The American Team Type 1 - sanofi-aventis has received a major boost with the news that it has been awarded wildcard entry to the Tour de Suisse. The race will be one of the biggest events of the season for the Pro Continental squad, which will also line out in the Amgen Tour of California.
The squad will be led in the Swiss race by national time trial champion Rubens Bertogliati. He will be doing the event for the eighth time in his career and will be chasing his first stage victory there. The VeloNation blogger is best known as the winner of a stage in the 2002 Tour de France, and is motivated to ride well in Switzerland.
Apart from wanting to do well in his national tour, the prologue will take place in Lugano. “For me it is a dream come true: to race in my hometown and to wear the Swiss champion's jersey,” Bertogliati said, referring to that race against the clock. “The Tour de Suisse is one of the greatest races in the cycling calendar. For us, the Team Type 1 - sanofi-aventis, it is a great honour to attend," he says.
The confirmation is also a big boost for the team after it recently lost hundreds of thousands of euros of bikes and equipment due to theft. Its vehicles were broken into overnight at the Coppi e Bartali event in Italy, causing the entire Team Type 1 squad to have to withdraw from the event.
The team includes riders with Type I diabetes and has the goal of spreading awareness of the illness, and also showing those living with the condition that it is possible to have a very active lifestyle. It is expanding year on year and recognises the Tour de Suisse participation as a big plus.
“For us, this participation in the Tour of Switzerland is another step in our overall mission, is to show people with diabetes that they too can realize their dreams,” stated CEO and founder Phil Southerland.
Swiss sports director Beat Zberg is predictably enthusiastic about the wildcard invite to the race. “Team Type 1 team has excellent riders, and will therefore be quite capable of a surprise” he said. “With the Swiss professional Rubens Bertogliati, we do more than pleased to compete there.
The team has a medium-term goal of riding the Tour de France. Its riders know that good performances in the Tour de Suisse and the Tour of California this year would be a big plus in chasing that target, and will be motivated to succeed in both races.
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Team Type 1 video of Rubens Bertogliati talking about Tour de Suisse invite