Current bike sponsor steps up with Canadian sports apparel company to save top women’s team
The women’s HTC-Highroad team will become Team Specialized lululemon from 2012, the team announced today. With current team owner Bob Stapleton unable to secure a replacement sponsor to replace cellphone manufacturer HTC, the decision was made to dissolve the men’s team, but Stapleton sought to preserve the women’s team. The vast majority of the existing setup will be retained as the team’s current bike supplier steps up to become principle name sponsor along with Canadian athletics apparel manufacturer lululemon.
"This is such an awesome opportunity for us," said Mike Sinyard, Specialized president and founder. "We're really excited to put our name behind these incredible athletes with an inspiring company like lululemon that makes the best women's athletic apparel in the world. Our pro riders give us invaluable feedback to continue innovating the best bikes in the world."
The team began using Specialized bikes this year and will continue to race on Amira frames for road races and Shiv frames for time trials, as well as a variety of Specialized products, including helmets and shoes.
"We can't wait to elevate women's cycling with Specialized," said Christine Day, CEO of lululemon athletica. "Their technical expertise, longstanding pedigree and dedication to women in cycling inspire our entire organization. Feedback from the athletes is what drives us and these amazing athletes further enhance our focus on technical product."
While the team that was created by Stapleton in 2003 will no longer be run by High Road Sports, it will remain as a sponsor going forward.
“Bob has been an avid supporter of women's cycling for many years and we would like to carry on his hard work by continuing the team with much of the same structure in place," said Kristy Scrymgeour, former Marketing and Communications officer at Highroad, and now Director of Velocio Sports. "He has been very supportive of the project and will provide us with valuable equipment to get us going."
The team will hang on to the majority of its big stars in 2012, including German champion Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, US time trial champion Evelyn Stevens and former World time trial champion Amber Neben. One notable leaver though, is newly crowned World time trial champion Judith Arndt, who is rumoured to be heading to the new Australian GreenEDGE team. Arndt will be replaced by cycling and speed skating Olympic medallist Clara Hughes of Canada, reflecting the nationality of one of the team’s main sponsors; Hughes recently finished fifth in the World championship time trial, and was the only rider to successfully break away from the peloton in the road race.
The other riders to stay on with the team will be Ellen Van Dijk, Emilia Fahlin, Chloe Hosking, Ally Stacher, Charlotte Becker and Katie Colclough. Amanda Miller and Adrie Visser will be leaving the team, but will be replaced by Germans Trixi Worrack and Lisa Brennauer, who are currently riding for AA Drink-Leontien.nl and Hitec Products-UCK respectively.
Team Specialized lululemon 2012 roster:
Charlotte Becker (Ger)
Lisa Brennauer (Ger)
Katie Colclough (GBr)
Emilia Fahlin (Swe)
Chloe Hosking (Aus)
Clara Hughes (Can)
Amber Neben (USA)
Ally Stacher (USA)
Evelyn Stevens (USA)
Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger)
Ellen Van Dijk (Ned)
Trixi Worrack (Ger)