2010 season. Becker is experienced on both track and road. The 26-year-old is a former German national time trial champion and European points champion on the track. Last season, she picked up four wins and finished third overall in the Giro della Toscana while riding as a member of the now-defunct Equipe Nürnberger.
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Detailed rider profile
“I saw Cervélo TestTeam last year and the team looked very professional. Now I’m proud to be a part of it and I’m looking forward to the upcoming season,” said Charlotte Becker. “I think is a really strong team and I want to help as much as I can. If I get the chance, I also want to go for some good results, especially in time trials, so I am really looking forward to using the Cervélo time trial bikes.”
“Charlotte is a very good time trial rider and as well as being strong on the track, especially in the team pursuit. She will be a real asset to our team, as well as fighting for our own victories,” said Egon van Kessel, Sports Director. “While it is a little late for signings, we are now able to offer the best possible program to the riders. For the team to perform at it’s best, in all our target races, we needed one more rider. We are fortunate to secured Charlotte’s talents.”
January 17, 2010
Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
Cervélo TestTeam launched their sophomore season today at a gala presentation in the midst of the team’s two-week training camp. The presentation included riders from the men’s and women’s teams, staff, management, team owners as well as their partners and suppliers.
Success in 2009 was achieved both on and off the bike as the men’s and women’s teams performed beyond expectations throughout the season. The men brought home 25 trophies while the women scored 43 victories, finishing first in the UCI standings.
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Going into the team’s second season, new General Manager Joop Alberda has set an even higher goal for the squad. “We want Cervélo TestTeam to become the new standard in cycling,” said Alberda. “What happened on the team last year was amazing. The standard they set is already pretty high. It will be up to the cyclists to challenge themselves. We will be there to help them.”
Success isn’t measured by victories alone however, something that Alberda says makes the Cervélo TestTeam and the brand stand out from the pack. While podiums are the ultimate goal, the team is also focused on its groundbreaking product development, fan access and hospitality initiatives.
See More Photos Of The Cervélo TestTeam Launch
“Cervélo TestTeam is one of the few teams in modern cycling that has a clear vision. They have core values and they want to stick to them,” he says. “Winning is beautiful, but winning isn’t the only thing. We want to work as a unit on our core values and become the team that everyone wants to join.”
Gerard Vroomen, Cervélo co-founder, reinforces Alberda’s point of view. “Other teams that are focused solely on winning races are wondering how the season will play out. That’s not the case at Cervélo TestTeam. We already know now that 2010 will be more successful than 2009. We have more R&D camps, fan access events and hospitality activities scheduled than last year. Our travel events are selling out quickly. Every race victory is further icing on the cake.”
Alberda isn’t afraid to look beyond cycling for inspiration on ways to help the team. “I’ve learned a lot from other sports that can be applied to cycling,” he says. “In the end, all sports are basically the same. Everyone wants to be the winner. We take a realistic approach to our cyclists that is more humanistic. We want to continue with this new approach to cycling, with different ways of training, new ways of reaching out to fans, and greater contributions to the development of bicycle technology.”
Cervélo TestTeam in 2010 will continue to push forward with its innovative vision of what a professional cycling team can be.
The training camp will continue to January 24. The men’s team will begin their season on February 3-7 at the Etoile de Bességes in southern France, the first stage race of the European season. The women’s team head to their first race, the Tour of Qatar, February 3-5 to defend their championship won last year by Kirsten Wild (NED).
Race Details for above:
Etoile de Bessèges (men)
Date: 3 - 7 February 2010
Riders: João Correia (POR), Iñigo Cuesta (ESP), Stefan Denifl (AUT), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Ted King (USA), Brett Lancaster (AUS), Oscar Pujol (ESP), Dominique Rollin (CAN).
Sports Director: Alex Sans Vega (ESP)
Tour of Qatar (women):
Date: 3 - 5 February 2010
Riders: Lizzie Armitstead (GBR), Charlotte Becker (GER), Sarah Düster (GER), Iris Slappendel (NED), Regina Bruins (NED), Kirsten Wild (NED).
Sports Director: Egon van Kessel (NED)
Cervélo TestTeam Partners include:
Cervélo, Bont cycling shoes, Castelli race apparel, Catlike helmets and sunglasses, Cyclops power meters, Elite water bottles, cages & trainers, Fi’zi:k saddles, Morgan Blue lubricants, Rotor cranks, Skoda cars, Speedplay pedals, SRAM groupsets, Swiss Olympic CrossKlinik, 3T components, 2XU compression apparel, Vittoria tires, Zipp wheels and Zipvit energy bars.
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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Cervélo TestTeam aims even higher in 2010
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January 16, 2010
Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
Cervélo TestTeam kicked off their pre-season training camp in Portugal this weekend with a group of eighty-plus riders all participating in a Cervélo éRide, enjoying the roads of the Algarve.
All the Cervélo riders from the men and women’s teams rode with the TestTeam partners, suppliers and media who are at the training camp for the team’s media presentation on Sunday.
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See More Images of the new 2010 Kit
“The connectivity between the athletes and the team’s guests was quite unique,” said Andy Paskins, Zipp Marketing Manager. “I was impressed that the riders took the time out from their training to play host to us in such a genuine and friendly way. It made me look at our sponsorship with the team in a entirely new way.”
The ride began mid-morning with a briefing by Sports Director Jean-Paul van Poppel and Race Engineer Damon Rinard who told the enthusiastic group. “All the bikes you are riding this morning were previously ridden by members of Cervélo TestTeam. All the models ridden by the team are exactly the same models available to the consumer at Cervélo dealers.” It’s a claim few if any other bike manufacturer can make.
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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Cervélo hosts Algarve éRide to kick off media weekend
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