February 24/05 11:31 am - Team Diet Cheerwine 2005 Roster

Posted by Editoress on 02/24/05
 

Team Diet Cheerwine Announces 2005 Roster

International Cyclists, Former Olympian Join The 10-Member Team For Regional, National Racing Calendar

Carolina Beverage Corp. and Anne Whitton Bolyea, director/manager of Team Diet Cheerwine, announced today the 2005 roster for the elite cycling team.

Team Diet Cheerwine, which will begin the 2005 racing season in California with the San Dimas Stage Race on May 18-20, was founded in 2003 by Bolyea and has grown from a regional team based in the southeastern U.S. into a highly competitive, international women's team with riders from the U.S., Canada and Norway.

"Our team is comprised of 10 riders with a mix of strength and smarts," Bolyea said. "We have a strong team in place with a great deal of potential, depth and balance."

Team Diet Cheerwine riders:

• Laura Yoisten - Powerhouse from Alberta, Canada, with raw talent and ability. Yoisten was 5th at the Wachovia Liberty Classic in 2004.
• May-Britt Hartwell - Former Olympian and 2004 Paralympics pilot in Athens, Greece, from Norway.
• Leigh Hobson - Canadian Road Race Champion and climber extraordinaire.
• Lauren Trull - Junior National Cyclocross and 2004 USA Cycling Criterium Champion from Greensboro, N.C.
• Julie Belanger - Canadian U-23 rider from New Brunswick and 2004 Canadian National Team Member.
• Tara Ross - 2005 Cyclocross Worlds participant from Ontario, Canada.
• Rhonda Stickle, St. Catherine's, Ontario; Sara LeGrand, Charlotte, N.C.; Sarah Moore, Brentwood, Tenn., and Anne Bolyea, Banner Elk, N.C. - All four are team domestiques who will get the team leaders where they need to be.

Carolina Beverage Corp. was founded in Salisbury, N.C., and originated the Cheerwine and Diet Cheerwine soft drink brands. Cheerwine has quenched the thirst of consumers throughout the southeastern U.S. for nearly 90 years with a unique cherry taste, rich burgundy color and bubbly effervescence.

"Team Diet Cheerwine consists of a phenomenal group of cyclists whose passion for cycling is matched only by their passion for road racing and the health benefits of physical exercise through cycling," said Mark Ritchie, president of Carolina Beverage, maker of Cheerwine and Diet Cheerwine and a fourth-generation, family owned soft drink company.

According to Bolyea, "Cheerwine and Diet Cheerwine have a unique taste that stands alone and can only be described after sampling it. I grew up with Cheerwine, which adds to my pride in racing as a member of Team Diet Cheerwine."

The team's training camp is in Greenville, S.C. Other team sponsors include Rolf Prima, Giant Bicycles, Giro Helmets, Verge Sport, Rudy Project and Magic Cycles. Mike Boone, owner of Magic Cycles, also will serve as team mechanic.

"We are pumped about our 2005 team and are dedicated to our sponsors," Bolyea said. "Teammates who enjoy riding with each other and stand behind products like Diet Cheerwine will make a difference come race time."

For more information on Team Diet Cheerwine, visit www.dietcheerwine.com.