Canadian team looking to mine stage wins in their debut in America’s biggest bike race
St. Catharines, Ontario: Hoping to snare stage wins in their web, Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy has unveiled the eight-man roster that will represent Canada’s only UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) continental squad at the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, which gets underway Sunday (May 16) in Nevada City and finishes May 23rd in Thousand Oaks. The first Canadian team ever to compete in America’s most prestigious road cycling race that features a host of the sport’s top riders will be comprised of (Canadian unless otherwise noted) Martin Gilbert, Francois Parisien, Lucas Euser (USA), David Boily, Guillaume Boivin, Andrew Randell, Bruno Langlois, and Eric Boily.
“Team SpiderTech are ready to engage in battle in North America’s premier stage race. We have worked hard to be here and are excited to challenge the best teams in the world. The goal to achieve excellent results will put additional pressure on our current roster since two of our top riders, Keven Lacombe (mononucleosis) and Ryan Roth (bruised patella), are experiencing health problems and are unavailable to race. However, we are certainly not the only team to have riders sitting out on the sidelines. I know our men will rise to the occasion by racing with focus, intensity and heart. We’ll be looking for opportunities to create some surprises throughout the week,” said team director Steve Bauer.
Three-time Amgen Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer will be back to defend his crown with the support of his RadioShack teammate, seven-time Tour de France victor Lance Armstrong. Other stars illuminating the marquee include Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia), Saxo Bank’s Andy Schleck and Fabian Cancellara, and Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo TestTeam).
The eight-day, 1280-kilometre Amgen Tour of California has blossomed into one of the most important races on the international calendar comprised of sixteen professional teams from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.S. Previously held in February, the fifth edition of the race makes its May debut, which enables the route visiting sixteen host cities showcasing the Golden State’s scenic and historic areas to include treks through the high mountains in the Sierras and the first-ever mountaintop finish in Big Bear Lake.
Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy is a gifted young squad of Canadian Olympians and national champions that are all capable of winning races. Thus far this season, eight different riders have netted the team’s twelve UCI wins, including a pair of stage victories at last month’s Vuelta Telmex, which ranks the team fifth in 2010 UCI wins. Last September, Gilbert burst through the peloton to become the only rider not from a ProTour team to win a stage at America’s other Grand Tour, the Tour of Missouri. Additional information is available at www.cyclesportmanagement.com.
For further information about the Amgen Tour of California, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
About SpiderTech
Referred to as “the magic tape” and “the legal advantage,” SpiderTech is sixteen precut, ready-to-apply taping applications designed to support muscles, improve blood and lymphatic circulation, alleviate pain, correct joint problems, and speed healing and recovery. Designed by Dr. Kevin Jardine, a chiropractor and advisor to professional, collegiate and elite athletes who participate in cycling, running, triathlon, football, baseball, hockey, soccer and volleyball, SpiderTech has revolutionized the methodologies of kinesiology taping, which for the first time provide a standardization of treatment in clinical use. The pioneering SpiderTech applications meet the needs of rehabilitative professionals by providing a synergistic influence on pain reduction, performance enhancement and prevention of injury, the triad of which is referred to as “3P” – Pain, Performance and Prevention. SpiderTech, which is also available in rolls of Nitto-Denko-developed kinesiology tape under the brand name SpiderTape in the North American marketplace (NAFTA zone), is fabricated from high-grade cotton material with 100% acrylic, hypoallergenic adhesive. Distributed by SpiderTech, Inc., which was formed as a division of the Toronto, Ontario-based NUCAP Industries, Inc., SpiderTech and SpiderTape are made of the original kinesiology tape that was engineered by Nitto-Denko of Japan to mimic the thickness, weight and elasticity of human skin. The tape is water-resistant and breathable, and can be worn for up to five days. SpiderTech is a proud sponsor of Canada’s only UCI continental cycling team, Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy. Additional information is available at www.spidertech.com.
About Cycle Sport Management Inc.
The St. Catharines, Ontario-based Cycle Sport Management Inc. owns, manages and directs Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy. The team, Canada’s only UCI continental squad, was formed three years ago by Steve Bauer and Josee Larocque with the lofty goals of being the first Canadian team to compete in the Tour de France and to become Canada’s first ProTour squad. Bauer, a stage winner and former wearer of the race leader’s yellow jersey in the Tour de France and an Olympic silver medalist, directs the outfit and Larocque manages.
