August 10
BEN ROCKETT WORLD RECORD
27th August 2010 - filed under Giant
Bicycle Chain Rider Breaks World RecordThis Morning Ben Rockett rode his Giant Trinity Advanced SL to the end of Britain making a new World Record for Lands End – John O’Groats – Lands End. Ben who has been supported throughout by The Bicycle Chain in Bridgwater arrived back at Lands end early this morning before sunrise to the jubilation of a crowd of supporters who had been following him on his blog and live route tracker since he departed last Saturday.
Ben has ridden a combination of custom built Giant TCR Advanced SL and Giant Trinity Advanced SL during the 1781 mile attempt depending on the daily terrain, as well as using Giant Team Kit supplied by The Bicycle Chain and Giant. He was backed up by a six strong team from different branches of The Bicycle Chain, manning a support vehicle. Riding at least 297 miles each day, Ben underwent such exertion that he even fell asleep in the saddle! He undertook the incredible attempt to raise money for charity Cardiac Risk in The Young.
You can offer Ben some much deserved praise at www.rocckettrides.com.
Congratulations to Ben from everyone here at Giant!
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THE GIANT STORE LIVERPOOL'S RIDE CLUB
26th August 2010 - filed under EVENTS
The Giant Store Liverpool is launching their brand new Tuesday ride club. Bringing together Liverpool's keen cyclists to explore the city's local parks, paths and cycle routes with a Giant store Liverpool rep on-hand to offer advice, guidance and tips!
When and where?
Every Tuesday from 6pm – 7pm starting at the Giant Store – Liverpool, 29 Parliament Street
Who?
Fun for all the family, Any age, Any ability – Everybody’s welcome!
How?
For further information drop in store or contact the team on: 0151 707 6116
Alternatively come down to the store on 31st August 2010 and join the club!
JOIN OUR GIANT STORES FACEBOOK PAGE!
26th August 2010 - filed under EVENTS
Join Giant Stores on facebook, here you can discuss and read product reviews as well as show other Giant fans your ride, keep up-to-date with what's happening in your local Giant store, don't delay become a Giant fan today go to www.facebook.com/giantstoresuk and select "like" to join us - because life's better by bike.
Moerenhout wins stage, 2nd overall at Eneco Tour
24th August 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank wins team classificationRabobank put in a strong showing at the Eneco ProTour race with Koos Moerenhout winning a stage and finishing second overall. The eight-day race through The Netherlands and Belgium ended on a high note for the team as Maarten Tjallingii finished second in the final stage time trial on August 24 and Rabobank won the overall team standings.
Moerenhout took a sweet victory aboard his Giant TCR Advanced SL in the Stage 3 race in Ronse, Belgium. The 36-year-old is set to retire at the end of the season, and his victory in Ronse will rank as one of the highlights of his 15-year racing career. He attacked on the final climb with 32km to go and then beat German Tony Martin to the line.
In the final time trial, a 16.5-kilometer circuit in Genk, Belgium, Tjallingii rode his Trinity Advanced SL to a second-place finish, equaling his second-place in the prologue a week earlier. That put Tjallingii seventh overall. Between Moerenhout (second GC), Lars Boom (sixth GC) and Tjallingii (seventh GC), Rabobank had three top-10 finishers and won the teams classification.
Rabobank Starts Strong at Eneco Tour
17th August 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Riders take 3 of top 5 in prologueRabobank riders came out swinging at the Eneco Tour, an eight-day ProTour stage race that started August 17 with a short prologue in Steenwijk, The Netherlands. Jos Van Emden, Lars Boom and Maarten Tjallingii finished second through fourth respectively in the 5.2-kilometer time trial, giving Rabobank three of the top-five overall positions heading into the first road stage.
The technical 5.2-kilometer course in Steenwijk was made even more challenging by wet, rainy conditions. Van Emden, the current Dutch National Time Trial Champion, rode his Giant Trinity Advanced SL bike to a time of 6:24, just 5 seconds behind prologue winner Svein Tuft of Canada.
The Eneco Tour continues with a 178-kilometer Stage 1 road race on August 18 and concludes with a final time trial in Belgium on August 24.
Hart, Lenosky Lead Giant Charge at Crankworx
15th August 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Hart finishes 2nd in Giant SlalomGiant Factory Off-Road Team rider Danny Hart showed off his versatility with a second-place finish in the Giant Slalom event at the 2010 Kokanee Crankworx mountain bike festival in Whistler, British Columbia.
Hart, a top World Cup downhill racer from England, entered the slalom race—which pits two riders at a time on a course featuring jumps and berms—and advanced all the way to the finals, where he was edged out by former four-cross world champion Michal Prokop of the Czech Republic.
Hart’s teammates Jared Rando and Duncan Riffle also competed in the Giant Slalom, which was presented by Giant Bicycles. Hart and Rando faced each other in the quarter-final round of the elimination-style competition, with Hart advancing to the finals.
Also representing Giant at the Canadian event was veteran freeride and trials athlete Jeff Lenosky. The American, who suffered a broken leg last winter, showed that his recovery is complete as he posted a victory in the Trialsworx competition. Riding his Giant STP, Lenosky topped a field of some of the world's top trials riders.
Emmett Wins TR3 in Canada
11th August 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
3 stage wins for Giant riderGiant Factory Off-Road team rider Kelli Emmett rode her Anthem X Advanced SL to a convincing overall win at TR3, a grueling three-day off-road stage race in the Canadian Rockies. Also representing Giant at the August 8-10 event was Rabobank-Giant Off-Road team rider Adam Craig, who scored a podium finish in the men’s overall standings.
Emmett, Craig and their teammate Carl Decker competed in the UCI-sanctioned event—which was part of the weeklong TransRockies race that features two-person teams—in part to train for upcoming World Cup and World Championship races.
“I hadn’t really raced in wet, slippery, muddy East Coast type conditions yet this year, so I thought this would be perfect training for the World Cup finals in Windham [New York] and World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne [Canada],” Emmett said. “It was pretty epic with some really long, hard climbs.”
Emmett finished more than an hour ahead of her nearest competitor in the Open Women’s category, winning all three stages including the opening time trial in Fernie, British Columbia.
“The climbs were so steep,” Emmett said. “You look up and think there’s no way you’ll be able to ride up it but the Anthem gets such great traction you can just keep pedaling up.”
Emmett, Craig and the rest of Giant’s XC riders now turn their attention to the final races of the World Cup season, and then the World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, September 2-5.
CYCLE PATHS RIDE POOLE TO PARIS
10th August 2010 - filed under Retail
Charity ride £500 for Dorset & Somerset Air AmbulanceGiant dealer Cycle Paths in Poole, recently raised £500 for the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance who assisted when owner Ray was involved in a serious accident 2 years ago. Riding Giant TCR Advanced and Giant Defy Advanced bicycles on Giant Cyclotron indoor trainers, Ray and Steven from the store completed 120miles each in one day art the Dolphin Centre in Poole, beating their aim of simulating a combined Poole-Paris ride of 230miles.
Jamie Westgarth of Parkstone, Poole was the lucky winner of a Giant Revel 3 sport mountain bike which was raffled off to further boost the fundraising effort.
Congratulations to everyone involved!
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LONDON GOLD FOR JENKINS
9th August 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Giant rider Helen Jenkins takes the number 1 spot at the London TriathlonThis weekend saw Giant rider Helen Jenkins win the 2010 London Triathlon in 2hrs 1 minute 1 second, followed by fellow brits Jodie Stimpson and Liz Blathcford. Meanwhile Australian Courtney Atkinson won the mens race in a sprint finish, 5 seconds ahead of Prologue’s Tim Don.
Also racing was Radio One presenter Vernon Kay who rode his Giant Defy Advanced 3 on the bike leg, completing the race in an effort to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
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Mollema Posts Win in Poland
6th August 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
First ProTour win for Dutch riderRabobank rider Bauke Mollema rode his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike to a solo victory at Stage 6 of the Tour of Poland. The 23-year-old launched a counter-attack 4 kilometers from the finish of a tough 228-kilometer stage and held off the chasers to score the first ProTour win of his young career.
The hilly Stage 6 from Oswiecim to Terma Bukowina Tartz had the attention of all the general classification hopefuls. With six categorized climbs, it was considered a pivotal stage in the seven-day race through Poland. Inclement weather, including heavy rain in the early portions of the race, made things even more difficult for the riders.
Mollema made his move right after the main group caught a small breakaway on the final climb. He gained a gap of 15 seconds and managed to hold off the chasers all the way to line. He finished 7 seconds ahead of a group of three riders, and 9 seconds ahead of the group containing overall leader Dan Martin. The win brought Mollema up to third place overall, 10 seconds behind Martin.
The Tour of Poland concludes August 7 in Krakow.
GIANT ANTHEM X: THE 'HOLY GRAIL' FOR XC BIKES
1st August 2010 - filed under Product
Giant's Anthem X 2 lines up against some tough competition in August's MBR Magazine 2K Racers test with bikes from Specialized, Trek and Cube hoping to beat the Anthem X to the top spot.Since MBR first tested Giant's Anthem X back in December 2008 (2009 Giant Anthem X 0, 10/10!) taking it for an epic day out at the Roc d'Azur, the Anthem X Advanced SL has arrived on the scene and testers were keen to see if it had affected the AluxX aluminium sibling. But with all that expertise and innovation in aluminium engineering Giant's 2010 Anthem X does not disappoint!
The spec list is quite simply described as 'nothing short of incredible' and Giant's new Connect SL componentry get's a BIG seal of approval; "The bar, stem and seatpost are all Giant branded parts...the 670mm bar was the best shape of any on test and the stem felt great for our 5ft 10in testers"
The proof is in the riding for any bike and with the quickest lap times of all four test bikes the Anthem X 2 was always in with a chance of winning this category, but that's not all. As well as being incredibly quick, Anthem X features Maestro suspension technology 'tuned for pedalling efficiency', 'fast climbing and faster descending' and confidence inspiring stability which 'allows you to make mistakes without any great punishment'
'Stiff, good value, and joint lightest on test, the Anthem X 2 is a highly alluring package, whether you're racing every weekend or simply want a fast, light bike for trail riding.'
'A bike that allows you to ride to your limit is the Holy Grail for XC bikes and the Giant let us do just that.'
With a 10/10 Giant's Anthem X 2 is MBR Magazine's 'privateer race bike of choice'. Enjoy the full review in August MBR.
Hart, Giger lead Giant in Italy
1st August 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Hart cracks top 10 in Mens' DHEighteen-year-old Giant Factory Off-Road rider Danny Hart, a rookie pro on the World Cup Downhill circuit, had the best performance of his young career at Round 5 in Italy this weekend. Hart raced his Giant Glory to seventh place at the August 1 race, leading Giant’s squad of downhill and cross-country racers competing in the World Cup at Val di Sole, in Northern Italy.
Hart rode a terrific qualifier on the 1.6-kilometer downhill course, finishing sixth among some 200 pro men. Battling to crack the top-10 overall in the series, Hart put in an equally impressive finals run for seventh place. He now sits 11th overall in the series and is the top-ranked teenager on the World Cup.
This round of the Mountain Bike World Cup was the first to bring together all three disciplines—downhill, four-cross and cross-country. Giant’s cross-country efforts were led by 23-year-old Rabobank-Giant Off-Road rider Fabian Giger of Switzerland.
Racing on a similar course to the one used at the 2008 UCI World Championships, Giger finished 11th on his XtC Advanced SL. Amazingly, he was one of five Swiss riders among the top 11 finishers, including the day’s winner Nino Schurter. The 6.3-kilometer course challenged racers with steep climbs, and less than half the day’s 190 starters finished on the same lap as the leaders.
American Adam Craig, in just his second World Cup XC event since he had off-season knee surgery, rode his Anthem X Advanced SL to 17th, best among North American competitors.
July 10
Menchov TT's to Tour Podium!
31st July 2010 - filed under Giant
Gesink 6th, giving Rabo two top-10sA brilliant time trial effort in the penultimate stage of the Tour de France lifted Rabobank team leader Denis Menchov onto the final podium in Paris. Joining the Russian near the top of the final standings was teammate Robert Geskink in sixth, making Rabobank the only team to land two top-10 overall finishers.
Menchov and Gesink formed a powerful one-two punch for Rabobank as they endured the Tour’s many challenges including early cobblestone stages in The Netherlands and Belgium, the high peaks of The Alps and Pyrénées, and finally, a tough Stage 19 time trial made even more difficult by strong winds.
The 52-kilometer TT from Bordeaux to Pauillac was especially daunting for the top General Classification riders who started late in the day with crosswinds and headwinds at their highest. Menchov, riding his Giant Trinity Advanced SL TT bike, proved strongest of the top GC men, finishing more than two minutes faster than Spanish rider Samuel Sanchez, who had started the day third overall.
That effort was enough to move Menchov into third overall and earn him his first-ever podium finish at the Tour de France. Afterward, the 32-year-old Russian said he had ridden the best time trial of his life.
Menchov, who won the Giro d’Italia last year and has two wins at the Vuelta a España, is now one of the select riders in the sport to have appeared on the podium in all three grand tours.
Menchov’s teammate Gesink lived up to the challenge of protecting his sixth-place standing during the final time trial. He had earned his high placing with masterful rides in the mountains but said the final TT was his toughest challenge.
“I’ve never been in as much pain in my life,” Gesink told Cyclingnews.com. “I’m super satisfied and super proud with my sixth place. It’s my third grand tour and—looking back—my first full Tour de France.”
In the end, a solid all-around team effort earned the Rabobank squad third place in the team standings. Rabobank was also represented in the final stage in Paris with a fifth-place finish by sprinter Oscar Freire.
With Menchov, Gesink and a host of strong up-and-comers, Rabobank will certainly be the team to watch for the rest of this season and into the future.
JENKINS TAKES BRONZE IN HYDE PARK
26th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
3rd place for Giant triathleteThis weekend saw Giant triathlete Helen Jenkins win bronze at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship in Hyde Park, London, finishing behind Canadian Paula Findlay and Switzerland’s Nicola Spirig.
“I’ve been finishing third a lot lately—it’s about time I get second or first!” Jenkins joked afterward. “My plan today was just to commit to the whole race and to go hard for two hours, so I’m really happy with how things turned out.”
There is now a two week rest period before Helen takes on the London Triathlon on August 8th, before heading to Kitzbühel, Austria for the penultimate stage of the Series on August 14-15.
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Giant Pros Medal at Nationals
19th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Podium finishes for Emmett, Craig, BeckingsaleRiders from the Giant Factory Off-Road Team and the Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team rode to several podium appearances at this past weekend’s various MTB National Championship events around the world.
In the U.S., Factory Team rider Kelli Emmett led the way by winning her second National Championship in Super D. Racing in her home state of Colorado—where the U.S MTB Nationals were held at Sol Vista ski resort in Granby—Emmett scored a convincing win on her Giant Trance X Advanced SL bike. The course, lengthy by Super D standards, challenged racers with one tough climb followed by fast singletrack descending.
“The climb separated us pretty well this year,” Emmett told Cyclingnews.com after her win. “I was able to get around and away there, which was my strategy.”
Emmett’s fellow American racer Adam Craig, representing the Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team, also made it to the podium in Colorado, scoring a bronze medal in the Short Track XC. Craig, who has been building his form after missing the first half of the season due to knee surgery, surged ahead in the final lap, moving up to finish third on his Anthem X Advanced SL.
