October 29/06 6:47 am - Team Integrale Launches for 2007

Posted by Editor on 10/29/06
 

Team Integrale Launches for 2007
Courtesy Larry Zimich

Team Integrale, British Columbia's newest high performance road cycling team, is pleased to unveil its 2007 program.

With a rider line up which boasts 4 World Masters Games titles, a Canadian National Road Race title, 2 past UCI World Championship titles, as well multiple Provincial Road and Time Trial titles, a Canadian Long Course Triathlon and Ironman Canada age group title as well a past Winter Olympian, the team is sure to score successes its first year out!

Barb and Larry Zimich have been named as Racing Directors (women's and men's respectively) and will oversee coaching and racing activities. The team will be comprised of 24 athletes which will include an Elite Men's/Women's team (12 riders) and a Development (riders under 25 yrs of age) and Support team which will fill the remaining spots. And due to demand, a "club" team has been launched which will be open to riders with a racing focus.

The team is pleased to announce the following riders as members of our "Elite" program:

Men's Program:
* Larry Zimich (World Masters Games Champion)
* Scott Laliberte (past World Track Champion)
* Jay Hawranik (Manitoba Road & TT Champion)
* Ron Klopfer
* Marcel Aarden
* Kevin Rutherford
* Paul Falcon
* Chris Hillier
* Matt Potma
* Matt Savage
* Craig De Grier

Women's Program:
* Barb Zimich (Canadian Road Race Champion, World Masters Game Champion, and past World Road Champion)
* Anne Marie LeFrancois (Past Alpine Ski Olympian)
* Marie Claude Gagnon (past Canadian Long Course Triathlon Champion, age group winner Ironman Canada)
* Lee Darling

As well as an impressive rider line up, Team Itegrale has garnered the support of a growing number of sponsors. Title sponsorship will be provided by BH Bikes, with associate sponsorship coming from Yaletown Financial Services and KR Holdings. Studeo 55 has been named as official training center for the team and product sponsorship will come from Sidi shoes, Karbon sportswear, Adidas eyewear, Uvex helmets and Rav-X accessories. Visit the team website at www.teamintegrale.com.

With a goal of registering as a UCI "Tier 3" trade team for the 2009 season, Team Integrale will concentrate on the 2007 BC Cup schedule with select NRC events filling out the calendar. The team is still accepting rider resumes which should be forwarded to men's - zimich@shaw.ca; women's - bzimich@shaw.ca.