Interbike 2003

Las Vegas, USA, October 10-14, 2003

T-Mobile switches to Giant

Boosted Health Net team also expected to ride Giant

Erik Zabel (Telekom) wins the sprint for stage 11 of the Vuelta

Photo: © AFP

It's official that T-Mobile (the Team Formerly Known As Telekom) will be riding on Giant bikes next year. The announcement was made by Giant at Interbike in Las Vegas on Monday. "We are delighted that one of the most successful teams in road cycling has selected Giant to be their weapon of choice for the coming years," said Tony Lo, President of Giant, Inc..

"During the last few years we have made a reputation with our time trial bike where we have won many stages at the leading tours," added Mr. Lo. "We are therefore very excited and looking forward to see that leading time trial specialists like Jan Ullrich and Santiago Botero will be riding our time trial bikes."

This also marks the end of the successful relationship between Giant and the ONCE team. Giant's Sports Marketing Manager Tom Davies said, "Whilst we are very excited to partner with T-Mobile for next season, we are sad that the ONCE Eroski team could not continue for 2004. Manolo Saiz and his team of riders and support crew was part of our family and we have had some great times together. They have certainly been instrumental over the past six years in helping establish Giant into becoming a leading bicycle innovator. Their feedback allowed us to build better bikes, and for that we are eternally grateful."

As well as officially confirming rumours that T-Mobile will ride Giant bikes in 2004, Giant sources have told Cyclingnews that they expect to announce in the next two or three weeks a deal for the revamped Health Net team to ride the company's bikes in 2004.

Health Net is expected to be one of the two strongest teams on the US domestic scene in 2004, benefiting both from previous expansion plans and the high-caliber riders released by the recent demise of the Saturn and 7Up teams.

Two details not previously reported are that both teams will use all or mostly Shimano components, a change for T-Mobile/Telekom from Campagnolo, and the T-Mobile bikes will carry Giant's logo on the down tube. The team's previous Pinarello bikes had Telekom decals.

Giant's involvement with Health Net will be the first time the company has sponsored a US team since 2001, and is part of a marketing and product development strategy that sees a strong racing presence in both the US and Europe.

MTB program continues

Giant hasn't forgotten its successful mountain bike racing program, which this year supported riders such as Tara Llanes, Jared Rando and Adam Craig. The program, "is going to be changed around a bit, but they will be good changes," said our source.