Craig said his comeback is right on track and he’s looking forward to returning to Europe for the next group of World Cup races, starting this coming weekend in Switzerland.
Across the Atlantic in Great Britain, Factory Off-Road rider Oli Beckingsale rode to a silver medal in the British XC National Championships in Pippingford. Beckingsale was in a tight battle with his rival and fellow British Olympian Liam Killeen until a broken chain brought his medal hopes to a halt. Beckingsale still managed to stay in the race, and despite losing close to 5 minutes, he made the repair and passed more than a dozen riders to finish second.
The next few weeks will be big for all of Giant's off-road racers as they turn their attention back to World Cup and other international events for the remainder of the summer.
SILVER AT UK NATIONALS FOR OLI
19th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Epic battle with Liam KilleenFollowing two second places in the last 2 years in the UK Nationals, behind long term rival Liam Killeen – Oli Beckingsale went into last Sundays event hoping to better that with a gold.
With a good start from the gun Oli attacked hard on the hilly technical circuit, gaining a gap after half a lap when the chain came loose from the chain ring and chain device. Following a time sapping fix Oli was back on the bike chasing the leader Killeen. By lap 3 Oli had clawed back to 10 seconds off the lead when the chain completely snapped forcing him to run 1 mile to the technical zone where he fitted a new chain, losing 6minutes and falling back down to 9th place.
A tough chase followed and by the last lap Oli had climbed back to second place where he finished, settling for his third Nationals silver in three years. Next up for Oli is World Cup action in Switzerland and Italy.
Learn more about Giant’s Teams and Riders by visiting the new Teams & Riders section by clicking here.
Rabo on a roll at Tour de France
18th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Menchov, Gesink a double threat in the PyrénéesWith the Tour de France entering its third and final week, the Rabobank Cycling Team stormed into a pivotal four days in the Pyrénées on a wave of momentum. The team’s two overall leaders—Russian Denis Menchov and Dutchman Robert Gesink—both performed well in week two of the three-week grand tour, and at the conclusion of the July 18 Stage 14 at Ax-3-Domaines, the two were in fourth (Menchov) and sixth (Geskink) in the General Classification.
Rabobank is now the only team with two riders in the top-10 overall, and both Menchov and Gesink have ridden aggressively in the mountains, steadily chipping away at their competitors.
Menchov animated Stage 14 with a brilliant second-place finish in the 184.5-kilometer race through the Pyrénées. While the first- and second-place GC riders Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador eyed each other on the final climb, Menchov made his move on his Giant TCR Advanced SL, finishing second on the stage and gaining valuable seconds in his quest to make the podium in Paris. Menchov now sits fourth overall, 2:44 behind Schleck and just 13 seconds behind third-place Samuel Sanchez of Spain.
Meanwhile, Gesink, wearing the white jersey of the Young Rider Classification (he’s second behind yellow-jersey-wearer Schleck in the Under-25 category) also rode well in Stage 14. The 24-year-old finished sixth on the stage, moving past American Levi Leipheimer in the overall standings, from seventh to sixth.
Gesink, who says he feels strongest in the highest peaks of the Pyrénées, will certainly be one to watch over the next three days of difficult mountain stages. And Menchov, already a winner of the Giro d’Italia (2009) and the Vuelta a España (2004, 2005), is hoping to make this his best Tour finish ever.
Stay tuned, it will be a thrilling final week for Team Rabobank at the Tour de France!
MARC JENKINS WINS SILVER IN GAMAGORI
12th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
3rd podium in 3 races for JenkinsMarc Jenkins took Silver this weekend in the 2010 Gamagori ITU Triathlon Asian Cup, taking another stepping stone to increased form and a place in the big races with his 3rd podium finish in 3 races. The World Ranking event means another set of points to improve Marc’s World Ranking – all important for gaining qualification for the bigger events.
“For me it’s like being a junior again having to start from scratch…I’m swimming great and riding well. The running is coming and the good thing for me is it is only going to get better.”
Giant Dominates Downieville
12th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Decker, Emmett crowned All Mountain ChampsGiant put on a show of force at the July 10-11 Downieville Classic, a popular mountain bike festival in California featuring the unofficial “All Mountain World Championship,” a two-day stage race combining a grueling 27-mile cross-country and a 17-mile downhill race.
Factory Off-Road Team riders Carl Decker and Kelli Emmett each walked away with the top prize, the All-Mountain World Championship title. Adding to the success, Rabobank-Giant rider Adam Craig finished second overall to Decker, proving his form has returned after missing the early part of the season with a knee injury.
Downieville’s All Mountain competition is seen as the ultimate measuring stick for off-road racers and their equipment. Riders must choose one bike for both events. With more than 4000 feet of climbing on day one and nearly 5500 feet of rough, technical descending on day two, success requires a truly capable all-around trail bike.
As usual, Downieville sold out its entries, and more than 600 racers lined up for Saturday’s 27-mile cross-country race. Decker, who chose the 2011 Anthem X 29er—the all-new Maestro full-suspension XC bike with 29-inch wheels—attacked early and rode off the front the entire way to set a new course record.
“I pre-rode the course and I was pretty certain I’d have a trick up my sleeve with the Anthem X 29er,” Decker said. “It’s an old-school course with one big climb for about an hour and then a rowdy descent. I was feeling good so I went hard from the start—I figured I’d need at least a three-minute advantage over Adam at the top; he was riding the Trance X Advanced SL with more travel so I knew he’d be flying on the descent.”
Decker powered to the top alone and held on to win the XC by nearly six minutes. Craig, the defending All Mountain World Champion, finished second to his Giant teammate on day one.
Carrying a comfortable lead into Sunday’s 17-mile downhill, Decker knew the riders who chose bigger bikes with more suspension would have an advantage, but he said the Anthem X 29er’s larger wheels and stable ride characteristics gave him confidence in the rough, rocky, high-speed descent. “It carves through high-speed turns better than any bike I’ve ever ridden,” he said.
Despite crashing once, Decker finished well within his margin and took the overall victory. Craig put in the third-best DH time on his Trance X Advanced SL, which put him second overall in the All-Mountain competition.
Emmett also chose the Trance X Advanced SL for the women’s All Mountain competition. Like Decker, she built up a lead with a dominant victory in the XC event, and then held her advantage in the downhill. In the end, Emmett edged out downhill stage winner Katerina Nash by 24 seconds overall.
Decker, Craig and Emmett now turn their attention to the U.S. National Mountain Bike Championships, which take place July 16-18 in Colorado.
Rabo Wins 3 in Austria Tour
11th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Nuyens, Posthuma, Brown each score a stageWhile a good portion of the Rabobank team riders were competing in the Tour de France over the last week, some were battling at the weeklong Tour of Austria, where three different Rabobank riders scored three stage wins in the eight-day event.
Belgian Nick Nuyens, Dutchman Joost Posthuma and Australian Graeme Brown each posted wins in Austria, showing the team’s well-rounded capabilities with by capturing victories in three very different manners.
Nuyens was the first to strike, taking a win in the fifth stage, a 150.3-kilometer race that the Belgian compared to the Flemish spring classics. Nuyens got into a breakaway and then outsprinted Italian Giovanni Visconti at the end to take the stage victory.
Posthuma was next, riding his Trinity Advanced SL time trial bike to a win against the clock in Stage 7, a 26.3-kilometer time trial. And Brown closed things out the following day, sprinting to victory on his TCR Advanced SL bike in the final stage, which finished in Vienna.
Rabo Riding High at Tour de France
11th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Menchov, Gesink on the move in the AlpsAfter nine days of racing through The Netherlands, Belgium and France, across treacherous cobblestone roads and into the Alps, the Rabobank team heads into the first rest day of the 2010 Tour de France in a solid position. The team’s two GC leaders—Russian Denis Menchov and Robert Gesink of The Netherlands—rode well in the dramatic Stage 8, which featured the first summit finish; Menchov and Gesink now sit fifth and 11th respectively in the General Classification.
Gesink, one of the many riders injured in the crash-marred Col de Stockeu descent on the second stage, gutted it out and stayed in the race despite a fracture to the ulna bone of his left arm. Six days later the 24-year-old was one of the top animators in the Stage 8 race to summit at Morzine-Avoriaz. The Dutchman attacked repeatedly on his Giant TCR Advanced SL and finished third on the day, moving up from 23rd to 11th overall.
Meanwhile, Menchov, the 2009 Giro d’Italia champion, remained right at the front of the action all week long, and then put in his own stellar effort in the Alps on Stage 8. The Russian moved up from tenth to fifth, and is now within striking distance of the top leaders, sitting just over one minute behind yellow jersey Cadel Evans.
Beyond the two GC leaders, Rabobank has demonstrated aggressive racing throughout the Tour. The team’s Spanish climbing specialist Juan Manuel Garate finished third on Stage 7 and, heading into the July 12 rest day, Rabobank leads the overall team standings.
Following a rest day in Morzine-Avoriaz, the three-week Tour de France resumes July 13 with another tough day in the Alps. Stage 9 features four major climbs including the hors categorie Col de Madeleine.
MARC JENKINS 3rd AT SENDAI BAY
6th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Podium in Japan sees Giant rider climb world rankingsGiant Triathlete Marc Jenkins finished 3rd this weekend at the 2010 Sendai Bay ITU Triathlon Asian Cup. Bronze for former UK Champion Marc shows a steady return to form following long term injury and illness since his Olympic appearance in Athens in 2004;
“It’s like starting out again for me now, I’m working my way up – I’ve gone from 500th or so in the world at the start of last year – another race or two should make a big difference.”
SILVER AT DALBY FOR BECKINGSALE
5th July 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Epic winner-takes-all battle scheduled for NewnhamThis weekend Oli Beckingsale took Silver in Round 4 of the British Mountain Bike Series at Dalby Forest in Yorkshire, with Liam Killeen sweeping first place for the second time this year. With two wins each from four races; the winner will be crowned 2010 British Mountain Bike Series Champion.
Returning to the UK following three days stage racing in France last weekend, Oli was eager to get back to the race series on the back of his win at Round 3 in Margam, but a bad start left him trailing at the back of a chase group, difficult to claw back on Dalby’s tight singletrack.
Speaking after the race Oli said;
“It was over as soon as it started…I got an awful start and Liam got a good one. By the time I got through to 2nd on the singletrack based course I was 20seconds down, I could not close the gap and we raced solo for the next 5 laps, with Liam going a bit faster crossing the line 1min up.”
Meanwhile as the racing unfolded, spectators were treated to a feast of demo bikes as Giant’s 2010 line-up was available to anyone with a helmet to have a go on a great 40min technical course, taking in some of Dalby’s red route. Grin’s all round as Giant’s Anthem X, Anthem X W, Trance X, Cypher and XtC 29’er were put to work at another of the UK’s top riding venues.
Next up on the 2010 British Mountain Bike Demo Series is Newnham Park, Plymouth in September. For further details visit britishxc.com.
BECKINGSALE ALL GEARED UP FOR DALBY
1st July 2010 - filed under Giant
Giant rider returns from Tour l’ain VTT stage winOli Beckingsale returns to action in the UK this weekend for Round 4 of the British MTB Series at Dalby Forest in Yorkshire. Winner of Round 1 at Sherwood Pines and Round 3 at Margam Park, Oli arrives hot on the heels of finishing 7th in the Tour l’ain VTT in France.
The UCI class 3 stage race attracted French, Dutch, Belgian and German teams along with Oli making a guest appearance in the Great Britain National Team. Speaking after the race Oli said;
“Day one was a nasty one with a 10km team time trial that climbed a 400m hill … we ended up 5th team but lost time to the other favourites.”
“The next 2 days were good fun and I wish all mountain bike racing was like this. With 50km 1 lap races through proper hills, with no chance to pre-ride you have to just make some mental notes from the map/profile and off you go - which adds to the fun in my book!”
“Over the next 2 days I got stuck in and tried to pull back the time overall. In the end I finished 7th overall and along the way managed to win the 2nd stage and also the green sprints jersey! So not a bad 3 days work.”
This weekend Oli will hope to take advantage of his sprinting prowess as he tackles Dalby which hosted the World Cup earlier this season.
If you want to get involved then this weekend is the perfect opportunity; with Giant demo bikes available from 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday and racing taking place on Saturday. To demo the latest Giant off road bikes simply bring along a valid photo id (drivers license or passport) and a bank card, plus a helmet (required to ride).
For more information about the British Mountain Bike Series visit britishxc.com.
June 10
Comeback win for Craig!
27th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabo-Giant rider wins Pro XCT Short TrackAdam Craig of the Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team displayed a triumphant return to form with a Short Track victory at Round 4 of the U.S. Pro XCT mountain bike series in Wisconsin. Craig, who recently returned to racing after months of rehabilitation due to an off-season knee injury, attacked midway through the June 27 race and held off a chase group to take the win on his Giant Anthem X Advanced SL.
Craig, who underwent knee surgery in February to repair a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament, missed the first half of the World Cup season and just returned to racing last month. After intensive physical therapy and rehab on his knee, Craig proved in Wisconsin that he’s back to race form.
After several lead changes on a hot day in Mt. Morris, Wisconsin, Craig launched a solo attack midway through the race. He established a gap on the course that featured one significant climb and some stretches of singletrack. And despite the efforts of a strong group of chasers behind, Craig held his lead to the line.
Craig now turns his attention to the second half of the cross-country season, which will include U.S. National Championships, the remainder of the World Cup Series, and the World Championships in Canada in early September.
Lars Boom's Ride Life
25th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Behind the scenes with a Rabobank proThis new video from Giant takes you behind the scenes with Rabobank pro Lars Boom for a glimpse at the life of a pro cyclist. The 24-year-old rising star from The Netherlands has been selected to join teammates including 2009 Giro d’Italia champion Denis Menchov, three-time world champion Oscar Freire and fellow Dutch talent Robert Gesink at the upcoming Tour de France.
July 3 will be a special day for Boom. Not only does this year’s Tour kick off that day in Boom’s home nation of The Netherlands, it also starts with an event that’s right up his alley—an 8.9-kilometer time trial in Amsterdam.
Boom, you might remember, raced his Giant Trinity Advanced SL time trial bike to victory in the prologue at this spring’s Paris-Nice stage race. At 8 kilometers, the Paris-Nice prologue was a similar distance to the upcoming Tour prologue in Amsterdam.
So Boom has already worn one yellow jersey in France this year, and he’s eying the possibility of wearing another in July.
A 10-time Dutch Cyclocross Champion, Boom began his transition to road racing in 2009—and quickly started scoring impressive results. He won his first grand tour stage at the Vuelta a España last year.
As the only Netherlands-based team in this year’s Tour de France, Rabobank will be the home favorites at the prologue and Stage 1, which starts in Amsterdam before crossing into Belgium.
“The Tour is starting in Holland this year, it’s very special for a Dutch rider and a Dutch team,” Boom says.
Stay tuned. There’s much more to come from Boom, Rabobank and Giant.
Decker Leads Successful Weekend for Giant
22nd June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
XC and DH riders shine in U.S. and EuropeRiders from the Giant Factory Off-Road team had a busy weekend, scoring wins on both the East Coast and the West Coast of the United States and posting solid results in the World Cup Downhill Series in Europe.
