World Champion to Team S.A.T.S.
World Champion to Team S.A.T.S.
This season, Team S.A.T.S. will be home to many of the top profiles in women’s cycling. The team will be ranked World number 1 on the UCI (International Cycling Union) World ranking when the rankings are made official by the end of January.
Team S.A.T.S. is the only professional women’s cycling team in Scandinavia and never before has Scandinavia seen a women’s team of this stature.
Team S.A.T.S. has succeeded in signing the double, back-to-back World Champion Susanne Ljungskog from Sweden. For years, she has been the absolute top profile in women’s cycling, last year finishing as no. 1 on the individual World rankings, adding to the prestige of her repeat win at the 2003 World Championships.
”I am really looking forward to racing with Team S.A.T.S. in 2004. It is a special year with the Olympics, and the thought of a Scandinavian team really thrills me. It is fantastic that a team from the Nordic countries can be ranked number 1 in the world of cycling, it is something I have always dreamed of. I believe this is the beginning in a new era in women’s cycling in Scandinavia. The team has a great and proven organization with a fine director. These factors and the great team of riders that has been assembled give me a tremendous sense of confidence in the upcoming season”, says the Swedish World Champion Susanne Ljungskog.
Besides Susanne Ljungskog, Team S.A.T.S. has signed several international profiles, including the Norwegian Champion Anita Valen. She is number 6 on the world rankings and was number 7 in the World Championships. Anita is regarded as one of the best sprinters in the World.
The team set out two years ago under the name Team GRACE, with the ambitious goal of becoming the strongest team in the World. This is now reality. The team was founded by the physiologist and former elite-rower Chris MacDonald.
”I have always believed in the idea of putting Denmark on the map in professional women’s cycling. I hope that the team will spark a wave of interest in the wonderful sport of cycling for women, from the recreational level to the professional level. The process has required a tremendous amount of work from the riders and staff alike, and I am proud everyone who has been a part of building this. We have wonderful sponsors and truly enjoy working closely with them. This team has spirit and it is going to be a great year!”, says sports director Chris MacDonald.
Chris MacDonald also expects a lot from the Danish riders, f.ex. the 20 year old sprinter talent Mette Fischer Andreasen and the strong riders Trine Hansen and Christina Peick who gained great experience last year with more than 75 days of racing in international road races. Furthermore, Mette Andersen will be representing Denmark on the mountain bike in the Olympics in Athens.
Team S.A.T.S. will race in all of the great and prestigious races all over the World in 2004, including the entire World Cup series and the Giro d’Italia.
Anita Valen (Norway: Norwegian National Champion, World Number 6, top class sprinter, Team Captain).
Susanne Ljungskog (Sweden: Double World Champion, Swedish National champion, great climber and general classification rider).
Manon Jutras (Canada: absolutely one of the best climbers in the World. Formally from the World Number 1 Team Saturn).
Rochelle Gilmore (Australia: top sprinter, Silver Medial winner in the 2003 World Championships on the track. Rochelle is focused 100% on road racing for the Olympics in Athens).
Emma James (Australia: world class all-around rider, a strong finisher and climber).
Sara Symington (Great Britain: time trial specialist, strong all-around rider.).
Mette Fisher (Denmark: only 20 years old, but has already shown that she is a World Class Sprinter, multiple top 5 placements and a podium position in Tour de France for women).
Trine Hansen (Denmark: great all-around rider, very strong in time trials, placing 8th in the time trial during the Giro d’Italia).
Christina Peick (Denmark: super strong all-around rider, strong climber).
Meredith Miller (USA: strong all-around rider, and stage racer).
Mette Andersen (Denmark: MTB Champion, and Cross Champion, going to OL in MTB)
Karina Sørensen (Denmark: strong all-around rider).
Scandinavia’s largest chain of fitness centers S.A.T.S. continues as the main sponsor for Team. With that said, both S.A.T.S. and the team are looking for additional sponsors who are interested in the long term investment into a new era of female sporting in Scandinavia.
source : Team S.A.T.S.
Page mise en ligne le 15 janvier 2004 par SVP
