December 22/04 11:06 am - USA Cycling Announces 2005 UCI Continental Teams, Ofoto And Sierra Nevada Merge

Posted by Editoress on 12/22/04
 

USA Cycling Announces 2005 UCI Continental Teams
Courtesy USA Cycling

T-Mobile Returns as Only UCI Women's Squad in U.S.

USA Cycling has submitted registration materials to the UCI on behalf of 12 potential UCI Continental Teams, and one UCI Women's Team in consideration for the 2005 season.

Under the UCI's road cycling reform plan, teams formerly recognized as Tier III trade teams will now be registered by the international governing body under the new 'Continental Teams' moniker.

Paperwork has been sent to the UCI on behalf of the following potential Continental Teams:

Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team Jittery Joe's/Kalahari Pro Cycling Team Team Nerac.com Jelly Belly/Pool Gel Team Snow Valley presented by Seal-On Health Net presented by Maxxis McGuire/Langdale Team Monex Team Seasilver Webcor Builders Cycling Team Subway Cycling Team Team TIAA-CREF

Additionally, there are currently two other Continental Teams whose applications to USA Cycling are still pending. The UCI allows for a maximum of 15 Continental Teams.

New to the professional fray in 2005 are Team Nerac.com, TIAA-CREF and Team Snow Valley presented by Seal-On.

Teams returning under the same title as last season include 2004 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar champions, Health Net presented by Maxxis, Team Monex, Team Seasilver, Webcor Builders Cycling Team and Subway Cycling Team.

Several other teams are also returning, albeit with a new title, thanks to support from different or additional sponsors. Those include Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team, Jittery Joe's/Kalahari Pro Cycling Team, Jelly Belly/Pool Gel and McGuire/Langdale.

USA Cycling has also submitted paperwork on behalf of the lone American women's squad, the T-Mobile Professional Cycling Team.

Other American teams set for the 2005 season include the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team and the Navigators Insurance Cycling Team.

Formerly the U.S. Postal Service squad, the Discovery Channel team will be captained by six-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong and will race as a UCI Pro Tour Team, the governing body's most elite class.

The Navigators are registered as a UCI Professional Continental Team after being a tier II trade team in 2004.


Ofoto And Sierra Nevada Ride Together Into 2005
Courtesy Josh Kadis

Principal Sports Management Group announced today the formation of the Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Professional Cycling Team, combining the resources of both sponsors' existing programs.

The eleven-rider Ofoto/Sierra Nevada squad includes four riders and one manager from each of Sierra Nevada's and Ofoto's 2004 teams, along with three newcomers.

The returning Ofoto team members are Jackson Stewart, 2003 Canadian National Champion Dominique Perras, Tim Larkin, Scott Zwizanski, and Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Racing Manager Robin Zellner.

Returning from the Sierra Nevada team are 2004 Nature Valley GP Champion Ben Jacques-Maynes, 1996 and 2000 New Zealand Olympian Glen Mitchell, Russell Hamby, John Hygelund, and Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Operations Manager Kurt Stockton.

The three new riders are 2004 New Zealand Olympian Hayden Godfrey (ex-Health Net/Maxxis), neo-pro Ian Dille (ex-Snow Valley), and Matt DeCanio (ex-Prime Alliance), who returns to pro cycling after a one-year hiatus.

Regarding the new team members, Stockton said, "Hayden, Ian, and Matt are talented riders who will add a good deal of experience to the team and we are absolutely confident that their personalities will be a good fit for our program."

The young Ofoto/Sierra Nevada team - with only Mitchell, Perras, and Larkin over age 30 (birthdates below)- will bring a balanced attack in support of stage race leaders Perras and Jacques-Maynes, sprinters Godfrey and Stewart, and all-arounders Hamby and DeCanio. Mitchell and Larkin will serve as the team's co-captains.

Describing the rider selection process, Zellner said, "Kurt and I weighed all our personnel decisions carefully and based them on what we know about the guys we've worked with in the past and the good things we heard about the new guys from people we trust."

The Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Professional Cycling Team is licensed as a UCI Continental Team and will be operated by Zellner and Stockton, co-owners of the newly formed Principal Sports Management Group LLC.

"It was our decision to move in a new direction with our cycling team and we're really excited about our partnership with Sierra Nevada, who shares our commitment to cycling and our belief in its potential to promote our brands," said David Rich, Vice President of Marketing, Ofoto, Inc.

Similarly, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. President Ken Grossman said, "We've always seen the need for a co-sponsor to take our program to the next level and we believe that this mix of sponsors, staff, and riders is going to turn a lot of heads next season."

2005 Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Roster

Riders
Matt Decanio (Miami Beach, FL) April 5, 1977
Ian Dille (Alexandria, VA) September 17, 1979
Hayden Godfrey (Christchurch, New Zealand) December 15, 1979
Russell Hamby (Gold River, CA) February 27, 1979
John Hygelund (Los Gatos, CA) April 1, 1983
Ben Jacques-Maynes (Mountain View, CA) September 22, 1978
Tim Larkin (Berkeley, CA) June 6, 1971
Glen Mitchell (Santa Rosa, CA) October 19, 1972
Dominique Perras (Brossard, Quebec) February 11, 1974
Jackson Stewart (Los Gatos, CA) June 30, 1980
Scott Zwizanski (Spring City, PA) May 29, 1977

Staff
Kurt Stockton (Operations Manager)
Robin Zellner (Racing Manager)
Josh Kadis (Marketing and Media Relations)
Keri Nelson (Head Soigneur)