In cross-country racing, Carl Decker rode his Giant XtC 29er to a new course record at the Test of Endurance event in Blodgett, Oregon. Decker topped a field of 240 racers and broke the old course record—which was held by his Giant teammate Adam Craig—by about five minutes. Decker completed the tough 50-mile course in 3:38:37 and said the XtC 29er was a major factor in the win.
“I’ve been riding that bike a bunch and really getting used to what it can do,” Decker said. “There’s a different technique to riding with the 29-inch wheels but I love how you can stand up and climb with way more traction. Also, I’m pretty good at riding fast on drifty, gravelly type surfaces, and this bike is ideal for that.”
Finishing second to Decker at the Test of Endurance was teammate Adam Craig, who this year is riding for the World Cup-focused Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team. Craig is returning from off-season knee surgery, and in only his second race back he put in a solid ride, piloting his Anthem X Advanced SL to an impressive finish.
Meanwhile, on the East Coast of the U.S., Kelli Emmett scored a double win at the final race of the Triple Crown Series, the Massanutten Hoo Ha! in McGaheysville, Virginia. Emmett survived the heat and humidity to win both the short track and the cross-country. The Colorado resident also took the overall title for the Triple Crown Series.
And finally, in World Cup racing, the young British downhill sensation Danny Hart put in another consistent ride in Leogang, Austria. Riding his Giant Glory downhill bike, the 18-year-old rookie pro finished 13th, gaining a few more points in the overall standings. With the World Cup season at the halfway point, Hart sits 14th overall.
THE GIANT STORES GET IN GEAR GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED
21st June 2010 - filed under COMPETITIONS
Giant Stores launched their brand new prize draws last month with the Get in Gear competition. In the first of their monthly giveaways up for grabs was a bundle of Giant gear and accessories including mag-trainer, track pump and cycling computer! A big congratulations go to the winner of the Stores' first ever giveaway, David Easton from Basingstoke!
David was automatically entered into the prize draw after he 'Became A Friend' of the Giant Store - Twickenham at www.giant-twickenham.co.uk
This month its The Holiday's Are Better By Bike competition and to be in with a chance of winning 2 of Giant's 2010 Roam bikes and a weekend getaway courtesy of Saddle Skedaddle all you have to do is 'Become A Friend' of your local Giant Store. Just visit the website of your local store, or the Giant Stores Homepage and click the 'Become A Friend' link - after this you will automatically be entered into our monthly prize draw, it's that easy!
For further information or terms and conditions email competitions@giant-stores.co.uk
King Completes Green World on Wheels Tour
21st June 2010 - filed under Giant
Giant founder rides cycling-friendly nation of The NetherlandsGiant Chairman King Liu has completed his June 14-19 Green World on Wheels cycling tour through The Netherlands. The founder of Giant rode more than 500 kilometers through eight different cities to gain firsthand experience riding in one the most cycling friendly nations in the world.
In recent years King has completed several tours around the world to share his passion for cycling and to learn new ways to make Taiwan, home to Giant headquarters, more conducive to healthy, safe cycling.
In The Netherlands, King visited several Giant retail stores and led different groups of riders. He experienced the impressive infrastructure that has earned The Netherlands a reputation for being a forward-thinking nation when it comes to cycling. King was joined by Taiwanese entrepreneurs one day, and highlights included riding purpose-built cycling routes and visiting attractions including a bicycling museum.
When the tour was complete, King used four words to sum up the experience:
Safe: Separate lanes for bicycles protect cyclists from motorized traffic.
Clean: With separate cycling routes, riders are less exposed to exhaust from motorized vehicles.
Beautiful: During his tour, King experienced scenic landscapes, castles and other sites.
Friendly: The extensive, easy-to-use network of cycling routes makes riding easier. Traffic planning and flow, including stoplights and intersections, is engineered with cyclists in mind.
It is King’s hope that his Green World on Wheels Tour will open up communication with The Netherlands as Taiwan continues to improve its own cycling infrastructure. The tour introduced King, his fellow riders, and the media to some great examples of how to improve cycling opportunities for all levels of riders. Now, King and Giant, the company he founded, look forward to continuing to push Taiwan to become its own cycling paradise.
GIANT BACK LEXUS GREAT BRITISH BIKE RIDE
20th June 2010 - filed under Giant
Giant Support Rugby Legend Richard Hill’s September Charity RideThe ‘Great British Bike Ride’ in September 2010 will be the first in a series of annual events which aim to raise £1.5 Million for charity over the next 5 years. This year, the event will support ‘Help for Heroes', the RFU Injured Players Foundation and the RPA Benevolent Fund.
The ride from Lands End to London will follow carefully planned scenic routes through the West Country, all participants will enjoy traditional rugby hospitality for the overnight stops at rugby club based, tented villages in Tavistock, Yeovil & Winchester. The finish will be a grand reception at Twickenham Stadium to coincide with the London ‘Double Header' involving Harlequins, London Irish, Saracens & London Wasps. 200 competitors will ride the 4 day event with up to 100 ‘stage' riders participating on a daily basis.
Richard Hill MBE, Saracens, England and Lions Legend and new Worcester Head Coach will be cycling and supporting the event throughout. Following extensive knee surgery, Richard is keen to regain his former levels of fitness and said "I am delighted to be involved with this tremendous initiative to raise funds for ‘HELP for HEROES' & Injured Players. Like rugby union, the Great British Bike Ride is about challenge, competition and enjoyment; for me, to assist with such a worthwhile cause is truly a privilege."
The event is planned to grow over the next three to five years with the inclusion of additional regions, additional sports and additional charities, culminating in a 'Great British' event with a grand total of 5000 participants.
Giant UK Director Ian Beasant said “Giant’s recent involvement with Laurence Dallaglio’s Sport’s Relief ride proved a real success; we were equally keen to support the Great British Bike Ride. Cycling and rugby go hand in hand, with many players seeing the low impact fitness benefits of riding a bike; this event will be a celebration of both rugby and cycling and all for a fantastic cause.”
For further details of the event visit greatbritishbikeride.com
Gesink Wins in Switzerland!
17th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Takes GC lead with Stage 6 solo winRabobank rider Robert Gesink took charge of the Tour de Suisse stage race with a classy solo victory aboard his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike in the 213-kilometer sixth stage from Meiringen to La Punt. The win put the 25-year-old Dutch rider in the overall lead of the nine-day ProTour event.
Gesink launched a daring solo attack on the steeps of the Abulapass, the final climb of the day. He left behind the race favorites, passed the remnants of an earlier breakaway, and then held his advantage on a fast descent over the final 10 kilometers.
Gesink crossed the finish line 42 seconds ahead of a chase group that included American Lance Armstrong and Luxembourger Frank Schleck, both contenders for the upcoming Tour de France. With the win, Gesink snatched the leader’s jersey from German Tony Martin. Gesink will carry a 29-second lead into the race’s final three stages. The race concludes Sunday, June 20, with a challenging 26.9-kilometer time trial in Liestal.
Rabo Sweeps at Ster Elektrotoer
16th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Van Emden takes the WinJos Van Emden led the Rabobank team to a dominant performance at the June 16 prologue stage of the Ster Elektrotoer stage race in The Netherlands. Van Emden rode his Giant Trinity Advanced SL time trial bike to a winning time of 7:42 on the 6.8-kilometer course, while his teammates Lars Boom and Sebastian Langeveld finished second and third.
The win was Van Emden’s second in less than a week—the 25-year-old also won the prologue stage at last week’s Delta Tour Zeeland, which was his first pro victory.
Boom, who finished 3 seconds off Van Emden’s winning time, is fine-tuning his form before the Tour de France in July. In addition to the three podium finishers, Rabobank riders also finished fifth (Pieter Weening) and eighth (Graeme Brown).
With five riders placed high in the standings, Rabobank will attempt to defend the General Classification lead in the coming days. The Ster Elektrotoer race continues with a 146-kilometer road race on Thursday, and runs through Sunday, June 20.
DOUBLE PODIUM FOR GIANT RIDERS
14th June 2010 - filed under Giant
Helen Jenkins Hy-Vee bronze & Marc Jenkins Windsor SilverThis weekend saw two Giant riders make podiums; Helen Jenkins took bronze at the Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup in Des Moines, Iowa, meanwhile husband Marc Jenkins took Silver at the 2010 Windsor Triathlon.
Helen took bronze in Hy-Vee finishing in 1:59:51 behind Australian’s Emma Snowsill, the race winner and Emma Moffatt. Americans Sarah McLarty and Hayley Peirsol exited the swim a minute ahead of the chasing group, holding them off throughout the bike with the gap closing to 40 seconds. Jenkins formed part of the chase group that caught the lead pair during the run before Snowsill managed to make the decisive move having fought back hard, finishing in 1:59:35.
Meanwhile Marc Jenkins, racing for Team TBC-Sports Aid took Silver at the 2010 Nokia Windsor Triathlon; finishing in 1:52:03 behind new team mate Steve Worthington who won with a career best and will be riding Giant TCR Advanced this season. Marc now sits in 3rd position in the British Triathlon Super Series with 106 points. Speaking immediately after the race Marc said;
“"I was happy with my race, I swam really well, so that was the main thing.. Steve ran fantastic and I couldn't run with him.”
Meanwhile fellow Team TBC-Sports Aid rider Lois Rosindale, who will also be riding Giant this season won silver in the women’s race.
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Mollema Podiums at Tour de Suisse
14th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Three Rabo Riders Finish Top-10Stage 3 of the Tour de Suisse saw the Rabobank team play a pivotal role in an exciting day of racing. At the end of a hard-fought battle, three Rabobank riders finished in the top-10, with Dutch rider Bauke Mollema riding to a podium finish on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike. Mollema finished third, just 3 seconds behind stage winner Frank Schleck of Luxembourg.
The 197-kilometer stage from Sierre to Schwarzenburg saw a flurry of attacks in the final 40 kilometers, which featured a challenging circuit favoring classics-type riders.
Rabobank’s Robert Gesink was one of the first to make a big move in the final kilometers. He ended up finishing seventh. With Spaniard Juan Manuel Garate finishing sixth, Rabobank took top honors in the Stage 3 teams classification.
After 3 of 9 stages, Mollema is 10th in the general classification and Gesink is 17th. Both are within 30 seconds of race leader Tony Martin. And in the overall teams classification, Rabobank is currently third overall.
The Tour de Suisse, the last major ProTour stage race before the Tour de France in July, is seen as an important warm-up for the three-week grand tour in France. The race continues Tuesday with Stage 4, a 192-kilometer race from Schwarzenburg to Wettingen.
HART 12TH AT UK WORLD CUP
7th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Young DH rider moves upProving once again that he’s one of the world’s top young downhill racing talents, 18-year-old Danny Hart of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team scored his best World Cup result yet, finishing 12th at the June 6th Round 2 event in Fort William, Scotland.
Hart, the overall Junior Category champion in the 2009 World Cup DH Series, is from the UK and racing his first year of elite category competition.
Racing on home turf at Fort William, one of the most prestigious venues in World Cup DH racing, Hart put in a fast finals run on his Giant Glory team bike. With huge crowds and a challenging course that demands endurance, strength and superb technical skills, Fort William is a favourite World Cup stop among racers.
With unusually dry, fast conditions this year, Hart clocked a time of 4:42.77, fastest of the day at the time of his run. In the end, he finished 7.07 seconds off the winning time of fellow Brit Gee Atherton, confirming once again that he’s one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars.
Keep your eye on Danny Hart, who now sits 18th overall after two rounds in the 2010 World Cup series. The next event takes place June 19th-20th in Leogan, Austria.
PODIUM IN MADRID FOR JENKINS
6th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Giant Triathlete claims 3rd place in the heat7th June, 2010 - Giant’s Helen Jenkins finished in 3rd place in this weekend’s 2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series in Madrid, her best result so far this season. The 2008 Champion battled a tough bike course and 34 degree heat to finish on the podium alongside winner Nicola Spirig (Switzerland) and 2nd placed Emmie Charayron (France) in round 3 of the series.
"It was a target to finish on the podium but I wasn't sure whether I would achieve it in the hard conditions with it being so hot," Jenkins said following the race.
Riding her Giant TCR Advanced SL, Jenkins kept with the lead pack through the bike; before forming part of the podium trio during the run in which they built up a lead and left the chasing pack trailing.
"It was tough but I got my nutrition right and hydrated well beforehand. The run was in the shade, which helps. It was quite scary seeing girls go down on the bike”
"I'm usually good at getting off the bike in the first few but I was lucky to swerve out of the way. The plan was to see if I could run with the leaders.”
With 400 metres to go Spirig pulled clear finishing 4 seconds ahead of Charayron and eight seconds ahead of Jenkins.
"I picked up the pace on the third lap, and then again on the fourth but Nicola was very strong and Emmie was strong in the end too. The result was a big improvement for me."
Fourth placed Mariko Adachi finished over half-a-minute behind Spirig. The next round takes place in Hamburg in July where Jenkins will hope to capitalise on her improving form.
Hart 12th at UK World Cup
6th June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Young DH rider moves upProving once again that he’s one of the world’s top young downhill racing talents, 18-year-old Danny Hart of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team scored his best World Cup result yet, finishing 12th at the June 6 Round 2 event in Fort William, Scotland.
Hart, the overall Junior Category champion in the 2009 World Cup DH Series, is from the UK and racing his first year of elite category competition.
Racing on home turf at Fort William, one of the most prestigious venues in World Cup DH racing, Hart put in a fast finals run on his Giant Glory team bike. With huge crowds and a challenging course that demands endurance, strength and superb technical skills, Fort William is a favorite World Cup stop among racers.
With unusually dry, fast conditions this year, Hart clocked a time of 4:42.77, fastest of the day at the time of his run. In the end, he finished 7.07 seconds off the winning time of fellow Brit Gee Atherton, confirming once again that he’s one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars.
Keep your eye on Danny Hart, who now sits 18th overall after two rounds in the 2010 World Cup series. The next event takes place June 19-20 in Leogan, Austria.
GIANT RACE IN TO MOUNTAIN MAYHEM
5th June 2010 - filed under Giant
Tech support for Giant riders in 2010Ever-present since the dawn of Mountain Mayhem, Giant have confirmed their presence at this years event, offering free technical support and goodie bags for all Giant riders.
For free advice, technical race support and fitting of components purchased from Back On Track Bikes & Swinnerton’s Cycles at the event; simply head over to the Giant stand with your Giant bike and you’ll also receive a free goodie bag (subject to availability).
So if you’re tackling the 24-hour mountain bike course or challenging yourself to the sportive we’ll be on hand to help everyone ride Giant and have a great Mountain Mayhem in 2010.
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“GREEN WORLD ON WHEELS” AIMS TO IMPROVE THE CYCLING WORLD
4th June 2010 - filed under Giant
Giant founder King Liu will again show his passion for cycling with a ride through the bicycle-friendly nation of The NetherlandsFriday 4th June, 2010 — Giant Bicycles founder King Liu is set to embark on his latest cycling journey, Green World on Wheels, June 14th-19th in The Netherlands. Over a six-day period, King will complete a 500km ride through the nation recently honoured as “Cycling Paradise.”
After completing the challenges of the Tour de Taiwan in 2007 and Ride Like King from Beijing to Shanghai in 2009, King realised his actions not only fulfilled a personal dream but also made Giant’s home nation, Taiwan, more conductive to cycling.
