TEAm Lipton 2007 Squad Announced
Kristin Armstrong, World Time Trial and National Champion, Heads the All-American UCI TEAm LIPTON Squad for 2007

TEAm Lipton Becomes UCI-Registered TEAm and Expands Calendar to Include European World Cup Races in Preparation of 2008 Beijing Summer Game
LIPTON Tea reveals its commitment to health and vitality, with its continued support of TEAm LIPTON women’s pro cycling and triathlon team for the 2007 season. With 580 days until the beginning of the Olympic Summer Games, TEAm LIPTON has assembled its roster and race calendar to focus on the Olympic Games. Team LIPTON is poised to dominate women’s road racing and looks to build on a highly successful 2006 campaign that included a World Championship title, the National Road Championship title, the National Time Trial Championship title, the NRC overall Team title, over 35 wins and nearly 100 podium finishes.

Leading the TEAm LIPTON squad again for 2007 will be Kristin Armstrong, the World Time Trial Champion, current U.S. National Road and Time Trial Champion and 2004 Olympian. The elite roster includes several Olympic hopefuls for the 2008 Beijing Games, and some of America’s best young riders.. TEAm LIPTON will expand its race calendar to prepare for the 2008 Olympics with a race schedule that includes more than 100 events in several countries.

Directeur Sportif Thomas Liese
“The TEAm and its athletes are really motivated to use the momentum gained last year to have an even better season this year,” said Thomas Liese, TEAm LIPTON’s director sportif and former Tour de France rider and German National TEAm member. We’ve assembled a TEAm of women who are on top of their game and who respect one another and work incredibly well together,” added Liese.

As a new national squad in 2006, TEAm LIPTON deftly became the top TEAm in the United States and one of the best in the World. Much of the TEAm’s fast track to the top stemmed from the composition of the team, its staff and management and the professionalism of its athletes. “The camaraderie on TEAm LIPTON is second to none,” said Ed Beamon, of Edj Sports Management, the firm overseeing TEAm LIPTON. “The selflessness of our TEAm leader, Kristin Armstrong, has created an atmosphere that helps motivate everyone to give 100%, and that adds up to success,” added Beamon.

For 2007, Armstrong will be headlining a TEAm with five returning riders from the 2006 squad, including Kori Kelly Seehafer, Grace Fleury, Lara Kroepsch, Kristen (Sassy) LaSasso, and Meredith Miller. The squad is made complete with four newcomers, including Lauren Franges, Kim Geist, Brenda Lyons and Nicole Evans. Professional triathlete Rebeccah Wassner and two Ironman triathlon specialists will race an extensive multisport calendar that includes World Cups and the Hawaii Ironman World Championships.

“I couldn’t be happier with the TEAm we have for this season,” said Kristin Armstrong. “We have a really solid TEAm with the most supportive staff and management.” “There is no better, more accomplished and vibrant team of athletes to represent the LIPTON brand,” says Patricia Zenobi, Unilever Marketing Director, LIPTON US. “Their commitment to quality performance and inspiring Americans to live well and achieve their fitness and nutrition goals mirrors our values completely.”

2007 TEAm LIPTON Roster
Kristin Armstrong
Kori Kelly Seehafer
Grace Fleury
Grace Fleury
Lara Kroepsch
Kristen LaSasso
Lauren Franges
Brenda Lyons
Kimberly Geist
Nicole Evans
Rebeccah Wassner
Kiki Rutkowski, MD
Bodil Arlander
D.S. Thomas Liese

TEAm LIPTON consists of 13 top-level athletes, with a stellar combined resume featuring the Olympic Games, the Tour de France, and the U.S. National and World Championship teams:

· Kristin Armstrong, Boise, ID: 2006 World Time Trial Champion, 2005, 2006 National Time Trial Champion and 2006 National Road Champion, 2004 Olympian and US top finisher in the road race

· Kori Kelly Seehafer, Louisville, CO: Ranked in the top-10 of American road cyclists

· Grace Fleury, Winston-Salem, NC: 2006 Stage 8 winner Tour de l’Aude, 2005 Atlanta 10K Classic champion and 3rd place, 2005 U.S. National time trials

· Lara Kroepsch, Newbury Park, CA: 2005 Colorado State Cyclocross Champion; Two-time Collegiate National Criterium and 2005 International Women’s Criterium champion

· Kristen LaSasso, La Canada, CA: 2006 Cascade Cycling Classic Champion, climbing specialist

· Meredith Miller, Fort Collins, CO: European World Cup veteran, all-around rider

· Lauren Franges, Asheville, NC: Ranked in the top-10 of American road cyclists, all-around rider

· Brenda Lyons, Santa Rosa, CA: Criterium specialist, 2006 Tour de Toona Stage Winner

· Kimberly Geist, Emmaus, PA: A track and sprint specialist

· Nicole Evans, Sandy, UT: A climbing and stage race specialist

· Rebeccah Wassner, New York, NY: 2004 Pro Rookie Triathlete of the Year and World Cup triathlete

· Kiki Rutkowski, MD, San Francisco, CA: Ironman World Championship top finisher in 2004 and 2005

· Bodil Arlander, San Francisco, CA: Ironman specialist and multiple-time All-American

· Thomas Liese, Leipzig, Germany: Director Sportif, Tour de France finisher, former German National Champion

“We’re thrilled to be managing a women’s program of this caliber,” added Beamon. “We are extremely grateful to LIPTON, a committed brand that will help grow the sport and provide great opportunities for athletes.”

Other sponsors of the team include Fuji Bicycles www.fujibikes.com, Shimano, Biemme, Selle Italia, Oval Concepts, LAS helmets, DeFeet, Smith Optics, Cateye, SKS, SciCon, Continental Tires, and Arundel. For more information about TEAm LIPTON, go to www.TEAmLipton.com.
 For more information on all the health and vitality benefits of drinking tea, go to www.Lipton.com.

About Unilever: Unilever [NYSE: UL, UN], one of the world’s largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, “all,” Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Eternity by Calvin Klein, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of Unilever. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs more than 15,000 people in 74 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico – generating approximately $10 billion in sales in 2004. For more information visit www.unilever.com.