Colavita/Sutter Home for 2009: Aaron Olson returns to team

Colavita/Sutter Home, the #2 men’s team in the US, has re-signed its core squad for the 2009 season and added Aaron Olson, winner of the 2008 Tour de Nez. Director Sportif Sebastian Alexandre made the announcement.

Returning riders include Cuban powerhouse Luis Amaran, Argentinean speedsters Alejandro and Anibal Borrajo and Sebastian Haedo, climbing sensation Anthony Colby, Fitchburg Longsjo champion Kyle Wamsley, and all-arounders Luca Damiani, Davide Frattini, and Tyler Wren.

The signing of Aaron Olson, an experienced all-arounder, represents a reunion with Alexandre and other veteran riders on the squad. Olson raced in Colavita colors in 2004 and 2005 before heading to Europe to ride with Saunier-Duval and T-Mobile. He returned to the domestic peloton last year as a member of the Bissell Pro Cycling Team. Dan Vaillancourt, who raced with Colavita/Sutter Home in 2007 before joining Toshiba last year, is also returning for the 2009 season. Other new signings include Guido Palma from Team Rite Aid and former Saturn Development Team member Timmy Reinhart.

“Our results for 2008 were outstanding,” said Alexandre. “We finished the season with more NRC victories than any other squad and ranked among the top three teams in total stage wins, demonstrating that we have the depth of talent to prevail in the biggest contests in pro cycling. And Sebastian Haedo brought us a Pro Cycling Tour victory with his win at the US Air Force Cycling Classic.”

“Looking ahead, I am very excited about our prospects for 2009,” Alexandre continued. “The trust, communication, and strategy that the riders developed last year gives us the ability to reach for even greater successes.”

2009 roster for the Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light:

· Luis Amaran (CUB)
· Alejandro Borrajo (ARG)
· Anibal Borrajo (ARG)
· Anthony Colby (USA)
· Luca Damiani (ITA)
· Davide Frattini (ITA)
· Andy Guptill (USA)
· Sebastian Haedo (ARG)
· Aaron Olson (USA)
· Guido Palma (ARG)
· Timmy Reinhart (USA)
· Dan Vaillancourt (USA)
· Kyle Wamsley (USA)
· Tyler Wren (USA)

About the Returning Riders

Luis Amaran (CUB) – Winning the Tour de Toona’s criterium stage and the Redland’s sprint competition in his debut year on the North American pro circuit, Luis is clearly a cyclist to watch in 2009. Further demonstrating his versatility, Luis finished 3rd in the 2008 Fitchburg Longsjo time trial and scored top 10 overall finishes in major stage races, including the Joe Martin Stage Race and Nature Valley Grand Prix. Ranked #7 in the NRC standings, Luis’s speed and talent are likely to deliver more victories in the upcoming season.

Alejandro Borrajo (ARG) – Alejandro capped off the 2008 season with a Top 10 ranking in the NRC standings. Among the most talented cyclists in the North American peloton, Alejandro is renowned for his powerful sprint but demonstrates that he has the strength and endurance for climbing – a combination that is sure to deliver winning results in 2009. This past season, Alejandro claimed a 3rd place finish in the prologue of the pre-season UCI 2.2 Tour de San Luis in Argentina, then went on to win the Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic and Redlands Bicycle Classic before being sidlelined by illness for six weeks. Upon his return, Alejandro raced to four more victories, including the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium where the world’s top sprinters competed for North America’s largest prize purse, and four podium appearances.

Anibal Borrajo (ARG) – In his first season on the North American pro circuit, Anibal delivered impressive results in all forms of road racing. A strong, all-around rider, Anibal shared the podium at the Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic with his older brother Alejandro, the overall race winner, and claimed a 3rd place finish in the criterium at the Joe Martin Stage Race. Anibal wrapped up the 2008 season with three additional top 10 finishes, making him a rider to watch in 2009.

Anthony Colby (USA) – Returning for his third season as Colavita/Sutter Home’s climbing specialist, Anthony showed tremendous consistency in hilly races throughout 2008 and prowess in stage races. His accomplishments last season include 2nd place overall in the Joe Martin Stage Race, podium appearances in two of the five stages at the Tour of the Gila, where he finished third on general classification, and 6th overall at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Currently #4 in the NRC standings, Anthony is poised for victories in the upcoming season.

Luca Damiani (ITA) -- 2008 was a break-out season for Luca. A talented sprinter and cyclo-cross champion, Luca scored his first NRC win at the CSC Invitational as Colavita/Sutter Home demonstrated the power of the lead-out train that produced a victory or podium placement at nearly every major criterium on the racing calendar.

Davide Frattini (ITA) – Entering his fifth season with Colavita/Sutter Home, Davide is an integral part of the team’s continued success. Last year, he won the KOM Competition at the Philadelphia Invitational and achieved top 10 finishes in the road race at the Rochester Omnium and the Bank of America Wilmington Grand Prix. Davide continues to perfect his technique – and garner more impressive results – in cyclocross during road racing’s off season.