Green World on Wheels aims to spread the message of using bicycles to protect the environment and improve health. Donations from powerful supporters are funding the expense of the trip. In addition, government officials from the Taiwan Ministry of Transportation and Communication have been invited to participate and study the cycling infrastructure of The Netherlands to help Taiwan improve its own cycling environment and take the next steps to become a “Cycling Island.”
In The Netherlands, more than 27 percent of journeys are completed by bicycle. In Amsterdam, the rate is even higher, at 37 percent. The nation is known for having one of the most cycling-friendly infrastructures in the world. During his ride, King will lead groups of cyclists through five of the most cycling-friendly cities to experience riding in The Netherlands.
Bringing together government officials and the general public, through King’s passion for cycling, Green World on Wheels hopes to inspire people and educate them on the ways cycling can improve both the environment and personal well-being.
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Rabobank Announces Tour de France Roster
3rd June 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Menchov, Gesink co-leaders for GCWith the Tour de France one month away from its start, the Rabobank team announced its roster for the season’s biggest stage race.
The Rabobank Tour team will include two main General Classification leaders and a host of potential stage winners. The team’s GC hopes will lie with Denis Menchov, the veteran Russian who won the Giro d’Italia last year and finished third at the 2008 Tour de France; and 24-year-old Robert Gesink of The Netherlands, who ran into bad luck at his first Tour de France last year when he broke his wrist and had to abandon in the first week.
Joining the two GC leaders is a strong supporting cast: Lars Boom, a stage winner at the 2009 Vuelta a España, Spaniard Juan Manuel Garate, who won a Tour stage at Mont Ventoux last year, and Oscar Freire, the three-time World Champion, are all threats for individual stage wins. Rounding out the team are Koos Moerenhout, Laurens ten Dam, Maarten Tjallingii and Grischa Niermann.
Rabobank Team Director Erik Breukink said it was important to select and announce the team early so the riders could focus on their preparation without the pressure of having to score results in the weeks leading up to the Tour.
Menchov, who suffered through a bout with bronchitis in May, will race the June 6-13 Dauphiné-Libéré stage race in France as preparation for the Tour. Tjallingii and Moerenhout will also race the Dauphiné, which includes some difficult climbing stages including one on the Alpe d’Huez, and is considered the ideal warm-up for Tour de France contenders.
Some of the other Rabobank riders, including Gesink, Ten Dam, Niermann, Garate and Freire, will ride another common Tour de France tune-up, the Tour of Switzerland.
Stay tuned as the Rabobank gets ready to ride the biggest race of the season on their Giant TCR Advanced SL road bikes and Trinity Advanced SL TT bikes.
RABOBANK 2010 TOUR DE FRANCE ROSTER
Robert Gesink (Ned)
Denis Menchov (Rus)
Juan Manuel Garate (Spa)
Oscar Freire (Spa)
Lars Boom (Ned)
Laurens ten Dam (Ned)
Koos Moerenhout (Ned)
Maarten Tjallingi (Ned)
Grischa Niermann (Ger)
RESERVES
Pieter Weening (Ned)
Bram Tankink (Ned)
May 10
Rabobank Wraps up Successful Giro
31st May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Mollema Emerges as Top Young StarThe Rabobank team wrapped up its 2010 Giro d’Italia on Sunday, May 30, with another consistent performance, placing three riders in the top-20 at the Stage 21 Time Trial in Verona.
With Rabobank’s defending Giro champion Denis Menchov skipping the race in order to focus on the Tour de France this year, the team adjusted its approach to the three-week Tour of Italy, aiming for stage wins, breakaways and overall aggressive riding. As a result, Rabobank proved to be one of the most active teams and finished second overall in the Teams Classification.
Individual highlights at this year’s Giro included: Australian Graeme Brown sprinting to second place on his Giant TCR Advanced SL bike in Stage 3 and also wearing the points classification leader’s jersey early in the three-week race; Steven Kriujswijk finishing third in Stage 17 after after a long breakaway; and Bauke Mollema leading the team’s GC efforts finishing 12th overall.
In the end, Rabobank finished with an impressive three riders in the top-20 overall. Leading the way was Mollema, who at age 23 proved he’s one of the sport’s top young overall riders. In one of the most difficult and mountainous Giros in recent memory, Mollema finished third overall in the Young Rider Category and was competitive in the race’s most grueling mountain stages.
Mollema, winner of the 2007 Tour de l’Avenir—one of the most important stage races for young riders—told Cyclingnews.com he was pleased with his Giro performance. “In every mountain I was in the top 10 or 15,” he said. “I feel I’m going to be even better next year. My ultimate goal is to win the Tour de France.”
Other top Rabobank GC riders were Colombian Mauricio Ardila, 15th overall and Kruijswijk, 18th overall. Now the team turns its attention to the major June stage races including the Dauphiné Libéré in France and Tour of Switzerland before the season’s second grand tour, the Tour de France, in July.
Winning Weekend for Giant Factory Off-Road Team
31st May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Emmett, Beckingsale lead the wayRiders from the Giant Factory Off-Road team had a busy weekend, scoring podium finishes on two different continents.
In the U.S., Kelli Emmett had one of her best performances yet, beating the Texas heat to finish second in the Elite Women’s Cross-Country race at the Mellow Johnny’s Classic Pro XCT event in Austin. With temperatures in the 90s Fahrenheit, Emmett paced herself perfectly, surging past several World Cup contenders to finish second behind Georgia Gould.
Meanwhile, Emmett’s British teammate Oli Beckingsale won the third round of the British Cross Country Series in the mud at Margam Park. On a course that’s considered one of the toughest in the British XC Series, Beckingsale battled fellow former UK Champion Liam Killeen and eventually edged him out by just 41 seconds.
The win was a big boost for Beckingsale, who suffered an illness in the early spring and struggled through the early World Cup rounds. HIs performance at Margam Park showed he’s back on form.
Kruijswijk third at Giro Stage 17
25th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Former Dutch U-23 Champion survives long breakaway for podium finishRabobank rider Steven Kruijswijk rode aggressively on Stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia, fighting his way to a podium finish after joining a breakaway that gained nearly 10 minutes on the main field.
Kruijswijk, the 2008 Dutch Under-23 Road Champion, joined a 19-man breakaway that broke away early in the 173-kilometer stage from Brunico to Pejo Terme, and then battled to an impressive third-place finish on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike.
With the stage ending on an uphill finish, the riders in the break began attacking each other with 28 kilometers to go. Kruijswijk made all the right moves and put himself in position to make the podium. He finished the day 39 seconds behind stage winner Damien Monier, giving Rabobank another podium finish at one of the toughest Giros in recent memory.
Stage 18 will offer the sprinters one more chance for victory before a series of tough mountain stages and the closing time trial of the three-week Giro d'Italia.
LIVERPOOL TRIATHLON TAKES GIANT STEPS
17th May 2010 - filed under EVENTS
The Giant Store - Liverpool signs up as sponsor of the Liverpool Triathlon
The Giant Store - Liverpool has signed up to become the official bike store of the Liverpool Triathlon. The Liverpool Triathlon which is in its second year is returning to Liverpool’s iconic waterfront on 27th June.
Kevin Stewart Managing Director of MPE said “Its great to have such a great brand involved in this years Liverpool Triathlon and we look forward to working in partnership with Giant to provide our participants with help and assistance on all elements of the cycling from choosing the right bike to how to change a tyre”
Phil Kershaw Director at The Giant Store - Liverpool said of the partnership “We are really excited about being involved with such a great event, the Liverpool Triathlon has really got people talking in the city and we hope to help deliver the participants a first class service for all of their cycling needs”
For those participants seeking advice before the event The Giant Store - Liverpool will be hosting a TRI BIKE CLINIC on Wednesday 26th May from 6-8pm at the shop on Parliament Street where competitors will be able to come down and be shown how to maintain their bikes, set them up correctly and ask questions about the cycling elements of the event.
There is still an opportunity to join the 1,300 other participants in entering the Liverpool Triathlon 2010 all you need to do is log on to http://www.liverpooltriathlon.co.uk/ to find out more and enter online.
Boom sprints to third in California
17th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank rider Lars Boom sprinted to a podium finish in Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California in rainy Santa Rosa on Monday, May 17.Boom put in a savvy performance on the cold, wet 177km race from Davis to Santa Rosa. The 24-year-old Dutchman made it into a break of 26 riders that gained a lead of more than a minute over the rest of the field, then powered his Giant TCR Advanced SL to a third-place finish on the wet streets of Santa Rosa.
Boom now sits fourth overall in General Classification, just 6 seconds behind Stage 2 winner and overall race leader Brett Lancaster of Australia.
The Rabobank team has had a major impact in the opening two stages of this year’s Tour of California. In addition to Boom’s podium finish, Martin Tjallingi joined a four-man break that stayed clear for much of Sunday’s first stage from Nevada City to Sacramento. Tjallingi’s aggressive riding earned him the “Most Courageous Rider” jersey after the first stage.
The Tour of California continues with Stage 3 on Tuesday, when riders face steep climbs on a 183km route from San Francisco to Santa Cruz.
HART SHOWS PROMISE AT WORLD CUP OPENER
17th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Emmett puts in triple podium performanceGiant Factory Off-Road Team rider Danny Hart started the 2010 World Cup season on a promising note, finishing 20th at the opening round in Maribor, Slovenia, on May 16th. The 18-year-old Brit was the Junior series champion in the 2009 World Cup series, and Maribor marked his first World Cup race as an elite category racer.
Hart and his teammate, American Duncan Riffle, competed in Maribor on their Giant Glory downhill bikes. Heavy rains made for challenging conditions as riders were forced to negotiate a muddy course. Riffle, a two-time U.S. Downhill Champion, crashed in his final run and had to settle for a 63rd-place finish.
Hart and Riffle are both new recruits to the Giant Factory Off-Road Team. They are competing at the entire World Cup series. Round 2 will take place at Fort William in Scotland on June 5th-6th.
In other Giant Factory Off-Road Team news, cross-country racer Kelli Emmett put in a podium performance at a Mountain States Cup event in Colorado. Emmett rode her XtC Advanced SL and Anthem X Advanced SL to three top-three finishes at the Chalk Creek Stampede: second in the Super D and XC, and third in the short track.
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Hart shows promise at DH World Cup
16th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Emmett puts in triple podium performanceGiant Factory Off-Road Team rider Danny Hart started the 2010 World Cup season on a promising note, finishing 20th at the opening round in Maribor, Slovenia, on May 16. The 18-year-old Brit was the Junior series champion in the 2009 World Cup series, and Maribor marked his first World Cup race as an elite category racer.
Hart and his teammate, American Duncan Riffle, competed in Maribor on their Giant Glory downhill bikes. Heavy rains made for challenging conditions as riders were forced to negotiate a muddy course. Riffle, a two-time U.S. Downhill Champion, crashed in his final run and had to settle for a 63rd-place finish.
Hart and Riffle are both new recruits to the Giant Factory Off-Road Team. They are competing on the entire World Cup series. Round 2 will take place in Fort William, Great Britain, June 5-6.
In other Giant Factory Off-Road Team news, cross-country racer Kelli Emmett put in a podium performance at a Mountain States Cup event in Colorado. Emmett rode her XtC Advanced SL and Anthem X Advanced SL to three top-three finishes at the Chalk Creek Stampede: second in the Super D and XC, and third in the short track.
Giant riders ready for DH World Cup
14th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
With new recruits Duncan Riffle and Danny Hart leading the way, the downhill racing contingent of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team has a whole new look for 2010. With their focus turned to the 2010 World Cup Downhill Series, Riffle and Hart spent a good portion of the spring season training and prepping in Southern California.“It’s been super motivating,” said Riffle, a two-time U.S. Downhill National Champion. “I’ve never had such a positive off-season of development and training. Just knowing I have such a great support structure behind me is really exciting.”
The entire Giant Factory Off-Road team gathered for team camp at the renowned Woodward West action sports facility in Tehachapi, California, the first two weeks in March. In addition to training, they spent time getting their new Giant race bikes dialed in and exploring local trails. Riffle, who lives in Santa Barbara, California, played tour guide to his teammates including Hart who lives in Redcar, England.
Hart, the winner of the Downhill World Cup Junior Series last year, had dreamed of riding Woodward’s parks and trails since he was an 8-year-old BMX competitor. His trip to Giant Team Camp was his first opportunity to ride mountain bikes in the U.S.
During camp, both Riffle and Hart trained under the watchful eye of the team’s downhill coach Oscar Saiz. The veteran World Cup downhill racer and former Giant Global Team rider from Spain will work with the two young riders during the World Cup season, which takes place primarily in Europe. Saiz will lend his technical expertise and valuable course knowledge to Riffle and Hart throughout the season.
Riffle said that kind of support is a welcome change. “That’s what’s been missing for me in the past,” he said. “I’ve never been part of anything this big. This season I want to utilize this support and get a real firm grasp on the World Cup racing scene. I’ve been right in the mix for a lot of years but becoming a consistent top finisher and podium contender is definitely a goal for me this season.”
At Woodward, Riffle and Hart worked with Saiz performing timed runs and making small adjustments to their Giant Glory bikes and gear. They also met with the media and spent some time riding trails near Riffle’s hometown of Santa Barbara.
Thel World Cup Downhill Series kicks off May 15 in Maribor, Slovenia. Keep an eye out for Duncan and Danny.
"WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?"
13th May 2010 - filed under Product
Giant Trance X 4 wins MBR test with a 10/10!Hot on the heels of Giant's recent test winning TCR Advanced 4 in Triathlon Plus, Giant's Maestro suspension system continues the winning ways on the mountain side of things in June's MBR Magazine as the Giant Trance X4 rises to the top of the pile in the 1K Wonders budget bouncers test. Even better - it's the front cover star!
"As usual, the finish and construction on the Giant frame is top notch and could easily pass for a bike costing more than double the £995 asking price."
The Trance X's 'beautifully engineered' Fluid Formed chassis boasting 5 inches of Maestro suspended magic did the business and felt 'super solid and stiff on the trail' with Giant's own brand shock 'hassle free' and easy to set up.
Giant's new Contact componentry gets a nod of approval; "an excellent wide bar" fitted to the Trance X 4 along with the new Sole-O Lock On Grips with colour coded anodised lock rings.
With the 'super-stiff' and well balanced frame transferring the power through Maestro's 'active and well controlled' suspension system the Trance X4 offers 'stacks of grip to inspire confidence and lets you really enjoy the trails.'
"Bottom line is the Giant simply feels sorted, steady and surefooted yet still capable of good speed...The Giant Trance X4 is an excellent bike for the money and easily the best on test...you get the best frame on test with great potential to upgrade over time. It also costs £100 less than the less-dialled Specialized."
"A stiff and solid frame with good geometry and a sorted suspension make the Giant Trance X4 first class at cornering, climbing and descending - what more do you need?"
With 10/10 this is a must read! The latest issue of MBR Magazine is on sale now.
BROWN SPRINTS TO PODIUM AT GIRO
11th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Sprinter Graeme Brown gave the Rabobank Pro Cycling Team a podium finish on the team’s home turf in The Netherlands as the Giro d’Italia concluded the last of its three stages in northern Europe before moving to Italy for the remaining two-and-a-half weeks.On a tough day of racing that tested riders with nasty crosswinds and damaging crashes, Brown stayed near the front and powered his Giant TCR Advanced SL to a second-place finish behind Belgian Wouter Weylandt.
