2003 Team rosters

Team Dried Plums/Orbitz

Team Dried Plums / Orbitz has announced its 2003 roster. The team is sponsored by the California Dried Plum board and travel website Orbitz.com, and is focused on grass-roots development

"Our mission is grass-roots racing development - it has been for the last three years. Our regional pros have new developed to the national level and we're proud that Dried Plums and Orbitz are supporting our efforts," said team representative Jon McNeill.

The team is deep with talent with results including three (3) world masters championships, and (10) regional championships in the past three seasons. John Foley was the top North American finisher in Costa Rica's punishing Ruta race in 2002. Double World Masters Champion Dawn Bourque (in both cross country and downhill) finished her first Chevy Trucks NORBA National Championship Series as the 6th-ranked American woman in 2002. Ben Moody and Sara Bresnick, both first-year pros, finished the season ranked in 17th in the country. Karen DeWolfe is expected to vie for a spot on the Canadian National Team and Gary Contic will compete in his 2nd world solo 24 hour championships.

The team will ride in all five of the NORBA national championship series races in addition to the EFTA New England Championship series. Contic will lead the team's 24-hour efforts at the 24-hours of Adrenaline and other East Coast venues in his preparations for the World Championships in Whistler in August.

"We're thrilled to support some of the best racers in New England," said McNeill. "Who knows, maybe we'll surprise ourselves again in 2003. We didn't predict the success we had last year. Just allowing the racers to concentrate on their racing resulted in big gains for each of our riders. We're hoping to see the same thing in 2003. The New England cycling community is blessed to have supporters like Dried Plums and Orbitz as well as Rocky Mountain Bicycles. We thank our lucky stars everyday to be representing their brands with championship caliber people - both on and off the bike."

"Our mission of developing local cyclists took a big leap forward last year as our experts and semi-pros are moving up to pro competition this year. We've got a very talented expert moving up to semi-pro this year, so things so be just as exciting," added McNeill.

Team roster

Riders

Dawn Bourque (5-time Masters World Champion (downhill & cross country), 8-time New England Champion, currently ranked 6th in US)
Gary Contic (1st - 24 hours of Snowshoe, 24 Hours of Great Glen. 2nd - 24 hours of Adrenaline. 24 hours solo world championships)
Ben Moody (2-Time NORBA New England Champion; 2-Time EFTA New England Champion; 2nd place Mt Snow National Championship Finals 2001; currently ranked 17th nationally)
John Foley (Top North American Finisher, Ruta de los Contistadores; John has won a number of regional races and championships and will be racing as a first-year pro in 2003)
Karen DeWolfe (Canadian Cup - 5th overall series; Chevy Trucks National Championship Series -- as first-year pro, finished year ranked 20th)
Adam Bucklin (Vermont State Champion; 2002 New England Championship Series runner up (both NORBA and EFTA); multiple wins, first-year pro)
Sara Bresnick (2002 - New England Champion (EFTA); multiple wins; Chevy Trucks National Championship Series -- as first-year pro, finished year ranked 17th 2001 - Chevy Trucks National Championship Series - 2nd overall, Expert category, NORBA New England Champion)
Nate Ringquist (2002 - Chevy Trucks National Championship Series - 5th overall; NORBA New England Expert Series - 1st Overall)
Dave Currie (1st-- sport class Chevy Trucks National Championship Series Finals at Mt. Snow and a long list of regional races as well.)

Sponsors

California Dried Plums
Orbitz (travel)
Rocky Mountain
Pedros
Michelin
Giro
Smith Optics
Harpoon (microbrew)

2003 team rosters