Team Columbia's Latest News

Columbia-HTC's Van Dijk Claims European Time Trial Championship

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:49:38 -0700

Columbia-HTC's Ellen Van Dijk of the Netherlands claimed first place for the second year running in the European Championship Individual Time Trial competition Wednesday. Van Dijk completed the long, 28-kilometre course in Hooglede-Gits, Belgium with a time of 36.41 and an average speed of 45.78 kilometers per hour. Highroad-HTC teammate Emilia Fahlin of Sweden took second, 20 seconds behind the champion.

"I am very happy, of course," said Van Dijk after the race. After suffering a concussion from a crash in the Ronde Van Gelderland in April, Van Dijk was unable to race or train for nearly six weeks, dampening her expectations for success in the challenging ITT event. "I was very insecure about my fitness, but it seems I was able to succeed today, even after the lost training time."

"The course was quite long, with a couple of stone sections that were also uphill, and it was very hard near the end. The uphill was at a very important part of the course where you can easily loose a couple of seconds. But the wind was behind me, so that was a bit of help."

Next, Van Dijk looks forward to Saturday when the team competes in the 135-kilometre European Road Championships race in starting in Oostende. "We expect to ride very well, as we are a strong, international team of 8 girls who work really well together."

High Road Sports and HTC Announce Partnership to Debut at 2009 Tour de France

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:28:32 -0700

"Team Columbia-HTC" will ride the 2009 Tour de France under new
three-year sponsorship agreement

High Road Sports, Inc., the owner of Team Columbia-Highroad and HTC Corporation, a designer of mobile phones, today announced a three-year sponsorship agreement that prominently places the HTC brand at the starting line of the 2009 Tour de France on July 4 in Monaco.

"High Road Sports is elated to be partnering with HTC, a recognized leader and growing global brand in mobile phones," said Bob Stapleton, Owner, Team Columbia-HTC. "Team Columbia-HTC is now sponsored by two leading companies in their related industries and we are ready to show the growing power of our partnership at this year's Tour de France," he added.

The team currently called Columbia-Highroad, and known in 2008 and 2009 as the team with the most victories in professional cycling, will compete as "Team Columbia-HTC" and will present the new team uniform in Monaco on July 3, the day before the start of the 96th Tour de France.

"The HTC High Road Sports partnership is a great match of like minded organizations driven by innovation, excellence and competitiveness and we are excited about the opportunity to communicate HTC's brand value through the great sport of cycling," said Peter Chou, chief executive officer, HTC Corporation. "HTC's sponsorship of Team Columbia-HTC is one step in HTC's commitment to increasing its global brand value and recognition."

Recognized in Business Week's 2009 InfoTech 100 as the 13th best-performing tech company in the world, HTC focuses on putting people at the centre by making their phones work in a more simple and natural way. This drives HTC's choice of partners, product creations and platforms. HTC's global team of designers, researchers and engineers quietly listen and observe people with their phones and in life so they can better understand and anticipate people's needs to create a more personalized experience. This is central to HTC's culture, spanning across its more than 9,000 employees worldwide.

The three-year sponsorship agreement runs through 2011 and includes both the men's and women's professional cycling teams, which are top ranked worldwide and have won over 80 races combined in 2009 - the most wins of any competing team.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry and continues to pioneer industry-leading mobile experiences through design, usability and innovation that is sparked by how the mobile phone can improve how people live and communicate. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

Team Columbia-HTC Plans to Continue Success at 2009 Tour de France

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:27:46 -0700

•    Team enters the race with 49 wins in 2009
•    Announces 'toughest decision' of final nine riders to compete
•    New Co-Sponsor- HTC- introduced at Tour De France

High Road Sports, Inc, which introduced a powerful new International Co-Sponsor earlier today, announces its intention to continue its winning success of the 2009 season in the Tour De France, which begins in Monaco on July 4. The team enters the race with the most wins of the 2009 season with 49 to date, including 6 National Championship Titles.

Team manager Rolf Aldag and owner Bob Stapleton revealed the final nine riders who will line up at the 2009 Tour de France under the newly named Team Columbia-HTC.
Aldag called it the "toughest decision of the year, as we had 15 guys who deserved to be on our Tour De France team. It was difficult to personally disappoint these fine athletes," Aldag added, "ultimately we succeed as a team, and we chose the combination of those athletes that give us the greatest combined opportunity for success for this course and the expected competition".

The roster for the 2009 Tour de France includes quadruple stage winner of the 2008 Tour de France Mark Cavendish (UK); 2008 yellow and green jersey holder Kim Kirchen (LUX). Road Captain George Hincapie (USA) will be lining up for his 14th consecutive year in France as well as Australian Michael Rogers who placed 8th in the recent Giro D'Italia and is a three time former World Time Trial Champion.