Brown also assumed overall leadership in the points classification.
Rabobank was active throughout the 224km Stage 3 race from Amsterdam to Middelburg. Dutch rider Tom Stamsnijder joined an early breakaway with two other riders and stayed off the front for more than 120km. Crosswinds blasted the field on its journey south to Middleburg throughout the day, causing a few splits in the group.
Brown and his Rabobank teammate Pieter Weening were able to stay with the front group of just 26 riders, and the Australian Brown snagged the podium finish.
After a transfer day on Tuesday, May 11, the Giro d’Italia returns to Italy for Stage 4, a 32.5-kilometre team time trial.
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Brown sprints to podium finish at Giro
10th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Sprinter Graeme Brown gave the Rabobank Pro Cycling Team a podium finish on the team’s home turf in The Netherlands as the Giro d’Italia concluded the last of its three stages in northern Europe before moving to Italy for the remaining two-and-a-half weeks.On a tough day of racing that tested riders with nasty crosswinds and damaging crashes, Brown stayed near the front and powered his Giant TCR Advanced SL to a second-place finish behind Belgian Wouter Weylandt.
Brown also assumed overall leadership in the points classification.
Rabobank was active throughout the 224km Stage 3 race from Amsterdam to Middelburg. Dutch rider Tom Stamsnijder joined an early breakaway with two other riders and stayed off the front for more than 120km. Crosswinds blasted the field on its journey south to Middleburg throughout the day, causing a few splits in the group.
Brown and his Rabobank teammate Pieter Weening were able to stay with the front group of just 26 riders, and the Australian Brown snagged the podium finish.
After a transfer day on Tuesday, May 11, the Giro d’Italia returns to Italy for Stage 4, a 32.5-kilometer team time trial.
Rabobank's Tour of California roster
8th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Team Rabobank announced its squad of eight riders, including this year’s Paris-Nice prologue time trial winner Lars Boom, that will compete at the May 16-23 Amgen Tour of California stage race.“All eight riders have the opportunity for success without the stress of driving for a single leader,” said Rabobank team manager Adri van Houwelingen. “The quality of our team is such that one rider could perhaps go for a stage win and maybe another for the championship.”
Boom will be making his first appearance in the Tour of California. Joining him will be Stef Clement, Steven Kruijswijk, Sebastian Langeveld, Tom Leezer, Paul Martens, Grischa Niermann and Maarten Tjallingii.
The Amgen Tour of California begins Sunday, May 16, with a stage from Nevada City to Sacramento. It ends Sunday, May 23, with a circuit race encompassing Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Agoura Hills. On Saturday, May 22, the city of Los Angeles plays host to the race’s only individual time trial.
A TRULY OUTSTANDING ALL-ROUNDER
4th May 2010 - filed under Product
If you’re thinking about an Ironman, a first Triathlon or maybe you’re just looking to get in some long and fast miles on the open road this Summer; we’ve got just the ticket.Giant’s newTCR Advanced 4 features in June Triathlon Plus’ ‘IRON BIKES’ test; with the latest addition to Giants award winning TCR Advanced range battling it out against heavyweights from Trek (Madone 4.5), Scott (CR 1 Comp CD) and Specialized (Tarmac Elite).
“To be honest we don’t generally expect sub-£2000 bikes to blow us away…As soon as you’re aboard the Giant though you’re clearly riding something in a different performance league to the other bikes here.”
A host of cutting edge technology features such as Giant’sOverDrive tapered headtube, aerodynamic Vector seat post and super-stiff PowerCore bottom bracket means the TCR Advanced 4 packs a punch way above it’s price and with a full Shimano 105 group set there’s one great value and great performing machine!
But incredible handling ‘laser accurate’ steering and rapid acceleration aren’t the only benefits of the TCR Advanced, it’s also comfortable;
“All of this would still be impressive if there was a trade off in comfort, but the outstanding thing about the Advanced is that it’s so compliant that you’ll feel like you’re floating no matter how long you’re on the bike.”
With a Triathlon Plus Gold Award the TCR Advanced 4 was the clear test winner and there's not many better conclusions than this;
"Even allowing for their massive carbon-fibre construction experience, Giant have pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the advanced...it rides with a purpose the others can't match...if you want to go further and faster with less fatigue the Advanced is the advantage you're looking for."
Check out how Giant’s TCR Advanced 4 earns all 4.5 stars in the latest issue of Triathlon Plus which is on sale now.
MENCHOV MAKES PODIUM AT ROMANDIE
4th May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank’s 2009 Giro d’Italia champion shows great form at ProTour stage race in SwitzerlandRabobank’s Denis Menchov made all the right moves in a dramatic final stage at the five-day Tour de Romandie, securing a podium finish at the April 27th -May 2nd ProTour event in Switzerland.
Menchov, who started the 122-kilometre Stage 5 in Sion in fifth place overall, endured miserable conditions that caused nearly half the field to abandon the final stage. Fighting off the rain and cold, Menchov put on a powerful climbing display on the decisive Category 1 ascent in Ovronnaz, 20 kilometres from the finish.
Riding his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike, Menchov joined a group of four that broke away on the climb to shake up the final standings. The group gapped race leader Michael Rogers of Australia and crossed the finish 23 seconds ahead of a chase group including Rogers.
Spaniard Alejandro Valverde took the stage honours, securing the overall win as well. Menchov’s fourth-place stage finish moved him up to third place overall. The Russian had put himself into contention two days earlier with an impressive time trial performance. He finished fifth in the 23.4-kilometre Stage 3 race against the clock in Moudon.
The Tour de Romandie is considered one of the key preparations for the season’s grand tours. With its mix of mountainous terrain and time trials, the race offers ideal prep for longer stage races including the Tour de France, which Menchov is focusing on for July.
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Menchov makes podium at Romandie
2nd May 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Switzerland -- Rabobank’s Denis Menchov made all the right moves in a dramatic final stage at the five-day Tour de Romandie, securing a podium finish at the April 27-May 2 ProTour event in Switzerland.Menchov, who started the 122-kilometer Stage 5 in Sion in fifth place overall, endured miserable conditions that caused nearly half the field to abandon the final stage. Fighting off the rain and cold, Menchov put on a powerful climbing display on the decisive Category 1 ascent in Ovronnaz, 20 kilometers from the finish.
Riding his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike, Menchov joined a group of four that broke away on the climb to shake up the final standings. The group gapped race leader Michael Rogers of Australia and crossed the finish 23 seconds ahead of a chase group including Rogers.
Spaniard Alejandro Valverde took the stage honors, securing the overall win as well. Menchov’s fourth-place stage finish moved him up to third place overall. The Russian had put himself into contention two days earlier with an impressive time trial performance. He finished fifth in the 23.4-kilometer Stage 3 race against the clock in Moudon.
The Tour de Romandie is considered one of the key preparations for the season’s grand tours. With its mix of mountainous terrain and time trials, the race offers ideal prep for longer stage races including the Tour de France, which Menchov is focusing on for July.
April 10
GIANT DEFY 2 IS EDITORS’ CHOICE!
23rd April 2010 - filed under Product
Bicycling magazine names Giant Defy 2 best in categoryGiant’s Defy 2 was named Best Entry Level Road Bike in the prestigious 2010 Bicycling Magazine Editors’ Choice Awards.
The Editors’ Choice awards were presented at a bicycle industry party on the 16th of April at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California. Bicycling is the world’s highest-circulation consumer cycling publication, and its Editors’ Choice awards are considered highly influential in the eyes of its readers and the cycling industry.
In reviewing the Defy 2, Bicycling editors commented: “As smooth as it is, it’s still a sporty bike with good responsiveness and a lively feel.”
Bicycling editors narrowed the competition down from thousands of bikes to a small number of finalists that were tested in its June issue. In addition the Giant Defy Advanced 1 was one of three finalists in the Best Plush Bike category.
Giant and the rest of the Editors’ Choice winners are profiled in a slideshow on Bicycling.com and will also be featured in the June issue of Bicycling, which goes on sale on the 4th of May.
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ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL LAUNCHED
19th April 2010 - filed under Giant
Oli Beckingsale carves racing line on The ‘Monkey Trail’The West Midlands ultimate mountain bike trail – The ‘Monkey Trail’, was unveiled at the Forestry Commission’s Cannock Forest near Rugeley this weekend.
Giant’s Commonwealth Silver Medalist and Olympian rider Oli Beckingsale cut the ribbon and led the first riders out on the new red grade mountain bike trail, which has been designed as a technical route for expert cyclists, starting and finishing at the Birches Valley Forest Centre.
The new ‘Monkey Trail’ is part of a £200,000 project supported by Giant to improve the visitor facilities at Cannock Forest, which includes eight kilometres of new singletrack and some new look features added to existing routes. Cross-country, downhill, and family cycle trails ranging from 1 – 10 miles have all benefited from the revamp and were re-launched on the day with a variety of skills sessions aimed at riders of all abilities. In addition riders were able to test Giant’s Anthem X and Anthem X W demo bikes – the ultimate tool for tackling the challenging terrain.
Birches Valley Forest Centre is already the starting point for the popular ‘Follow the Dog’ technical route. The seven-mile, single-track trail, which was created by Chase Trails as the West Midlands’ first dedicated Cross Country MTB trail, was also upgraded as part of the changes. Now linked together, ‘Follow The Dog’ and the new ‘Monkey Trail’, provide 24 kilometres of the West Midlands’ finest bike trail.
The ‘Monkey Trail’ features some short sharp climbs and long flowing descents, with some extremely tight twists and turns along the way, new features include lung-busting climbing turns, berms, rooty drops and lots of narrow flowing singletrack. The trail is built from locally sourced stone and natural features are beginning to merge into the trail so within a few months it will look as though the trail has always been there.
Wider changes and improvements to existing trails will help more people of all ages and abilities get active and develop a healthier lifestyle. There is an easy green route for families and beginners through to blue and red courses for cycling enthusiasts.
Giant UK Marketing Manger Collette Clensy said;
“The Monkey Trail adds a whole new dimension to the facilities at Cannock – now it’s become a real destination for mountain bikers who will be amazed at the new route and the riding on offer.”
She continued;
“It was fantastic to see cyclists of all ages and abilities enjoying a healthy and fun day out; the improved technical routes for more experienced riders means the centre truly shares Giant’s vision of offering something for all.”
Speaking before the event, Jason Maclean, Environment Manager for the Forestry Commission at Cannock, said:
“After three years of intensive planning, designing and building we’re delighted to be launching the newest and biggest purpose-built mountain bike trail in the West Midlands.
“This new trail has been designed to be sustainable and have minimal environmental impact, whilst allowing thousands of mountain bikers and forest visitors to develop their cycling skills or simply go out and have fun.”
The Chase Trails Volunteer Group, a local group of mountain bikers, steered the project into action giving up countless weekends to plan and design sections of trail and contributing numerous hours of work into painstakingly building many sections of the new trail by hand. They organised ‘Big Build Days’ to encourage the wider community to help out with trail building enlisting help from external supporters such RAF Stafford.
Rob Lamb from Chase Trails, said:
"Completion of the ‘Monkey Trail’ represents a huge milestone in the progression of Chase Trails. This is the second trail we’ve developed and will offer riders a technical step up from our earlier work.
“Working with a great team of partners has been critical to the success of the project and we couldn't have achieved without the ongoing help of our volunteers. We’re extremely lucky to have the regular support of a highly committed team of volunteers who have put completion of the trail ahead of everything else including their own valuable riding time.
“We’ve met an almost countless number of new volunteers through our regular Big Build Days and to all these people we owe a great debt of thanks.”
Anyone interested in supporting the project or joining the Chase Trails volunteer group should visit chasetrails.co.uk.
Large sections of the trail has also been built by specialist trail builders Clixby’s, from Oakamoor in Staffordshire, who previously constructed singletrack mountain bike trails for the Forestry Commission at Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire, Whinlatter Forest in Cumbria and the descent line at Stainburn, near Leeds.
Hugh Clixby from trail builders Clixby’s, said:
“Over the past 15 months we’ve built almost 10km of trails. We’ve built some lovely sweet flowing singletrack, technical short sharp climbs, fast flowing bermy descents and a couple of black technical features which wouldn’t be out of place on the world cup course at Dalby.
“I hope the ‘Monkey Trail’ provides riders with a worthwhile challenge, but most of all, loads and loads of fun. I have certainly enjoyed riding the trail as we have been building it and working alongside all the volunteers at Chase Trails.”
Bike hire facilities, maps and information are available from Swinnerton Cycles Forest Centre. For more information or to hire a bike visit bikechase.co.uk. For more information about recreational facilities at Cannock Forest and other Forestry Commission woodlands around the West Midlands visit forestry.gov.uk/westmidlands and forestry.gov.uk/cannockforest.
GIANT SWEEPS SEA OTTER SUPER D!
19th April 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Decker debuts prototype 29er suspension bike with a win; Emmett takes second straight at Laguna SecaGiant has owned Super D racing at the Sea Otter Classic ever since the event was added to the massive cycling festival at the Laguna Seca Raceway four years ago. On Friday, Giant Factory Off-Road riders Carl Decker and Kelli Emmett kept the win streak alive, winning the opening pro mountain bike races at the four-day event in Monterey.
Decker, who has worked with Giant on the development of its 29er mountain bikes, received the latest version of Giant’s prototype Anthem X 29er featuring Maestro Suspension the day before the race. After a quick test, he decided to race it.
“This bike felt pretty amazing,” Decker said. “I can tell you now I’m pretty much going to race this on everything this year. It’s super fast.”
It was Decker’s third consecutive Super D win at Sea Otter, and he has also won the last seven national series Super D events that he has started.
Decker edged out Cannodale teammates Marco Fontana and Manuel Fumic on a fast, wide open course that includes one significant climb followed by 50 mph plus fireroads. The high speeds, combined with water bars and wind, always make the Sea Otter Super D interesting. The men’s race was close; Decker pulled away in the final stretch to take the win.
In women’s racing, Emmett topped a small pro women’s field, powering her Giant Anthem X Advanced SL bike to a third Sea Otter Super D win in the past four years.
“I was leading up that first climb and I could see I was starting to get reeled in,” said Emmett. “So I made a big surge there. I kind of got a gap and just rode my race from there.”
Giant sweeps Sea Otter Super D!
16th April 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Giant has owned Super D racing at the Sea Otter Classic ever since the event was added to the massive cycling festival at the Laguna Seca Raceway four years ago. On April 16, Giant Factory Off-Road riders Carl Decker and Kelli Emmett kept the win streak alive, winning the opening pro mountain bike races at the four-day event in Monterey.Decker, who has worked with Giant on the development of its 29er mountain bikes, received the latest version of Giant’s prototype Anthem X 29er featuring Maestro Suspension the day before the race. After a quick test, he decided to race it.
“This bike felt pretty amazing,” Decker said. “I can tell you now I’m pretty much going to race this on everything this year. It’s super fast.”
It was Decker’s third consecutive Super D win at Sea Otter, and he has also won the last seven national series Super D events that he has started.
