I’m getting a little behind as the end of the year approaches. In case you didn’t read it elsewhere already:
SAN CARLOS, Calif. - Dec. 20, 2007 - Ritchey Design Inc. today announced the re-signing of separate sponsorship deals with the Health Net Presented by Maxxis and the Symmetrics Fuelled by FarmPure top-tier North American-based bicycle road racing teams.
The 2008 racing season will be Ritchey Design’s fifth year sponsoring the Health Net Presented by Maxxis team and its third year sponsoring the Symmetrics Fuelled by FarmPure team with high-end carbon fiber and aerospace grade alloy cockpit components, such as handlebars, stems and seat posts.
“Health Net and Symmetrics are two of the toughest competitive teams on the professional road racing circuit,” said Steve Parke, general manager and vice president of marketing for Ritchey Design. “We believe bike racing is the best place to prove our component designs. By signing with these two superb racing teams, we continue to move forward in producing the most innovative, top-quality products on the market.”
Health Net Presented by Maxxis
“To run a consistently successful racing program we have to use equipment that can take the beating of 140 days of racing and 16,000 miles of training,” said Thierry Attias, president & director of sponsorship for Health Net Presented by Maxxis. “Ritchey products can do that. Its products are cutting edge and super reliable. Any other partnership would be a compromise.”
Ritchey will supply the Health Net Presented by Maxxis with its World Championship Series (WCS) Carbon one-bolt seatpost, Alloy Ergo handlebars, Carbon 4-AXIS stems and Pro Oversized 30-degree stems and alloy adjustable stems for time trial bikes.
Health Net is one of the most dominating domestic teams. The team has been home to multiple national champions, Olympians, world championship team members and one world champion. They have earned four consecutive USA Cycling National Racing Calendar (NRC) team titles and averaged 35 NRC one-day, stage and overall stage race victories, as well as averaging 66 NRC podium appearances per season since 2004. Overall, the team has averaged 72 victories per season in NRC, UCI and non-NRC races during the last four years.
Symmetrics Fuelled By FarmPure
“Signing with Ritchey Design for another season of sponsorship is a huge win for Symmetrics Pro Cycling,” said Kevin Cunningham, Symmetrics Fuelled by FarmPure’s team director. “Ritchey road parts are proven in some of the toughest professional races worldwide, and their philosophy of lightweight but reliable top quality materials will help to ensure success for Symmetrics Cycling.”
Symmetrics will be using Ritchey’s World Championship Series (WCS) Carbon one-bolt seatposts, Alloy Ergo handlebars, 4-AXIS alloy stems, as well as the new UD Carbon fork (sub 300-grams) and Streem saddles.
Canada-based with an all Canadian roster of racers, the Symmetrics team has an almost family like atmosphere, rare for an elite level road team. Team President Mark Cunningham and his brother Kevin have worked hard to retain top riders who are courted by bigger-budgeted U.S. teams.
In 2007, the team’s three-time Canadian national champion, Svein Tuft, won the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) America Tour, which is a season-long competition between teams from North and South America and is one of the world’s premiere events for professional cyclists. At the conclusion of the tour, Symmetrics was ranked 3rd out of 19 teams with 977 points (the second place team scored only 473).
As a result of Symmetrics Cycling’s 2008 season, Canada earned three berths at the World Championship Road Race, as opposed to the single one it had last year, as well as three guaranteed spots for Canadian racers in the Beijing Olympics road race.
For more information about Ritchey Design, please visit
www.ritcheylogic.com, for information about the Health Net Pro Cycling Team, visit
www.teamhealthnet.com, and for information about the Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team, visit
www.symmetricscycling.com.
About Ritchey Design, Inc.
Northern California-based Ritchey Design was founded by road racer, mountain bike pioneer and product innovator Tom Ritchey in 1974. The company is well-known for its technical merits through attention to detail during the product design phase, resulting in high-quality, reasonably priced road and mountain bike components. Under its Fit Logic philosophy, Ritchey Designs offers a wide range of “cockpit” components (handlebars, stems and seatposts) that help riders custom fit their bikes for a more efficient and comfortable. Ritchey Designs also offers a complete line of innovative products ranging from headsets to tires for professional racers and the serious weekend rider, as well as its line of “Break-Away” travel bicycles for traveling cyclists. For more information about Ritchey Design, please visit
www.ritcheylogic.com.
About Health Net Presented by Maxxis
The Health Net Presented by Maxxis clinched its fourth consecutive USA Cycling National Race Calendar (NRC) series team championship in 2007. Ritchey has been a sponsor of the team since its inception in 2003. The 2008 season will be the sixth year of professional racing for Health Net Presented by Maxxis. The team is owned and operated by the Momentum Sports Group, LLC, based in Oakland, California. For more information about Health Net Pro Cycling, please visit
www.teamhealthnet.com.
About Symmetrics Fuelled By FarmPure
The Symmetrics Cycling Team is owned and operated by Rusty Chain Projects Inc. Established in 2002, Symmetrics Cycling provides support through leadership, guidance and development within a professional infrastructure to foster the personal and athletic growth of the next generation of Canadian Olympic cyclists. All companies involved see the team as an opportunity to support these values, widen their brand recognition, and unite employees behind a cause. Symmetrics Cycling is Canada’s largest sponsorship in the sport of cycling which includes a development team, women’s team, men’s professional team and the Cyclist for Charity program: a four-pronged approach with a common foundation based upon the team’s commitment to charitable and community projects. For more information about the Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team, please visit
www.symmetricscycling.com.