Young Tony Martin (GER) will make his Tour de France debut after a very successful Tour de Suisse where he won a stage and the mountains classification. Support will come from Bernhard Eisel (AUT) who also won at stage at Tour de Suisse, promising general classification rider Maxime Monfort (BEL) , lead-out specialist Mark Renshaw (AUS) and current World Time Trial Champion Bert Grabsch (GER).

"We're looking forward to the Grand Depart in Monaco where we will start our first race as Columbia-HTC and our new co-title sponsor HTC will be on location to witness the great spectacle of the Tour de France," added Team Owner Bob Stapleton. "We hope we can achieve the same kind of success at the Tour that we have enjoyed thus far in 2009."

Teutenberg and Villumsen Win Respective National Road Titles

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:21:13 -0700

Columbia-Highroad’s Linda Villumsen and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg won their respective National Road Titles this weekend in Denmark and Germany. For Villumsen is it her sixth Danish title including three Time Trial Titles but for Teutenberg it was her first ever Senior Road Title, having won multiple National Titles as a Junior.

Villumsen was relieved the race was over and that she’d managed to live up to expectation. “The pressure was on before the race because everybody was expecting me to win so I was really nervous,” she said. “On top of that, it was super slow which increased my nerves. Two riders went away early and took seven minutes on the field. Then we did one lap super fast and brought back the break. Trine [Hansen] and I continued to push the pace to split the field because we knew that quite a few of the young ones are quite fast in the sprint. Trine attacked and I took the risk to let her go. I gave her 20 seconds and then I bridged across. We rode the last 20km together.”

“There were two climbs in the last 20 km. On the first climb I tested her legs and saw that she was suffering a little so we rode together until the last climb with one kilomtre to go and I attacked. It was a really long sprint. It feels good to become Danish Champion again. It gives me confidence for the Giro coming up. It is one of my big goals to be good there.”

Teutenberg was also one of the favorites on the flat course but her Columbia-Highroad team of three was clearly outnumbered. “It was a really exciting race,” said Teutenberg afterward. “It was aggressive from kilometre zero. For me it was really exciting to see how much [teammates] Judith [Arndt] and Luise [Keller] really did and that we were outnumbered, but they were able keep it under control so that we could win this race. It makes it even better.”

“It went fairly perfectly for us today. We were hoping we could make it but we knew the chances were not that high. The race was extremely fast. Nuernberg attacked from the beginning and Judith and Luise covered everything. They were both also in a couple of good breaks but none of that stuck. At one point Lui was in a break with two others and it could have been good for her, but Nuernberg wasn’t happy with it and it eventually came back.”

Teutenberg, who this season has already racked up 18 wins, join Columbia-Highroad’s nine current national champions, adding, “It’s exciting. I’ve never been road national champion so it’s great that I’ll be able to wear the jersey for the next year.”

Columbia-Highroad Men’s Team Capture Five Time Trial Titles

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

For the second year running, Columbia-Highroad’s Frantisek Rabon (Czech Republic), Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway), Bert Grabsch (Germany) and Marco Pinotti (Italy) have captured their respective countries’ individual time trial titles. The same five Columbia-Highroad riders also won gold in the same event back in 2008.

In Germany, World Time Trial Champion Grabsch beat his Columbia-Highroad team-mate Tony Martin by a narrow margin of just 10 seconds over a flat 40 kilometre course which started and finished in the city of Cottbus.

“It was a big fight all the way, but Tony beat me into second in the time trial in the Bayern Rundfahrt stage race [in late May], so now it’s my turn to beat him,” Grabsch joked after taking his third German national time trial title in three years. It’s a bit like a game between the two of us, one day Tony wins, the next time it’s me.

“But I have to say the route suited me a lot - almost flat and very straight, with just a couple of little climbs. It was also very windy, and that helped me too. I used a big gear as usual, 56x11, and I was able to get into a strong rhythm for the whole course.

“It’s good practice for the World Championships, one of my big targets for the season - because just like the World’s, the National Time Trial is a stand-alone event. Now I’ll focus on Sunday’s road-race, and helping [Columbia-HIghroad team-mate] Andrei Greipel to win in a bunch sprint.”

Frantisek Rabon had to combat heavy rain in his successful bid for a second straight time trial title in the Czech Republic.

“It was a very difficult time trial because after a hot humid day, suddenly after half the riders had started it began pouring down with rain and the temperatures dropped by around 10 degrees. On top of that the course was very technical, with a bigger climb and then a lot of smaller ones, so you had to stay very focussed all the way through.