Decker edged out Cannondale teammates Marco Fontana and Manuel Fumic on a fast, wide open course that includes one significant climb followed by 50 mph plus fireroads. The high speeds, combined with water bars and wind, always make the Sea Otter Super D interesting. The men’s race was close; Decker pulled away in the final stretch to take the win.
In women’s racing, Emmett topped a small pro women’s field, powering her Giant Anthem X Advanced SL bike to a third Sea Otter Super D win in the past four years.
“I was leading up that first climb and I could see I was starting to get reeled in,” said Emmett. “So I made a big surge there. I kind of got a gap and just rode my race from there.”
GIANT RIDERS PREP FOR DH WORLD CUP
8th April 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
With the season approaching, Duncan Riffle and Danny Hart dial in new gear and fine tune their trainingWith new recruits Duncan Riffle and Danny Hart leading the way, the downhill racing contingent of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team has a whole new look for 2010. With their focus turned to the 2010 World Cup Downhill Series, Riffle and Hart spent a good portion of March training and prepping in Southern California.
“It’s been super motivating,” said Riffle, a two-time U.S. Downhill National Champion. “I’ve never had such a positive off-season of development and training. Just knowing I have such a great support structure behind me is really exciting.”
The entire Giant Factory Off-Road team gathered for team camp at the renowned Woodward West action sports facility in Tehachapi, California, the first two weeks in March. In addition to training, they spent time getting their new Giant race bikes dialled in and exploring local trails. Riffle, who lives in Santa Barbara, California, played tour guide to his teammates including Hart who lives in Redcar, England.
Hart, the winner of the Downhill World Cup Junior Series last year, had dreamed of riding Woodward’s parks and trails since he was an 8-year-old BMX competitor. His trip to Giant Team Camp was his first opportunity to ride mountain bikes in the U.S.
During camp, both Riffle and Hart trained under the watchful eye of the team’s downhill coach Oscar Saiz. The veteran World Cup downhill racer and former Giant Global Team rider from Spain will work with the two young riders during the World Cup season, which takes place primarily in Europe. Saiz will lend his technical expertise and valuable course knowledge to Riffle and Hart throughout the season.
Riffle said that kind of support is a welcome change. “That’s what’s been missing for me in the past,” he said. “I’ve never been part of anything this big. This season I want to utilise this support and get a real firm grasp on the World Cup racing scene. I’ve been right in the mix for a lot of years but becoming a consistent top finisher and podium contender is definitely a goal for me this season.”
At Woodward, Riffle and Hart worked with Saiz performing timed runs and making small adjustments to their Giant Glory bikes and gear. They also met with the media and spent some time riding trails near Riffle’s hometown of Santa Barbara.
Though the start of the World Cup Series is nearly two months away, both Riffle and Hart will be busy this spring with other major events in the U.S. and Europe. Both will compete at the April 16th-18th Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, before embarking on the full World Cup Series, which kicks off on May 15th in Maribor, Slovenia.
March 10
RABOBANK-GIANT FINISHES STRONG IN CAPE EPIC
30th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Off-road riders Lindgren and Giger score two podium finishes at eight-day South African stage raceEmil Lindgren and Fabian Giger of the Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team finished the eight-day Absa Cape Epic stage race on a high note, riding to a second-place finish in the final stage of the March 21st-28th event in South Africa. The duo rode their Giant XtC Advanced SL team bikes to 11th overall in the marathon event, which saw more than 500 two-person teams race 722 gruelling kilometres across South Africa’s Western Cape.
Lindgren and Giger, from Sweden and Switzerland respectively, had two podium finishes at Cape Epic, known to the thousands of off-road racers who attempt to finish it each year as the “Magical and Untamed African MTB Race.” The two finished third in the opening stage, a 117km ride from Diemerfonstein to Ceres, and second in the final Stage 8, a 65km journey through South Africa’s wine country. The final stage finished in front of a large crowd at the Lourensford Wine Estate.
Stage 8, the shortest of the race, featured steep climbs and challenging terrain. The Rabobank-Giant duo had their best performance of the week, finishing second despite suffering mechanical challenges. Lindgren broke his chain and had to repair it.
“I felt amazing, and so did Fabian,” Lindgren said “This is the best stage to get a place on the podium.”
The seventh edition of Cape Epic featured World Cup winners, World Champions and most of the world’s top off-road racers. For the Swedish Lindgren and Swiss Giger, the event offered intense training for the World Cup Series, which kicks off on the 24th of April in Dalby Forest.
“This was awesome preparation for the upcoming season,” Giger told Cyclingnews.com. “We had eight days of suffering and now need to go home to recover, but we’ll definitely be back.”
Rabo Giant Duo Strong at Cape Epic
29th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Emil Lindgren and Fabian Giger of the Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team finished the eight-day Absa Cape Epic stage race on a high note, riding to a second-place finish in the final stage of the March 21-28 event in South Africa. The duo rode their Giant XtC Advanced SL team bikes to 11th overall in the marathon event, which saw more than 500 two-person teams race 722 grueling kilometers across South Africa’s Western Cape.Lindgren and Giger, from Sweden and Switzerland respectively, had two podium finishes at Cape Epic, known to the thousands of off-road racers who attempt to finish it each year as the “Magical and Untamed African MTB Race.” The two finished third in the opening stage, a 117km ride from Diemerfonstein to Ceres, and second in the final Stage 8, a 65km journey through South Africa’s wine country. The final stage finished in front of a large crowd at the Lourensford Wine Estate.
Stage 8, the shortest of the race, featured steep climbs and challenging terrain. The Rabobank-Giant duo had their best performance of the week, finishing second despite suffering mechanical challenges. Lindgren broke his chain and had to repair it.
“I felt amazing, and so did Fabian,” Lindgren said “This is the best stage to get a place on the podium.”
The seventh edition of Cape Epic featured World Cup winners, World Champions and most of the world’s top off-road racers. For the Swedish Lindgren and Swiss Giger, the event offered intense training for the World Cup Series, which kicks off April 24 in Great Britain.
“This was awesome preparation for the upcoming season,” Giger told Cyclingnews.com. “We had eight days of suffering and now need to go home to recover, but we’ll definitely be back.”
&Giger_Cape8.jpg)
BECKINGSALE WINS AT SHERWOOD
29th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Oli Beckingsale shows his strength at British MTB Series R1Oli Beckingsale rode to victory this weekend in the first round of the British Mountain Bike Series at Sherwood Pines in Nottinghamshire. On a flat and fast course not well suited to strong climber Oli, he controlled the race from start to finish as others gradually struggled to maintain his consistently fast pace.
Choosing to ride his light and efficient Giant Anthem X Advanced SL, Oli made the break from the start as part of a six strong group of front runners which was gradually cut to just two riders approaching the final lap. Welshman Lee Williams rode to second place 28 seconds behind winner Oli, followed by David Fletcher. Adrian Lansley, riding for PedalOn.co.uk finished in 5th position. For full race results and write up visit BritishCycling.org.uk
The unexpected sunny weather not only kept the race course fast but also helped keep demo riders happy as they experienced Giant’s Maestro suspension technology first hand on a specially designed demo circuit. Giant demo rides are available at each of the British Mountain Bike Series events this year – all for free; simply come along between 10am and 3pm on Saturday or Sunday with photo id and a credit card, along with a helmet which is required to ride and you can experience the latest Giant bikes and test them against the competition.
Along with free demo rides, camping is available at each round and you can enjoy watching the UK’s top cross country riders in action, or if you are feeling really adventurous then why not enter one of the race categories! To learn more and to find out about the next event visit BritishXC.com
ENGLAND RUGBY SUPERSTAR'S GIANT TWICKENHAM RETURN
24th March 2010 - filed under Giant
Dallaglio returns to the home of English rugbyThe Giant Store - Twickenham recently took a very special delivery from England Rugby Union superstar Lawrence Dallaglio. The famous face returned his custom designed Giant Defy Advanced road bicycle recently used to complete the Cycle Slam challenge in aid of Sport Relief and the newly formed Dallaglio Foundation.
The specillay designed Giant Defy Advanced bike bearing the iconic No. 8 carried the England superstar on his gruelling 2888km journey between each of the Six Nations stadiums. The team of Cycle Slam riders left Rome on 12th February in unexpected snow; the first seen there for more than 25 years! Dallaglio navigated the team through Northern Italy and Southern France before arriving at the Stade de France in Paris on 22nd February.
The cyclists were delighted to hit familiar turf two days later as they embarked on the stretch to Twickenham, navigating the roads of Southern England. At Twickenham Stadium they were greeted by HRH Prince Harry who had arrived to offer the ride his full support. They then continued onto the Millennium Stadium, Croke Park and finally Murrayfield on 12th March.
“I’ve ridden a fair few Giants now and they’re all pretty awesome,” said Lawrence, “but this one is the best of the lot. If you’re going to be riding a bike constantly for a month, you want something that’s going to be light, fast, comfortable and reliable. The Defy and I were inseparable eight hours a day for four weeks, so we know each other pretty well now!”
The ride has raised nearly £1 million already, with all proceeds split equally between Sport Relief and the Dallaglio Foundation, whose beneficiaries include Cancer Research, DebRA, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Help for Heroes and the RPA Benevolent Fund.
To learn more about the incredible journey and to make a donation, please visit dallagliocycleslam.com
GIANT'S STP 1 GET'S 'WRECKED & RATED'
22nd March 2010 - filed under Product
"Giant's STP 1 is an agile yet surefooted trail bomb!"Giant's STP 1 was Wrecked & Rated in MBUK Magazine's April 'Fun Bike Face Off' and Giant's latest STP is "slicker and sharper-looking but still delivers a ride with standout agility and great attitude"
"Giant are one of the world's biggest and most advanced alloy frame producers and they haven't skimped on the plumbing quality of the STP"
Features such as the reinforcing plate on the offside seatstay to combat disc brake torque, the ring-reinforced headset tube and the moulded Giant logo point to a ride that is designed to perform some serious gravity defying tricks!
"Giant have a great reputation for getting their specialist bikes absolutely bang on - often with a radical edge that you might not have expected such a big company to take a chance on. The STP is a cracking example of that with an immediate, agile and reflex reactive ride that grabs you and shakes you awake straight away."
Check out the full review in the latest MBUK.
FREIRE WINS BIG AT MILAN-SAN REMO!
22nd March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank sprinter scores third career win at Italian sprinters’ classicEvery sprinter dreams of winning Milan-San Remo, one of only five “Monuments” in cycling’s annual one-day Classics. Now, after a brilliant ride at the 101st edition of the Italian race known as La Primavera, Rabobank’s Oscar Freire has three Milan-San Remo titles to his name.
Freire played it perfectly to win the longest race on the UCI calendar, staying in contention throughout the gruelling 298-kilometre race, and then powering his Giant TCR Advanced SL to victory on the famed Via Roma finishing stretch in San Remo.
Freire’s Rabobank teammates worked for him in the early stages of the seven-hour race, and the Spaniard took care of the rest. He marked the race favourites over the critical Cipressa and Poggio climbs, which both occur in the final 25 kilometres, and then fought for position in the final selection of about 25 riders.
The cagey Spanish veteran put himself right behind a lead-out train being set up by Daniel Bennati’s Liquigas team, and then made an explosive acceleration at exactly the right time. Freire then held off race favourites Tom Boonen of Belgium and Alessandro Petacchi of Italy, who finished second and third respectively.
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Freire wins big at Milan-San Remo!
20th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Every sprinter dreams of winning Milan-San Remo, one of only five “Monuments” in cycling’s annual one-day Classics. Now, after a brilliant ride at the 101st edition of the Italian race known as La Primavera, Rabobank’s Oscar Freire has three Milan-San Remo titles to his name.Freire played it perfectly to win the longest race on the UCI calendar, staying in contention throughout the grueling 298-kilometer race, and then powering his Giant TCR Advanced SL to victory on the famed Via Roma finishing stretch in San Remo.
Freire’s Rabobank teammates worked for him in the early stages of the seven-hour race, and the Spaniard took care of the rest. He marked the race favorites over the critical Cipressa and Poggio climbs, which both occur in the final 25 kilometers, and then fought for position in the final selection of about 25 riders.
The cagey Spanish veteran put himself right behind a lead-out train being set up by Daniel Bennati’s Liquigas team, and then made an explosive acceleration at exactly the right time. Freire then held off race favorites Tom Boonen of Belgium and Alessandro Petacchi of Italy, who finished second and third respectively.
RIDE GIANT AT SHERWOOD PINES
18th March 2010 - filed under Giant
The British Mountain Bike Demo Series recently cranked into action at Glentress and next weekend sees the beginning of the racing action At Sherwood Pines, NottinghamshireRiders travelled far and wide to come along to Scotland and demo the latest Giant Maestro Suspension equipped models along with the big wheeled Giant XtC 29’ers, and they were rewarded with sunshine, great riding trails and a great day out – all free of charge!
To get involved in the next demo event simply come along to Sherwood Pines on the 27th & 28th March and bring a valid photo id (drivers license or passport) and valid corresponding bank card, as well as a helmet (required to ride) and you are free to test ride Giant’s award winning Maestro Suspension bikes between 10am and 4pm with the last ride leaving at 3pm.
That’s not all though – if you’ve never experienced the thrill of fast paced cross-country mountain bike racing this is your chance! Saturday night see’s the explosive Team Relay event get under way, so why not make a full day of it and watch 10 teams of 4 riders in a giant game of tag as they pedal furiously to grab the top podium spot and with it a handsome reward!
Whether you choose to compete or simply sit back, relax and watch Sunday’s main race, you’ll enjoy witnessing over 700 mountain bikers battle to win the first British Mountain Bike Series race of 2010. Among them will be Commonwealth silver medallist and multiple Olympian Oli Beckingsale who will be aiming to ride his Giant Anthem X Advanced SL to early 2010 glory. For all those budding youngsters eager to be the next Oli Beckingsale there will be a free under 12 children’s race on Sunday afternoon which offers a taste of the action on a shortened version of the course.
World Champion Downhill rider Steve Peat is due to attend on Saturday and there is free camping available all weekend so if you’ve never experienced mountain biking before or if you’re a seasoned enthusiast there’s something on offer for all! For more details about the Sherwood Pines event and for information about the British Mountain Bike Series visit BritishXC.com.
GESINK SHINES IN ITALY
17th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank leader scores Best Young Rider win at Tirreno-Adriatico stage raceExcelling on tough climbs, avoiding crashes and surviving miserable weather, Rabobank’s Robert Gesink emerged as the Best Young Rider at the March 10-16 Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in Italy. Gesink, Rabobank’s 23-year-old up-and-coming star, finished fifth overall, 27 seconds behind race winner Stefano Garzelli of Italy.
This year’s seven-day Tirreno-Adriatico, known as “The Race of the Two Seas,” opened with three sprint stages, but it was the marathon Stage 4, a grueling six-and-a-half hour, 243-kilometre race from San Gemini to Chieti that saw the top overall riders emerge. Gesink rode brilliantly, powering up the final climb on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike to a seventh-place stage finish.
That Stage 4 performance put Gesink second in the Young Rider classification, 3 seconds behind Colombian Rigoberto Uran.
Gesink excelled again on Stage 4, which had to be shortened due to snow blocking some of the route. With more steep climbs on the 216-kilometre route from Chieti to Colmurano, Gesink finished sixth and took over the white jersey of the Best Young Rider. He went on to defend that lead over the final two days, moving up a couple spots to end the race fifth overall on General Classification.
