Team Columbia High Road Crowns Nine New National Champions
Bonn, Germany, 30 June 2008 - As the European editions of the National Championships come to a close, High Road counts nine new national champions, adding to the existing National Champions of Australia and the USA with Oenone Wood, Adam Hansen and Mara Abbott.
The stream of success began with the Italian Time Trial victory for Marco Pinotti last weekend. High Road riders, who will line up starting next week in new Team Columbia kits, went on to win three road titles with Luise Keller (Germany), Emilia Fahlin (Sweden) and Linda Villumsen (Denmark) and six time trial golds with Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg), Frantisek Rabon (Czech Republic), Bert Grabsch (Germany), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) and Linda Villumsen (Denmark) adding to Pinotti’s win.
High Road Director Rolf Aldag was happy with the performance. “It shows the quality of our international team,” he said. “Also, when given the opportunity to race for themselves, they are still able to do it.”
“It’s a shame the World Cup Team Time Trial doesn’t exist any longer,” he added. “It would be a great photo to see the team line up with six national champion skinsuits and only two normal skinsuits.”
Pinotti’s win was his third National Time Trial victory and Grabsch, Boasson Hagen and Keller managed to defend their current titles winning their events two years running. Linda Villumsen won both the Danish National Time Trial and Road race two years ago. Not competing in the events last year due to an injury, Villumsen was back this year to double up again.
For all others the victories were a career first. Kim Kirchen has won two National Road Championships in the past, but this is his first Time Trial title and a good sign for him going into the Tour de France as the team’s GC riders next weekend.
Frantisek Rabon won three titles as a U23 rider but this was his first in the elite ranks and for young 19 year old Fahlin who won a Junior National Title in 2005, this was the biggest victory of her career, beating out former World Champion Susanne Ljunsgkog on a challenging course.
The team now has 12 National Champions and eight former National Champions on the road. Out of 17 of the nations represented in the team, eleven have national champions in High Road.
Current High Road National Champions:
Men:
Edvald Boassen Hagen – Norwegian Time Trial Champion
Bert Grabsch – German Time Trial Champion
Adam Hansen – Australian Time Trial Champion
Kim Kirchen – Luxembourg Time Trial Champion
Marco Pinotti – Italian Time Trial Champion
Frantisek Rabon - Czech Time Trial Champion
Women:
Mara Abbott – US National Champion
Emilia Fahlin – Swedish National Champion
Luise Keller – German National Champion
Linda Villumsen – Danish Road and Time Trial Champion
Oenone Wood – Australian National Champion
Categories: News, Press-Releases, team high road
Tags:
Leave a Reply