January 26/12 10:13 am - NOW Cycling Announce 2012 Pro Women’s Team Roster

Posted by Editoress on 01/26/12
 

Last season Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race on CBS, and co-founder with partner Louise Keoghan of No Opportunity Wasted (NOW), teamed up with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation to create the first of its kind professional cycling team, “NOW and Novartis for MS.”
www.nowcyclingteam.com

The NOW and Novartis for MS women’s team announced its 2012 roster today, led by 2011 National Road Champion and 2012 Olympic long team member, Robin Farina. Looking to improve on a very successful 2011 pilot season, the team that launched in June of this year will tackle a full season of racing in 2012 with a 9-rider roster.

The team will once again be directed by Kurt Stockton, the 1990 US professional road champion. “My goal is to continue the upward trajectory that we started in 2011” says Stockton, “with a group of solid riders who first and foremost are here to race their bikes. I was very fortunate to put together such a tight knit core group in 2011 and will build on that in 2012.”

Joining World Championship and Pan-Am Games team member Robin Farina and returning from 2011 will be Anne Samplonius, winner of stages at the Tulsa Tough, Cascade Classic, and the Tour of Elk Grove; Junior double-national champion and world championship team member Addy Albershardt; Tulsa Tough overall winner Christina Gokey-Smith; and Devon Gorry.

New riders for 2012 include Alison Powers, the 2009 overall NRC winner who sat out most of 2011 injured; former Irish national road and time trial champion Olivia Dillon; double US 2011 track champion (International Omnium and Points Race) Beth Newell; and development rider Ashley James who is a collegiate national champion.

The uniqueness of NOW and Novartis for MS team is that not only do the riders race their bikes at the highest level, but they are also paired on tandem bikes with people living with Multiple Sclerosis at select high-profile charitable Bike MS events around the country. The goal is to show the world that MS does not define those living with the disease.

“We are lucky to have Novartis, who share our passion in the battle against this disease, as our title sponsor again in 2012,” said Keoghan.

Press release

Related Photo Galleries