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Gesink shines in Italy
16th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Excelling on tough climbs, avoiding crashes and surviving miserable weather, Rabobank’s Robert Gesink emerged as the Best Young Rider at the March 10-16 Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in Italy. Gesink, Rabobank’s 23-year-old up-and-coming star, finished fifth overall, 27 seconds behind race winner Stefano Garzelli of Italy.This year’s seven-day Tirreno-Adriatico, known as “The Race of the Two Seas,” opened with three sprint stages, but it was the marathon Stage 4, a grueling six-and-a-half hour, 243-kilometer race from San Gemini to Chieti that saw the top overall riders emerge. Gesink rode brilliantly, powering up the final climb on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike to a seventh-place stage finish.
That Stage 4 performance put Gesink second in the Young Rider classification, 3 seconds behind Colombian Rigoberto Uran.
Gesink excelled again on Stage 4, which had to be shortened due to snow blocking some of the route. With more steep climbs on the 216-kilometer route from Chieti to Colmurano, Gesink finished sixth and took over the white jersey of the Best Young Rider. He went on to defend that lead over the final two days, moving up a couple spots to end the race fifth overall on General Classification.
BOOM SCORES MAJOR WIN AT PARIS-NICE PROLOGUE
9th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank’s versatile young talent upsets favourites in prestigious French stage race openerLess than two months after he won the 2010 Dutch National Cyclo-cross Championship, Rabobank’s Lars Boom proved his versatility once again, winning the opening prologue time trial stage at Paris-Nice. Boom powered his Giant Trinity Advanced SL team bike through the 8-kilometre course in 10:56, 3 seconds faster than runner-up Jens Voigt of Germany.
With the win, Boom secured the yellow leader’s jersey of the eight-day race, which began on Sunday 7th March in Monfort-l’Amaury, just outside Paris, and travels south toward its March 14 finish in Nice.
Known as “The Race to the Sun,” Paris-Nice is viewed as the most important stage race so far this season. Many of the sport’s top stars are competing, including two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who finished fourth in the prologue, 6 seconds off Boom’s winning time.
Rabobank will begin its defense of the yellow jersey in Monday’s Stage 1, a 201.5-kilometre race south from Saint-Arnout-en-Yvelines to Contrest.
Boom wins Paris-Nice prologue!
7th March 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Less than two months after he won the 2010 Dutch National Cyclo-cross Championship, Rabobank’s Lars Boom proved his versatility once again, winning the opening prologue time trial stage at Paris-Nice. Boom powered his Giant Trinity Advanced SL team bike through the 8-kilometer course in 10:56, 3 seconds faster than runner-up Jens Voigt of Germany.With the win, Boom secured the yellow leader’s jersey of the eight-day race, which began Sunday, March 7 in Monfort-l’Amaury, just outside of Paris, and travels south over toward its March 14 finish in Nice.
Known as “The Race to the Sun,” Paris-Nice is viewed as the most important stage race so far this season. Many of the sport’s top stars are competing, including two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who finished fourth in the prologue, 6 seconds off Boom’s winning time.
Rabobank will begin its defense of the yellow jersey in Monday’s Stage 1, a 201.5-kilometer race south from Saint-Arnout-en-Yvelines to Contrest.
February 10
RABOBANK STARTS BELGIAN SEASON OFF STRONG WITH PODIUM FINISH AT KUURNE-BRUSSELS-KUURNE
28th February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Dutch rider Rick Flens battles to second at Belgian semi-classicThe 2010 Spring Classics season is underway, and 26-year-Dutchman Rick Flens put Rabobank on the podium with a gutsy second-place finish at the 63rd Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in Belgium on Sunday, February 28.
On a wet, miserable day that saw just 26 of the 198 starters finish the 194-kilometre race, Flens made the winning three-man break and then sprinted to second place behind fellow Dutch rider Bobbie Traksel.
Rabobank riders were active in both the weekend’s Belgian semi-classic races—Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Together, the two races mark the start of the season in Belgium. Both Lars Boom, a former Cyclo-Cross World Champion, and Nick Nuyens, a Belgian veteran of the classics, launched attacks for Rabobank in Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. And on Sunday Flens rode his Giant TCR Advanced SL to one of the best finishes of his three-year professional career.
The Belgian classics season gets fully underway in March, with races such as Ghent-Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Boom and the rest of his Rabobank teammates will be part of the action throughout the spring season.
PROJECT BOOM
25th February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabo’s Dutch cyclo-cross champ turns his attention to the Spring ClassicsAt 24, Lars Boom is already on his way to owning one of the most complete trophy collections of any professional cyclist. The Dutch Rabobank rider from Vlijmen has won multiple Cyclo-cross World Championships, a major European stage race and a stage at the Vuelta a España. He even donned the climber’s jersey for a day at the 2009 Vuelta, his first grand tour.
Few other riders can claim such success in both the mud-splattered Northern European Lowlands and the arid mountains of Spain.
Now Boom is setting his sights on the races he has long dreamed of: the mighty Spring Classics. “I want to do the big races,” Boom told CyclingNews.com at the conclusion of his rookie pro road racing season last Autumn. “Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold—they are the ones that motivate me.”
This past year has been a transitional one for Boom. After dominating cyclo-cross at every level—winning World Championships as a junior, Under-23 and Elite Professional—he announced his aspirations in road racing. It was no great shock—Boom had already dabbled on the road as an amateur, and he rode to the 2007 U-23 Time Trial World Championship in Spain.
Boom’s road to the Spring Classics began in earnest a year ago, when he was called up from Rabobank’s Continental Team to the ProTour squad. He proved a quick learner, riding his Giant TCR Advanced SL to his first major stage-race victory at the five-day Tour of Belgium in May.
In August Boom embarked on his first grand tour, the three-week Tour of Spain, and on the 15th stage he launched a daring solo attack on the day’s key climb. Boom held on for the win, claiming another first: a grand tour stage win. He went on to finish 15th overall.
The transition to road racing was proving a success.
As the 2009 road season concluded last Autumn, Boom found himself in unfamiliar territory. Instead of his usual autumn routine of ramping up for cyclo-cross, he began prepping for this year’s Spring Classics. Hurdling barriers and skidding across frozen cow fields would have to wait for now. Instead, he headed south to pile up base miles in the mild temperatures.
Boom admits it felt strange. “In January, instead of getting ready for the Cyclocross World Championships in the Czech Republic, I was doing six-hour road rides in Spain,” he said. “I watched the cyclo-cross races from the hotel on my laptop computer.”
Though his focus is clearly on the upcoming road season, Boom still managed a short midwinter return to cyclo-cross. His 2010 ’cross season lasted exactly eight days, during which he raced twice.
The second of those two races was the Dutch National Championships in Heerlen. Boom showed up at the January 10 race to defend his National Champion’s jersey, and as he rolled to the start line in frigid temperatures, it was immediately clear he wasn’t messing around. He rode a matte-black prototype Giant TCX composite cyclo-cross bike. Gerben de Knegt, his Rabobank teammate, had one too.
Sure enough, after a hard-fought battle, Boom and de Knegt finished first and second. It was an important milestone in the prototyping phase of the next-generation composite TCX. When it comes to developing new technologies, this is how Giant does it. Nothing beats product testing under the most demanding conditions possible, and the feedback from athlete partners like Boom is critical to the process.
“The new compositeTCX is a big step forward,” Boom said. “It’s lightweight, stiff, and handled incredibly well in some challenging conditions.”
Then, just like that, Boom’s ’cross season was over. He placed his fifth Dutch National Cyclo-cross medal in the trophy case, hung up the TCX, and caught a flight back to Spain.
As Rabobank team training camp commenced in mid-January in Spain, Boom swung a leg over his other composite race rig, the Giant TCR Advanced SL. It’s the bike he rode to victory at the Vuelta last September and the one he’ll rely on as he takes to the cobbles this spring.
Created and developed at C-Tech, Giant’s composite engineering think tank, the TCR Advanced SL features a laundry list of technical innovations that have allowed the bike, and Rabobank pros like Boom, to redefine the rules of performance.
It starts with the material, a raw composite called T-800 that’s meticulously woven at Giant’s own composite factory. Giant takes that material and employs it’s unique, unparalleled construction techniques to produce a bike that best balances the three most desired traits for grueling 260-kilometre races like Paris-Roubaix: weight, stiffness and comfort.
And the crux of the story is this: Boom and every one of his Rabobank teammates will roar into the Spring Classics with the confidence that comes from knowing Giant has carefully conceived and controlled every step of the process from which the bikes are born. Materials, engineering, design, construction, prototyping. No other major bike brand can claim the same.
Project Boom, target Spring Classics. It’s all systems go.
Freire strikes again!
25th February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Oscar Freire chalked up another win for Rabobank, scoring his second straight stage victory at Stage 3 of the Ruta del Sol stage race through southern Spain. Freire survived a tough, hilly 162.5-kilometer race from Marbella to Benahavis, and sped past Grega Bole (Lampre) and Simon Gerrans (Sky) to win the final sprint on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike.Despite riding without Laurens Ten Dam, who was injured in a crash near the finish of Stage 2, the Rabobank team controlled the race, setting the pace over the final 15 kilometers and putting Freire in position to contest the final sprint.
Freire, the three-time world champion from Spain, is off to his best season start in years. The Stage 3 win at La Ruta, a traditional early-season stage race in Spain, was his third victory of the season.
Stage 4, a 10.9-kilometer time trial, is expected to be decisive in the General Classification. The race concludes on Thursday, February 25.
FREIRE STRIKES AGAIN!
23rd February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Spanish sprinter scores second straight stage win for Rabobank at Ruta del SolOscar Freire chalked up another win for Rabobank, scoring his second straight stage victory at Stage 3 of the Ruta del Sol stage race through southern Spain. Freire survived a tough, hilly 162.5-kilometre race from Marbella to Benahavis, and sped past Grega Bole (Lampre) and Simon Gerrans (Sky) to win the final sprint on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike.
Despite riding without Laurens Ten Dam, who was injured in a crash near the finish of Stage 2, the Rabobank team controlled the race, setting the pace over the final 15 kilometres and putting Freire in position to contest the final sprint.
Freire, the three-time world champion from Spain, is off to his best season start in years. The Stage 3 win at La Ruta, a traditional early-season stage race in Spain, was his third victory of the season.
Stage 4, a 10.9-kilometre time trial, is expected to be decisive in the General Classification. The race concludes on Thursday, February 25.
FREIRE SPRINTS TO STAGE WIN IN SPAIN
22nd February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank rider scores his second win of the season at Ruta del Sol stage raceRabobank’s Spanish sprinter Oscar Freire surprised German Robert Wagner with a come-from-behind sprint victory in Stage 2 of the Ruta del Sol stage race in Córdoba, Spain.
Freire timed his sprint perfectly, powering his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike past a surprised Wagner at the finish of the 182.2-kilometre stage. In beating some of the world’s top sprinters, including Brit Mark Cavendish who was fourth, Freire showed the top form that has earned him three world championship titles.
Now in its 56th year, the Ruta del Sol is a traditional early-season stage race in Spain. Freire won the overall here in 2007, and another Rabobank rider, Joost Posthuma, won the race last year.
This year’s five-day Ruta del Sol travels through southern Spain, concluding February 25. Riders face a hilly 162.5-kilometre route in Stage 3 and a decisive 10.9-kilometre time trial on Stage 4.
PUTS THE FUN BACK INTO EVERY RIDE
19th February 2010 - filed under Product
Recently What Mountain Bike tested Giant’s Anthem X 4 scoring it a massive 4.5 stars, now MBUK have Wrecked & Rated the same ride in their March issue.First up Workshop Wisdom praises Giant’s Maestro Suspension System which lies at the heart of every Giant full suspension bike;
“It’s neat, beautifully engineered and arguably one of the most elegant suspension systems currently on the market”
“The Maestro rear end manages what all suspension systems attempt and few achieve – small bump suppleness, big hit versatility and a ‘connected’ trail feel..”
The ‘wallet-friendly’ Anthem X doesn’t just have the suspension performance, it has the looks and frame design to match;
“The Anthem X 4’s clean lines hide subtly hydroformed tubing that put’s aluminium where it’s needed for strength or stiffness and removes it where it’s not”
Combine a ‘svelte’ frame taking advantage of Giant’s ‘unparalelled’ access to ‘cutting edge manufacturing technology’, an ‘impressive’ shock and fork and an uncompromising spec and you get another test winner with another 4.5 stars!
“Giant’s superb Anthem X platform puts the fun back into every ride, providing a light, torsionally rigid and extremely supple suspension system. Simply put it’s peerless..”
GIANT ANNOUNCES MAJOR EXPANSION OF ITS PRO MTB PROGRAM
12th February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
New Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team and expanded Giant Factory Off-Road Team will feature top cross-country and downhill athletesWith the addition of the all-new Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team, which will focus on World Cup, cross-country and cyclo-cross racing, plus an expanded Giant Factory Off-Road Team, Giant is dramatically increasing its mountain bike racing presence in 2010.
Between the two teams, Giant has assembled a diverse group of off-road athletes including Olympians, world champions and freeride stars. All play critical roles in Giant’s continued commitment to develop and test Maestro-equipped suspension bikes, XtC hardtails and TCX cyclo-cross bikes in the demanding conditions of professional competition.
The newest component of Giant’s off-road program is the Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team. With four full-time XC racers, including U.S. Olympian Adam Craig, this will be a year-round global operation supporting XC riders during the mountain biking season and cyclo-cross riders in the fall and winter.
“From an athlete’s standpoint, it’s the ideal setup,” Craig said. “There are certain similarities between cross-country mountain biking and cyclo-cross, and there’s always some athlete cross-over between the two disciplines. So structuring it under one team makes sense.”
For the 2010 mountain bike season, Craig will be joined by a trio of talented young XC racers: Emil Lindren (Sweden), Fabian Giger (Switzerland) and Henk Jaap Moorlag (The Netherlands). All are all under 25 and rising through the ranks of World Cup XC competition.
“I’m thrilled Giant is stepping up its commitment through the new partnership with Rabobank on the off-road side of things,” Craig added. “Both brands have been committed to racing for a long time—it’s an honour for me to be a part of this new partnership.”
Giant Factory Off-Road Team Expands
In addition to the new team, the Giant Factory Off-Road Team is expanding for 2010. The roster includes two new gravity racing talents who will compete globally on the World Cup circuit: two-time U.S. Downhill Champion Duncan Riffle and 18-year-old British downhiller Danny Hart, winner of the 2009 World Cup DH Junior series and bronze medalist at the 2009 World Junior Downhill Championships.
Riffle, 23, is currently ranked 21st in the UCI world downhill rankings and looking forward to focusing on the most prestigious international downhill events.
“I’ve always been a fan of Giant bikes and I can’t wait to hit the 2010 World Cup series on the new Giant Glory,” Riffle said. “To be successful on the World Cup circuit, you need the right equipment and the right support, and I know I’ll have that.”
The other Giant Factory Off-Road Team rider with a global agenda is 2008 Red Bull Rampage silver medalist Kurt Sorge. The 21-year-old Canadian has developed into a household name in slopestyle and freeride competition and will headline the biggest freeride competitions and films in 2010.