Andy Guptill (USA) – A graduate of Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO, Andy is one of the most promising young cyclists racing in the North American peloton. His talents were on full display at the Tour of Missouri where he was distinguished as the Most Aggressive Rider early on in the seven-stage race. Now in his third season with Colavita/Sutter Home, Andy’s strong climbing skills will add to the team’s stand-out results in road and stage races.

Sebastian Haedo (ARG) – While injuries brought an early end to his 2008 season, the nine wins (including the UCI 1.2 US Air Force Cycling Classic), two second place finishes, and top 10 GC placement at the Joe Martin Stage Race that Sebastian achieved clearly establish him as one of the best sprinters in the domestic peloton. Returning for a second season with his Argentinean compatriots, Sebastian is well-positioned to help lead Colavita/Sutter Home to the top of North American cycling.

Kyle Wamsley (USA) – Winning the 2008 Fitchburg Longsjo Classic was the crowning achievement for Kyle in a season that also included two victories, six podium appearances, and three top 10 finishes. Kyle finished the season ranked sixth in the NRC standings. A key member of Colavita/Sutter Home’s core squad, Kyle’s speed and strength will help deliver even more victories and podium appearance in 2009.

Tyler Wren (USA) – Tyler has been riding with Colavita/Sutter Home since turning pro in 2003. Season after season, Tyler has used his all-around talents to support his teammates and generate impressive palmares of his own. In 2008, Tyler won the Tour of Gila’s Stage Two road race and finished in the top 10 overall. He also made podium appearances at the Tour de Toona and Bank of America Wilmington GP plus top 10 GC placements at the Joe Martin Stage Race and Redlands Bicycle classic.

Sebastian Alexandre (ARG) -- Sebastian continues as Director Sportif of the Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team for the 2009 season. A third-generation champion pro cyclist who made his debut on the North American pro circuit in Colavita colors, Sebastian aims to lead the team to the top ranks of the North American cycling with the combination of strategy, teamwork, and experienced riders that proved so successful this season.
About the sponsors of the Colavita/Sutter Home Cycling Teams presented by Cooking Light

The Colavita/Sutter Home Cycling Teams presented by Cooking Light are the professional arms of Team Colavita Sports LLC, the largest competitive cycling organization in the world. In addition to the top-ranked pro teams, Team Colavita champions cycling at the local level with more than 350 recreational cyclists riding in 12 elite clubs in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New England, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas. Team Colavita is also investing in cycling’s future, sponsoring the Colavita New Jersey U19 Racing Team, one of the largest junior cycling teams in the US, and the Colavita U23 Racing Team. Visit www.ColavitaSutterHome.com to learn more.

Team Colavita Sports is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Colavita USA, which imports and distributes the #1 brand of Italian extra-virgin olive oil in the US as well as durum wheat semolina pasta, a full selection of balsamic and wine vinegars, and many other fine Italian products. A family-owned business headquartered in Linden, NJ, Colavita has championed the sport of cycling throughout its 25+-year history. Through its charitable arm, the Colavita Foundation for Children, the company provides bicycles and helmets to children in need. To learn more about Colavita USA, please visit www.Colavita.com.

Sutter Home Winery is wholly owned and operated by the Trinchero family, Napa Valley vintners since 1948. The company produces the wines of Sutter Home, Trinchero, Montevina, Wild Bunch, Trinity Oaks, Folie à Deux, Ménage à Trois, Napa Cellars, the number one alcohol-removed wine, Fre, and imports Angove’s, Reynolds Vineyards and Little Boomey wines of Australia. For more information, visit www.tfewines.com.

Founded in 1987, Cooking Light (www.cookinglight.com/cooking) is the world’s largest food magazine. Each month, more than 11 million consumers turn to Cooking Light to “eat smart, be fit and live well.” CookingLight.com provides daily food and fitness updates, healthy recipes and nutrition advice to millions of unique visitors every year.

For the 2009 season, the Colavita/Sutter Home Cycling Teams presented by Cooking Light will be riding Jamis super-light Xenith SL road frames and the revolutionary Xenith T2 time trial bikes supplied by Jamis Bicycles, designed and marketed by the G. Joannou Cycle Company (GJC) of Northvale, NJ. Established in 1937 by the father of CEO and President Carine Joannou, GJC ranks among the largest bicycle companies under private ownership in the US. For more information about Jamis and to view the complete line of bicycles, please visit www.JamisBikes.com.

The bikes are fully equipped with Shimano components, wheels, shoes, and pedals, Ritchey handlebars, stems, and seat posts, Selle San Marco saddles, Vittoria tires, and Profile Design Aero bars and levers for time trial bikes. Team jerseys are provided by Giordana; helmets, glasses, and bags are supplied by Rudy Project. Additional sponsors of the Colavita/Sutter Home Cycling Teams presented by Cooking Light include GU Sports, Headsweats, and TetraPak.

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