Tech News – January 16, 2008 Edited by James Huang Got tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech desk. Craft signs Team CSC Craft has announced its signing as bike wear supplier to ProTour squad Team CSC for the 2008 season. The announcement is a major scoop for the Swedish sportswear company, which has taken over the slot previously held by Descente. "We love cycling, and this partnership is a great opportunity for us to showcase our premium sports apparel," said Craft's managing director Hans Larsson. "Our product development is fundamentally rooted in the cooperation with the best athletes in the world. This is our brand philosophy and it applies for all our categories." Craft will supply the Danish outfit, owned and managed by former professional Bjarne Riis, with its jerseys, shorts, rain apparel, base layers, gloves, socks and caps. "We are thrilled to start this exciting partnership with Craft," said Riis. "They have a fantastic line of products that we all look forward to use and to develop even further. From day one, we have had a common understanding with Craft to create the best and most functional cycling apparel in the world." The announcement will see Craft's products sported by some of the professional peloton's top riders. The team's 2008 roster includes Andy and Fränk Schleck, Stuart O'Grady, Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara, Spanish climber Carlos Sastre and Jens Voigt. "At Team CSC, we are extremely demanding when it comes to gear and clothing, but with Craft we have found a partner that thinks exactly the way we do," he added. "It's a great and visible statement for us that we start this collaboration with a completely new design." The announcement also marks the continuation of involvement in professional cycling's top level for Craft, which celebrated its 30th birthday last year. The manufacturer most recently sponsored the Astana ProTour team. It was also a sponsor for Phonak in 2006. Interbike announces Outdoor Demo East event Interbike will host its first Outdoor Demo East trade show event Photo ©: James Huang In response to its post Interbike/Outdoor Demo survey, Interbike has announced that it will offer some additional support to its US Northeast and Mid-Atlantic dealers by holding its first ever Outdoor Demo East event in Roger Williams Park, located just outside Providence, Rhode Island. The supplementary event will be held October 21-22, 2008, roughly one month after the main event in Bootleg Canyon, Nevada. According to Interbike, Outdoor Demo East will offer many of the same features to retailers unable or unwilling to make the long trip to Nevada, including product test rides on suitable terrain, National Bicycle Dealers Assocation (NBDA) seminars, and networking events. There has also reportedly been discussions to host a Vegas Cross-like cyclo-cross race on the Roger Williams Park grounds, which also hosted the 2006 US Cyclo-Cross National Championship. Manufacturers who have already committed to exhibiting include Advanced Sports (Fuji, SE Racing, Kestrel), FOX Racing Shox, Giant Bicycles, Kenda USA, Pacific Cycle (GT, Schwinn, Mongoose), Pedro's, and Santa Cruz Bicycles. Interbike expects that additional exhibitors will sign on in the coming weeks. "We recognize there are members of the industry that have difficulties attending the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas," said Lance Camisasca, Interbike's industry consultant. "Interbike Outdoor Demo East is a hands-on, no-hassle, inexpensive regional style event that allows retailers to not only test new products but also educate staff members on the latest trends and network with industry members in a historic and event friendly location." "The genesis of an opportunity to reach out to the other half of cycling is perfect," said Chris Zigmont, general manager of Pedro's Total Bicycle Care. "We will now be able to meet with the guys and gals who work the shop floor and who can't attend Interbike's Las Vegas trade show because of time and money constraints." /JH Cervélo replaces Raleigh at top women's sqaud Cervélo has replaced Raleigh at top Photo ©: Cervélo Cervélo co-founder Gerard Vroomen and Cycling Unite's Thomas Campana have unveiled the Cervélo-Lifeforce women's pro cycling team, formerly known as the Raleigh Lifeforce Creation HB Pro Cycling Team. Cervélo will replace Raleigh as title sponsor for the team, which will be led by former TEAm Lipton rider Kristin Armstrong. The former time trial world champion will replace Great Britain's Nicole Cooke after Cooke moved to a new British squad for 2008. "Our young team has made an impressive start in its first four years of competition," said Campana. "Now, the best women's team in the world will also be riding the best bike. After our first week with the Cervélos, I called Gerard to ask how it is possible that they fit our female riders so well, when they also fit Team CSC's men perfectly." FSA, Vittoria, Zipp, Speedplay, and fi'zi:k, like Cervélo, have all increased their involvement with the squad for 2008 and signed on for at least a two-year period. Co-title sponsor Skoda will also continue through to 2009 as the team's official car. Armstrong's signing is a big boost for the already-solid Swiss outfit after the American had another strong season in 2007 in the lead up to this Olympic year. "I've been riding on a Cervélo for a while and it was one of the reasons I decided to join this team for 2008," said Armstrong. "My main goal is the Olympics and I wanted to make sure I have the best possible equipment there." In addition to the squad's attraction as a top women's outfit, Cervélo's Vroomen says the team's ethics also played a role in its decision to increase its involvement with the squad. "[It] is not just performance that attracted Cervélo to this team," he explained. "We are a strong supporter of the most advanced anti-doping program in the world at Team CSC [the same tests now form the basis for the