Both the men and women of Cervélo TestTeam officially begin racing this week. The men’s team will start with the French five-day stage race Étoile de Bessèges. The women’s team will start the season with the Ladies Tour of Qatar, now in its second edition.
Men’s Team
The Étoile de Bessèges, held annually in southern France, around Bessèges, will represent the official start of the Cervélo TestTeam season. Please note that Thor Hushovd, who was to start his season with this race, is ill and will not be competing as planned.
“We are looking forward to starting in Bessèges, as it will be the first race for our team in 2010,” said Sports Director Alex Sans Vega. “It will give us the opportunity to check our fitness and strength against the other teams, as some of them have already started their season in the Tour Down Under or G.P. Marseillaise. The Étoile de Bessèges is a good race for our riders. It will help them in their preparations, but we will also try to get some results-all our riders will have the freedom to show themselves at their best at the start of the season.”
The team is also returning to the Middle East after last year’s success with the stage win of Roger Hammond (GBR) and with six riders placed in the top 10. Heinrich Haussler (GER) (second overall last year) and Hammond (third overall last year) will lead the team again. Sports Director Jens Zemke has good memories of the race from last year. “It will be very difficult to repeat the excellent result of our first showdown one year ago,” he said. “We have two new riders in our Qatar squad, Theo Bos (NED) and Davide Appollonio (ITA); the others are all Qatar experienced. We also want to test our new components and bikes. This race is another big step forward. Our main goal is to prepare our team for a successful spring campaign.”
Women’s Team
From February 3 to 5 the women’s team will kick of the season in Qatar. Kirsten Wild (NED), the world number two and defending champion, will lead the team in this three-day stage race.
The riders’ daily efforts will unfold among the splendid settings of the Museum of Islamic Art, the Al Khor Corniche, the Al Zubarah fort, the Oryx Farm, and the Sealine Beach Resort, culminating with the final act on the sumptuous Doha Corniche. Sports Director Egon van Kessel is looking forward to the season start: “At the training camp in Portugal, I got my first impression of the team that will participate in Qatar. Based on what I saw in the training camp and the level of our riders, our goal will be winning this fist big event for women this year.”
More information: Cervélo TestTeam Photo: © TDWsport.com
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