“I was under pressure because of last year’s win, some journalists said beforehand the race that as the big favourite, I should just get the gold medal and everybody could go home early.

"But a lot of unexpected things can happen in bike racing, and the wet weather could have changed everything. Fortunately, though, I came through for the win.”

Edvald Boasson Hagen took his third successive title in the Norwegian national time trial championships by a convincing margin of three minutes and nine seconds ahead of Kurt Asle Arvesen.

The only rider to take less than an hour for the 49.2 kilometre course in Narbo, Boasson Hagen said afterwards that “I knew I was on a good day from the moment I started. Everything felt good, the weather was great, and it wasn’t a tricky course, and that all meant I concentrated on going as fast as possible. My radio connection didn’t work well, and I just went all out and hoped for the best.

“The Norwegian National time trials are always held on courses about 50 kilometres long, and I’d recently done an even longer distance in the Tour of Italy’s big time trial, so I knew how to calcualate my strength.”

Already the winner of the Ghent-Wevelgem Classic and a stage of the Tour of Italy, the 22-year-old recognised, “It’s all working out really well for me this season. Now I’ll take part in the road-race [on Sunday] and see what I can do there, too!”

Fahlin and Villumsen Clinch National Time Trial Titles

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:12:26 -0700

Columbia-Highroad's number-one ranked women's team clinched two National Time Trial titles: Wednesday in Gotene, Sweden and Thursday in Sonderborg, Denmark.

Linda Villumsen of Herning, Denmark retained her 2008 National Time Trial title by completing the 25.5-kilometre course with the fastest time despite strong winds. "The wind was so strong, at my back on the way out, and from the front on the way back. There was so much wind on the downhill that I really had to use my brakes," commented 22-year-old Villumsen after the win. "As always, I am super nervous before this race. I put very high expectations on myself. If I didn't win, I would be very disappointed. So I tried to listen to good music and not warm up too much. It all came together nicely."

The 2008 Danish Road and Time Trial Champion will seek to defend her Road Champion title Saturday, then proceeds to Italy's Giro d'Italia Feminin starting Friday, July 3rd. "We will have a super strong team at the Giro, so that is really my next focus."

Already the 2008 Swedish National Road Champion, 20-year-old Emilia Fahlin captured the prestigious Swedish Time Trial Champion title by beating Susanne Ljungskog and Emma Johansson by 9 seconds and 23 seconds, respectively, on the 30-kilometre course.

"This is unbelievable, I think," claimed Fahlin after the race. "I had no expectations of winning today since I'm not really a time trialer. With names like Johansson and Ljungskog here, I thought it was between them. I just wanted to get a good workout, so it was shocking when I found out that I had the best time."

Now the Swedish Time Trial Champion is looking to retain her National Road Champion title on Saturday. "It's going to be a really tough course, but this win today gave me the confidence to feel great at the starting line on Saturday. I will really try to defend my [2008 National Champion] jersey."

Pinotti Takes His Third Italian Time Trial Title In Three Years

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:17:36 -0700

For the third year in a row and fourth time in his career, Columbia-Highroad’s Marco Pinotti has once again earned the right to wear the Italian national time trial champion’s jersey.

Already the winner of the same event in 2005, 2007 and 2008, Pinotti’s third straight victory in the Italian national time trial championships came after he clocked a time of 39 minutes and 22 seconds for the 32.4 kilometre time trial, with the last part held on the famous Imola Formula One motor racing circuit.

Fastest at all the time checks, Pinotti finished 19 seconds ahead of Gabriele Bosisio and 1 minute 9 seconds ahead of Maurizio Biondo.

“I came out of the Giro d’Italia in very good shape,” Pinotti said later. “Then I deliberately didn’t do the Tour of Switzerland so I could focus on the Italian national championships. It was a course that suited me well, fast at the start and then afterwards a bit hillier when we got on the circuit.”

“The hardest part was handling the rain, it was the same for everybody but it made the course a bit dangerous - my back wheel slipped a couple of times.”

The last rider to start, Pinotti said he rode most of the race unaware of whether his times were good enough to get him the win.

“I knew that I was ahead after 12 kilometres, but that was it. Afterwards I just kept going, I’d done the course the day before so I knew roughly how to calculate my strength.”

Pinotti’s fourth Italian time trial title makes him the outright record-holder for wins in the event. He was previously tied on victories with Marco Velo, who won in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Greipel Clinches Tenth Win of the Season in Ster ElektroToer

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:32:32 -0700

The Columbia-Highroad speedster Andre Greipel clinched his tenth win of the season on Sunday when the German sprinted to his third victory in four days in Holland’s Ster ElektroToer. Greipel was the fastest in the bunch sprint that decided the 179-kilometre final stage from Beek to Helmond, outpowering Italians Danilo Napolitano and Sergio Ferrari.