UCI's "biological passport"]. Going forward, we decided we would only support teams that have a similar interest in the fight against doping, which surprisingly, was not met with great enthusiasm by some of the teams looking for sponsorship. "When I asked Thomas, he surprised me by explaining that his team had already been in a monitoring program from a Swiss Olympic-accredited lab for the past two years," he added. "It is not quite as extensive as Team CSC's program, [CSC's anti-doping program budget eclipses the total budget of Cycling United], but it is very impressive given the size of this team." Team Cervélo-Lifeforce 2008: Kristin Armstrong, Karin Thürig, Christiane Soeder, Priska Doppmann, Sarah Düster, Emma Rickards, Joanne Kiesanowski, Patricia Schwager, Pascale Schnider and Caroline Steffen. Campagnolo announces team sponsorships Italian component manufacturer Campagnolo will supply seven ProTour and nine Professional Continental teams this season, which also marks Campagnolo's 75th anniversary. Sitting at the top of the list is world champion Paolo Bettini's Quick.Step team, which also includes Italian champion Giovanni Visconti, Belgian champion Stijn Devolder and classics man Tom Boonen. Bouygues Telecom, Caisse d'Epargne, Cofidis, Lampre-Fondital, Liquigas and Silence-Lotto will also use Campagnolo Record groupsets, as will Pro Continental squads Acqua & Sapone, Aisan Racing Team, BMC USA, G.S. CSF Group Navigare, G.S. Tinkoff, Jelly Belly, LPR, Nippo, and Topsport-Vlaanderen. Bouygues Telecom, Caisse d'Epargne and Silence-Lotto will also use Campagnolo wheels, including the Bora Ultra, Hyperon Ultra, Ghibli, Shamal Ultra and Neutron Ultra models. Kenda renews Adrenalin Series sponsorship Kenda has vowed to continue its support Photo ©: Kenda Tyre manufacturer Kenda USA has announced the renewal of its sponsorship of the eight year-old 24 Hours of Adrenalin Series. According to Kenda, its association with the five round series is an ideal fit for its brand and the perfect platform for riders to put its product to the test. "The 24 Hours of Adrenalin series tests not only man but machine and Kenda tires prides itself on supplying the best mountain bike tires in the world," said Kenda's North American marketing director Jim Wannamaker. "Our commitment to the 24 Hours of Adrenalin series is as strong as ever and we look forward to providing tires and support to the racers and the event organizers. "Believe me, year-after-year the 24 Hours of Adrenalin series is one of the highlights on our year-long calendar, and for 2008 the anticipation here at Kenda USA has already begun," he added. The announcement of Kenda's renewed support comes with another good announcement for the series, as series stalwart Tinker Juarez announcing he will return to defend his 2007 World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships title. "We are very fortunate to have such great sponsors and racers," says Stuart Dorland, founder of the World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships and the 24 Hours of Adrenalin race series. "Kenda has been such a great supporter of our events over the past seven years and Tinker is a big draw at every event he enters. His win at the 2007 World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships was a highlight for both him personally and for the whole 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships crew. We wish all racers continued success for 2008." The 2008 calendar is as follows: - Hurkey Park Spring (Southern California) - April 26, 2008 - Laguna Seca Raceway (Monterey, California) - May 3, 2008 - Canmore Nordic Center (Canmore, Alberta, Canada) - July 26, 2008 - World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships - Canmore - July 26, 2008 - Hurkey Park Fall (Southern California) - September 19, 2008 Gita Sporting Goods to supply Bissell and Colavita/Sutter Home teams The kit Bissell-Priority Health will wear Photo ©: Gita Sporting Goods Gita Sporting Goods has announced that it will supply the US-based Bissell Pro Cycling Team and Colavita/Sutter Home men's and women's teams with gear in 2008. Both teams will ride in Giordana apparel, and Bissell will also utilize Pinarello bikes and DMT magnesium- and carbon-soled shoes. "I'm very excited to be wearing Giordana clothing again," said Colavita/Sutter Home rider Tyler Wren after the team took a one-year hiatus from Giordana in 2007. "To me, it's the perfect balance of fit, function, and style for both winter training at home in snowy Pennsylvania, and sweltering summer racing in Argentina or Downer's Grove." Bissell's riders will be the first in the North American market to ride the all-new full carbon Pinarello Prince for road events and the new upgraded Montello FM1 in time trials, the same as those used by Spanish ProTour squad Caisse d'Epargne. "We are extremely happy to have the Bissell team using our equipment," said Gita's marketing director Sandy Nicholls. "We strive to align our brands with professional organizations that recognize top quality products and understand the benefits they offer. Under the direction of Mark Olson, the Bissell team personifies this mindset." Photography For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com Interbike will host its first Outdoor Demo East trade show event October 21-22 in Providence, Rhode Island. The supplementary event will no doubt be less dusty than last year’s main Outdoor Demo event out at Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada. Images by Cervélo Cervélo has replaced Raleigh at top women's sqaud. Images by Kenda Kenda has vowed to continue its support of the 24 Hours of Adrenalin series. Images by Roman Roth/24 Hours of Adrenaline Tinker Juarez will return to defend his title in the 2008 24 Hours of Adrenalin Series. Images by Gita Sporting Goods The kit Bissell-Priority Health will wear from Gita Sporting Goods. Gita Sporting Goods will also supply Colavita/Sutter Home with its kit in 2008.