Four other Giant Factory Off-Road Team riders will have a continental focus in 2010. One is Australian Jared Rando, a veteran Australian DH and slalom racer who medaled at both the Sea Otter Classic and Crankworx events last year. Rando will focus on Australian and North American events and will continue to play an important role in Giant’s product development efforts.
Three familiar names make up the cross-country contingent of the Giant Factory Off-Road Team. Former U.S. National Champions Carl Decker and Kelli Emmett will each continue to focus on North American XC and Super D racing, and British Olympian Oli Beckingsale will compete primarily in U.K. and European XC events.
With two teams canvassing every major event in mountain biking, Giant looks forward to its biggest year yet in off-road competition.
Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team
Adam Craig (USA), XC, ST
Fabian Giger (Switzerland), XC
Henk Jaap Moorlag (The Netherlands), XC
Emil Lindren (Sweden), XC
Giant Factory Off-Road Team
Oli Beckingsale (Great Britain), XC, ST
Carl Decker (USA), XC, ST, Super D
Kelli Emmett (USA), XC, ST, Super D
Danny Hart (Great Britain), 4X, DH, DS
Jared Rando (Australia), 4X, DH, DS
Duncan Riffle (USA), 4X, DH, DS
Kurt Sorge (Canada), Freeride
PRO CYCLING TEST THE WORLD'S FASTEST BIKE
11th February 2010 - filed under Product
"The performance of Rabobank's TT bike matches it's superb looks"Giant's futuristic Trinity Advanced SL features in Pro Cycling's Season Preview edition and tester Ellis Bacon soon discovered that The World's Fastest Bike's incredible looks are matched by it's incredible performance.
The space age machine was piloted to Giro d'Italia victory in 2009 by Rabobank's Denis Menchov, despite a dramatic Time Trial fall in the final stage, and is now available to anyone wanting to beat the clock and the competition.
"The Trinity Advanced is an impressively fast package, which lives up to it's billing out on the road"
The 'eye-catching' machine was tested in it's SL2 format, running Giant's own rims and new 6700 Ultegra and 'begged to be given it's chance to shine'.
Pro Cycling Season Preview is on sale now. For your neares stockist of the Giant Trinity Advanced SL click the 'DEALERS' tab at the top of the page.
PRETTY PERFECT
11th February 2010 - filed under Product
Giant’s new Trance X Advanced SL 0 goes through Singletrack Magazine’s ‘Grinder’ in the February issue which is currently on sale. Five weeks of intensive everyday testing later and Giant’s ‘phenominally light’ 5 inch Maestro equipped, trail taming monster left tester Matt Letch grinning.The Trance X Advanced SL has a ‘very strong, very light’ frame thanks to the specially produced T800 raw carbon coming from Giant’s own C-Tech facility andadvanced construction techniques;
“Aesthetically the front end looks very tough with huge main tubes and tapered headtube, it looks like it could handle anything!”
Giant’s Maestro suspension platform which is fully active over all types of terrain and unaffected by pedalling or braking forces let Matt fly up ascents with ease and he ‘even had some breath to speak’ as he climbed;
“With the recent weather we’ve had, it’s ability to grip uphill on icy cobbles is incredible: while others had got off in disgust as their bikes spat traction this just kept going”
A bike that is so good at climbing could be excused for being a little twitchy on the descents but no need for excuses for the Trance X Advanced SL;
“..the rear suspension is so active it just swallowed up anything; rocks, roots, the lot.”
The finishing is ‘basically a wish list of top-notch kit’, with Giant’s new Contact SLR XC Riser Bar’s feeling ‘bang on’. All in all ‘it’s a great, light bike.’
“..the suspension is so capable of swallowing stuff relative to it’s travel it’s surprising what it’ll ride through…it’s totally capable of being raced on and you’re not going to be able to blame the bike if you’re not in the top ten.”
FREIRE RIDES GIANT TO HIS FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON
9th February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank’s three-time World Champion scores stage win at Spanish season openerRabobank’s Oscar Freire claimed his first win of the 2010 season on Monday, outsprinting the field in the second day of racing at the five-day Mallorca Challenge in Spain.
The three-time World Champion outsprinted German André Greipel (HTC-Columbia) on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike to take the Trofeo Cala Millor stage in his home nation of Spain. It was the 32-year-old’s eighth career win at the Mallorca Challenge, the traditional season opener in Spain.
Freire’s win, over one of the world’s fastest sprinters, marked a promising start to the 2010 season—especially after an injury-shortened 2009 during which he only scored two wins.
“To begin the season with a victory always gives you motivation,” Freire said. “I’ve achieved a win without being in top form, so I am happy.”
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Freire scores his first win of 2010
8th February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Rabobank’s Oscar Freire claimed his first win of the 2010 season on Monday, outsprinting the field in the second day of racing at the five-day Mallorca Challenge in Spain.The three-time World Champion outsprinted German André Greipel (HTC-Columbia) on his Giant TCR Advanced SL team bike to take the Trofeo Cala Millor stage in his home nation of Spain. It was the 32-year-old’s eighth career win at the Mallorca Challenge, the traditional season opener in Spain.
Freire’s win, over one of the world’s fastest sprinters, marked a promising start to the 2010 season—especially after an injury-shortened 2009 during which he only scored two wins.
“To begin the season with a victory always gives you motivation,” Freire said. “I’ve achieved a win without being in top form, so I am happy.”
TWICKENHAM STAGES GIANT ARRIVAL
4th February 2010 - filed under EVENTS
It’s a cycling revolution, as new bicycle store - Giant Store - Twickenham opens its doors for business. The latest brand store experience begins with a ring of your bell as global big boys “Giant” open their fourth brand store right here in London.
Open for business from 30th January, the Giant store aims to offer consumers a whole new cycling experience.
Bruce Berkely, Manager of The Giant Store - Twickenham commented, “…we are working in partnership with our friends at Giant to bring the people of Twickenham a cycle shop experience second-to-none with the best selection of bikes around, we aim to set the standards of modern retailing… in our store it’s all about the consumer..”
Taiwanese owned Giant is the largest manufacturer of bicycles in the world, globally responsible for making around 5.6 million bicycles a year. President of Giant, Tony Lo commented, ”…the location is perfect and the store looks great, genuinely representing the Giant Cycling World.”
The Giant store offers something for all whether experienced cyclists, city commuters or budding enthusiasts, it’s all about giving it a go and if you are not certain we actively encourage all customers to demo a bicycle.
Giant UK Marketing Manager, Collette Clensy said, “I’m delighted that our fourth UK brand store is open… I think this store will be welcomed by all locals, as they enjoy the healthier side of life and get right into the cycling culture”
The new store opened at 111 Heath Road, Twickenham, TW1 4AF on Saturday 30th January.
GRIVELL-MELLOR RIDES GIANT AT WORLD CYCLO CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS
4th February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Selected for the first time for the Great Britain - Sky Cycling Team, Luke Grivell - Mellor was placed 50th in the World Cyclo Cross Championships at Tabor recently, riding his Giant TCX frameset sponsored by Dave Mellor Cycles of Shrewsbury.The start in Cyclo Cross is all important and Luke started from the back row in 64th position and rode and ran strongly to move up the field for his final finish position. The race was won by a local Czech rider very much at home in the icy conditions, who was joined in the top 10 by riders who all started on the first two rows.
Luke is enthusiastic about making the team next year and is hoping to travel to Europe prior to next years Championship to gain vital ranking points and get that all important front row start row position.
Boom: Crossing over
1st February 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
At 24, Lars Boom is already on his way to owning one of the most complete trophy collections of any professional cyclist. The Dutch Rabobank rider from Vlijmen has won multiple Cyclo-cross World Championships, a major European stage race and a stage at the Vuelta a España. He even donned the climber’s jersey for a day at the 2009 Vuelta, his first grand tour.Few other riders can claim such success in both the mud-splattered Northern European Lowlands and the arid mountains of Spain.
Now Boom is setting his sights on the races he has long dreamed of: the mighty Spring Classics. “I want to do the big races,” Boom told CyclingNews.com at the conclusion of his rookie pro road racing season last fall. “Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold—they are the ones that motivate me.”
This past year has been a transitional one for Boom. After dominating cyclo-cross at every level—winning World Championships as a junior, Under-23 and Elite Professional—he announced his aspirations in road racing. It was no great shock—Boom had already dabbled on the road as an amateur, and he rode to the 2007 U-23 Time Trial World Championship in Spain.
Boom’s road to the spring classics began in earnest a year ago, when he was called up from Rabobank’s Continental Team to the ProTour squad. He proved a quick learner, riding his Giant TCR Advanced SL to his first major stage-race victory at the five-day Tour of Belgium in May.
In August Boom embarked on his first grand tour, the three-week Tour of Spain, and on the 15th stage he launched a daring solo attack on the day’s key climb. Boom held on for the win, claiming another first: a grand tour stage win. He went on to finish 15th overall.
The transition to road racing was proving a success.
As the 2009 road season concluded last fall, Boom found himself in unfamiliar territory. Instead of his usual autumn routine of ramping up for cyclo-cross, he began prepping for this year’s spring classics. Hurdling barriers and skidding across frozen cow fields would have to wait for now. Instead, he headed south to pile up base miles in the mild temperatures.
Boom admits it felt strange. “In January, instead of getting ready for the Cyclocross World Championships in the Czech Republic, I was doing six-hour road rides in Spain,” he said. “I watched the cyclo-cross races from the hotel on my laptop computer.”
Though his focus is clearly on the upcoming road season, Boom still managed a short midwinter return to cyclo-cross. His 2010 ’cross season lasted exactly eight days, during which he raced twice.
The second of those two races was the Dutch National Championships in Heerlen. Boom showed up at the January 10 race to defend his National Champion’s jersey, and as he rolled to the start line in frigid temperatures, it was immediately clear he wasn’t messing around. He rode a matte-black prototype Giant TCX composite cyclo-cross bike. Gerben de Knegt, his Rabobank teammate, had one too.
Sure enough, after a hard-fought battle, Boom and de Knegt finished first and second. It was an important milestone in the prototyping phase of the next-generation composite TCX. When it comes to developing new technologies, this is how Giant does it. Nothing beats product testing under the most demanding conditions possible, and the feedback from athlete partners like Boom is critical to the process.
“The new composite TCX is a big step forward,” Boom said. “It’s lightweight, stiff, and handled incredibly well in some challenging conditions.”
Then, just like that, Boom’s ’cross season was over. He placed his fifth Dutch National Cyclo-cross medal in the trophy case, hung up the TCX, and caught a flight back to Spain.
As Rabobank team training camp commenced in mid-January in Spain, Boom swung a leg over his other composite race rig, the Giant TCR Advanced SL. It’s the bike he rode to victory at the Vuelta last September and the one he’ll rely on as he takes to the cobbles this spring.
Created and developed at C-Tech, Giant’s composite engineering think tank, the TCR Advanced SL features a laundry list of technical innovations that have allowed the bike, and Rabobank pros like Boom, to redefine the rules of performance.
It starts with the material, a raw composite called T-800 that’s meticulously woven at Giant’s own composite factory. Giant takes that material and employs its unique, unparalleled construction techniques to produce a bike that best balances the three most desired traits for grueling 260-kilometer races like Paris-Roubaix: weight, stiffness and comfort.
And the crux of the story is this: Boom and every one of his Rabobank teammates will roar into the Spring Classics with the confidence that comes from knowing Giant has carefully conceived and controlled every step of the process from which the bikes are born. Materials, engineering, design, construction, prototyping. No other major bike brand can claim the same.
Project Boom, target Spring Classics. It’s all systems go.
January 10
Rabobank-Giant Off-Road announced
22nd January 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
With the addition of the the all-new Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team, which will focus on World Cup cross-country and cyclo-cross racing, Giant is dramatically increasing its off-road racing presence in 2010.Giant has assembled a diverse group of off-road athletes including Olympians, world champions and national champions to comprise the Rabobank-Giant Off-Road team. With four full-time XC racers, including U.S. Olympian Adam Craig, this will be a year-round global operation supporting XC riders during the mountain biking season and cyclo-cross riders in the fall and winter.
The riders will all play critical roles in Giant’s continued commitment to develop and test Maestro-equipped suspension bikes and TCX cyclo-cross bikes in the demanding conditions of professional competition.
“From an athlete’s standpoint, it’s the ideal setup,” Craig said. “There are certain similarities between cross-country mountain biking and cyclo-cross, and there’s always some athlete cross-over between the two disciplines. So structuring it under one team makes sense.”
For the 2010 mountain bike season, Craig will be joined by a trio of talented young XC racers: Emil Lindgren (Sweden), Fabian Giger (Switzerland) and Henk Jaap Moorlag (The Netherlands). All are all under 25 and rising through the ranks of World Cup XC competition.
“I’m thrilled Giant is stepping up its commitment through the new partnership with Rabobank on the off-road side of things,” Craig added. “Both brands have been committed to racing for a long time—it’s an honor for me to be a part of this new partnership.”
BROWN SPRINTS TO PODIUM FINISH AT TOUR DOWN UNDER STAGE 4
22nd January 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Clement named Most Aggressive as Rabobank riders animate windy day of racing in AustraliaHome favourite Graeme Brown made a strong bid for the win in Stage 4 of the Santos Tour Down Under Friday, attacking first in the final sprint and landing on the podium in third place. The Rabobank rider now sits fifth overall with two days to go in the six-day opening race of the 2010 UCI ProTour.
After a tough, hilly day on Thursday, riders tackled a windy 149.5 kilometre route from Norwood to Goolwa. Reigning Dutch Time Trial Champion Stef Clement put Rabobank in a breakaway early, joining a group of seven on his Giant TCR Advanced SL. The break escaped on the approach to the first King of the Mountain spot.
Later, as the break began to falter in the heavy cross- and headwinds, Clement went it alone, riding off the front to earn the Most Aggressive Rider prize for the day. Clement was eventually caught by the sprinters, and German Andre Greipel was able to edge out Brown and his fellow Aussie Robbie McEwen at the finish.
Saturday’s Stage 5 includes the decisive Old Wilunga Hill, where the overall Tour Down Under winner often emerges.
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LARS BOOM SCORES UPSET WIN AT DUTCH CYCLO-CROSS NATIONALS
11th January 2010 - filed under Teamsriders
Two Rabobank stars finish one-two on prototype Giant TCX bikesFans at the 2010 Dutch Cyclo-cross National Championships were treated to the expected battle of Rabobank stars on a frigid day in The Netherlands on Sunday, January10th—and the winner turned out to be a surprise. Defending champion Lars Boom, 24, outsprinted teammate Gerben de Knegt, earning the right to wear the National Champion’s jersey for another year.
Both Boom and de Knegt rode prototype versions of the composite Giant TCX cyclo-cross bike in Heerlend.
Boom, who has shifted his focus to road racing, rode his first ’cross race of the season last week. The lackluster 22nd place finish at the GP Groenendaal in Sint Michelgestel indicated he wasn’t in top cyclo-cross form.
De Knegt, meanwhile, has shown steady progress throughout the season and was favoured to take the title on Sunday. After two injury-plagued years, the 2006 Dutch National Champion has had a string of top finishes at major international events this year.
Sunday’s race yielded the anticipated battle, with the two Rabobank riders fighting to the finish. In the end, Boom outsprinted his teammate to make one of his only ’cross races of the year one to remember.
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