The structure is in place, the new sponsors are on board and the training kilometres are being clocked up; now it’s time to start racing. The Specialized lululemon team will get its first pro season underway next week when two of its riders compete in the Mars Cycling Australia national road race championships in Ballarat.
Chloe Hosking and Loren Rowney will become the first from the team to pin on numbers when they compete in the women’s criterium on Thursday and the road race two days later. Hosking won the Under 23 crit title in 2010, while Rowney finished in the same position in the Under 23 road race.
While the majority of the squad won’t begin racing for a further month, next week marks an important starting point for the new structure.
Formed out of the structure of the highly successful HTC Highroad squad, the team will be backed by frame manufacturer Specialized and yoga company lululemon. It’s hoping to be as successful as the previous squad, which dominated women’s racing for several seasons.
The team got together earlier this month in California for its first training camp. The European-based riders will now have another camp in Majorca in the second half of January, working on some higher intensity training over a ten day period in order to prepare for the women’s Tour of Qatar.
Team manager Kristy Scrymgeour today confirmed the lineup for the Gulf race to VeloNation, verifying the names of the six riders who will compete. Defending champion Ellen Van Dijk will return, determined to perform strongly again. The Dutchwoman will be joined by Hosking, the Germans Charlotte Becker, Lisa Brennauer and Trixi Worrack, plus the British rider Katie Colclough in the flat, fast three day race.
“Everything's coming together really well,” said Scrymgeour. “Our camp was fun. We got a lot of training in and spent quality time working with our sponsors.
“The girls came out of it really motivated to start racing, so hopefully we'll be able to begin the season well in Qatar.”
Specialized lululemon for 2012:
Charlotte Becker (Ger)
Lisa Brennauer (Ger)
Katie Colclough (GBr)
Emilia Fahlin (Swe)
Chloe Hosking (Aus)
Clara Hughes (Can)
Amber Neben (USA)
Loren Rowney (AUS)
Ally Stacher (USA)
Evelyn Stevens (USA)
Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger)
Ellen Van Dijk (Ned)
Trixi Worrack (Ger)
Also see: Kristy Scrymgeour interview