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Quizno's Pro Challenge loads up with five new pro teams
PHOTO: The Quiznos Pro Challenge announced today that pro cyclists Andy and Franck Schleck's new team, Leopard Trek, has signed on to compete in the seven-stage race beginning Aug. 22 in Colorado Springs. Olympic Gold medalist Fabian Cancellara joined Leopard Trek this year, though he isn't confirmed for the Quiznos Pro Challenge.
“We are excited to have secured commitments from such world-class teams in the competition’s first year,” said Shawn Hunter, co-chairman of the Quiznos Pro Challenge. “We’ve set high goals for this race and the addition of these teams shows great promise for our future and cycling in the United States.”
The newly announced teams include some of the most exciting riders in the world, including Olympic gold medalist Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland), seasoned veteran Stuart O’Grady (Australia), and 2008 World Cycling Championships silver medalist Svein Tuft (Canada). In total, the Quiznos Pro Challenge will host as many as 128 professional cyclists from 16 teams for the 2011 competition. The specific riders who will participate in the Quiznos Pro Challenge will be named in the coming months.
Leopard Trek (Luxembourg)
Leopard Trek is a new team led by Luxembourgish brothers Andy Schleck and Fränk Schleck, with Brian Nygaard as team manager. There are 11 nations represented on the roster, drawing fans from every region of the world. Olympic Gold Medalist Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland), 2010 Mountains Classification Tour Down Under winner Thomas Rohregger (Austria), and veteran Stuart O’Grady (Australia) highlight this diverse group.
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)
The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is owned and operated by Calif.-based Momentum Sports Group, which is led by Directeur Sportif Mike Tamayo, President Thierry Attias, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Greg Raifman. UnitedHealthcare’s prominent past includes becoming the number one team in North America in its second year, then defending the title for five consecutive years. In 2005, the team produced the single greatest season in North American cycling history, winning half of all National Racing Calendar (NRC) competitions, capturing 68 podium places in 63 individual NRC race days; sweeping the U.S. PRO, Philadelphia series, California series, and the New York Grand Prix. The Team’s 17 riders represent seven countries, with six riders hailing from the United States.
Team Type 1-sanofi aventis (USA)
Team Type 1 is the world's only professional cycling team with a roster that includes riders who have Type 1 diabetes. In 2009, Team Type 1 won 55 races, finished fourth in the NRC standings and captured the King of the Mountains title at five races, including the Tour of Missouri. In two seasons, the squad has registered 100 victories and 219 podium (top three) finishes.
Six of Team Type 1's professional cyclists have type 1 diabetes: Martijn Verschoor (Netherlands), Fabio Calabria (Australia), Javier Megias (Spain), Joe Eldridge (USA), Alex Bowden (USA) and Olaf Kerkhof (Netherlands). In addition to several Americans, the team has many international riders hailing from Italy, Russia, Slovenia and the Ukraine.
Skil-Shimano (Netherlands)
Skil-Shimano is managed and owned by Iwan Spekenbrink, with sports team managers Rudi Kemna, Christian Guiberteau, Merijn Zeeman, and Piet Hoekstra. Based in Holland, the team features Koen de Kort (Holland), who finished ninth overall in the 2010 Tour of Britain; 2010 Tour de Normandie champion Ronan van Zandbeek (Holland); 2009 German road race champion Martin Reimer (Germany); 2008 Olympic silver medal winner at the Omnium Roger Kluge (Germany), multiple Tour de France participant and third in the Tour de France’s youngster classification (2006) Matthieu Sprick (France); German (2009 and 2010) and European (2009) U23 time trial champion and U23 bronze winner at the 2010 World Championships time trial Marcel Kittel; and Yukihiro Doi (Japan), who finished ninth overall in the 2010 Tour of Hainan.
Team Spidertech Powered By C10 (Canada)
Co-founded by Steve Bauer in 2007, Team SpiderTech powered by C10 is Canada’s first Continental Professional Cycling Team. The 2011 roster boasts 19 world-class riders including 2010 Canadian Road Champion Will Routley (Canada), 2008 World Cycling Championships silver medalist and 2010 Eneco Tour prologue winner Svein Tuft (Canada), and Lucas Euser (USA).
About the Quiznos Pro Challenge
The Quiznos Pro Challenge is the most demanding professional bike race ever held in America, with racers experiencing breathless altitudes and nearly 600 mountain miles, for seven straight days. The inaugural 2011 Quiznos Pro Challenge will take place August 22-28, and it is expected to be the largest spectator event ever held in Colorado. The race travels through some of the world’s most famous and beautiful destinations, including Aspen, Vail, Avon, Steamboat Springs and Breckenridge. 128 of the world’s best professional cyclists from 16 teams, including Team RadioShack, HTC-Highroad, Team Garmin-Cervélo, BMC Racing Team, Liquigas-Cannondale, Team Leopard Trek, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team, Team Type 1-sanofi aventis, Skil-Shimano, and Team Spidertech Powered By C10 will be put to the test like never before.
The competition, destined to become the most coveted prize in cycling, brings the high speeds, danger and adrenaline of professional cycling to heights more than two miles in elevation, across some of the most picturesque terrain in the world—the Colorado Rocky Mountains. In the months leading up to the race, and throughout the live event, fans worldwide will be able to track their favorite cyclists like never before with the most advanced, interactive online, smartphone and broadcast television experience presented to date in professional cycling.
To keep in touch with the latest news and updates on the Quiznos Pro Challenge, visit www.quiznosprochallenge.com and follow the race on Twitter @qprochallenge or on Facebook.
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