Greipel’s victory confirmed him as points winner of the five-day Dutch race. Following a first half of the season where he could not race after crashing badly in the Tour Down Under in Australia, the Columbia-Highroad sprinter has shown strong form since his comeback in the Four Days of Dunkirk in France.

“It ended in a photo finish after Napolitano came close but Andre got the win, his tenth out of 18 races in 2009,” commented Columbia-Highroad sports director Allan Peiper. “It’s often the way when riders have had a bad injury like Andre, when they come back they’re hungrier for the wins and at a better level than if they’d been racing for longer. Andre already had the confidence he could do it after winning the Tour Down Under back in 2008. Then as soon as he could after the injury he started training hard again and never gave up. It’s like I always say, something good can come out of something bad.”

Columbia-Highroad’s Marcel Sieberg was present in a dangerous break of 21 riders late on in the stage, but in the final 10 kilometres the race came back together for a bunch sprint. “[Bert] Dockx, Vicente Reynes and [Frantisek] Rabon pulled back the break, and then in the last 800 metres, Mark Renshaw and Greg Henderson took over to bring Andre up to the sprint. We didn’t need to do too much work during the stage, just some work in the cross-winds, because after Saturday’s stage in the Ardennes we were out of the main battle for the overall and other teams were fighting it out. But we believe in Andre 100 percent, and when it counted the guys worked hard to ensure that it all stayed together, and that Andre was in the right position to go for the win.”

Martin Solos To Mountain Top Victory in Suisse

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:54:10 -0700

Tony Martin soloed to Columbia-Highroad’s sixth stage win in eight days of racing in the Tour of Switzerland on Saturday.

Clad in the King of the Mountains jersey, the young German rider powered away with less than a kilometre to race to cross the finish line at Crans-Montana alone. Second was Italian Damiano Cunego, four seconds back.
Martin’s victory brings Columbia-Highroad’s total of stage wins from the Tour of Switzerland to six and counting. Mark Cavendish has won two, and Bernhard Eisel, Kim Kirchen, Michael Albasini and Martin one each.

On a highly successful day’s racing for Columbia-Highroad, Saturday also saw Marco Pinotti clinch the Italian National Time Trial Championships for a fourth time. In addition Columbia-Highroad women’s team won all top three places overall in the RaboSter Tour in Holland.

“I realized Cunego was chasing behind, and he got fairly close, but I made it in the first place to the finish all the same,” Martin commented. “I’d tried the same kind of move yesterday at the mountain-top finish in Juraparc but it didn’t work out. This time round was different. I waited a lot longer and finally accelerated 500 metres from the line. I got a good gap, and then I knew that I was going to be able to win.”

Already victorious in the time trial stages of the Criterium International in France and the Bayern Rundfahrt in Germany this year, the second-year pro said he considered his Swiss victory “to be the first big win of my career.”

“Hopefully I can do a good time trial on Sunday, too.”

The Tour of Switzerland’s last stage is a 38.5 kilometre race against the clock, starting and finishing in Berne.

Columbia Highroad Women Sweep Podium in Holland

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:07:06 -0700

The final stage of the RaboSter Tour in Holland saw Columbia-Highroad women’s team make a clean sweep of all top three places on the overall classification.
The three-day event was won for the second year running by Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, taking her eighteenth victory of the season. Second was Chantal Beltman, just three seconds behind, whilst prologue winner Linda Villumsen was third at 11 seconds.

Columbia-Highroad also finished first in the teams classification, whilst Teutenberg was top rider both in the intermediate sprints and the points competitions.

"It was a typically tough Dutch race, one where you have to be on the front all the time and watching out all the time," Teutenberg commented. "In the last stage it was all good. Chantal got in a break which was great, because she would have won the overall, so we didn’t need to chase. To be honest I would have preferred not to have won the intermediate sprints competition, because going for those sprints meant a lot of work during the stage, but I needed to go for them.

"It was tough going, very windy and some very late finishes as well, but I came through ok and managed to get the victory.”

"Taking all three podium places is a sign of how well all our team were working together," commented Columbia-Highroad’s sports director Petra Rossner. "For example, Chantal was in a four-rider break in the last ten kilometres, and even though Linda and Ina knew their chances of overall victory would disappear if Chantal got a good gap, they were still cheering her on over the radio."

In the lead after Friday, Teutenberg faced numerous attacks in the race’s final 134 kilometre stage starting and finishing in Westkapelle.

"It was not at all easy going, a long stage and with a lot of moves," Rossner said. "Finally we managed to get all three top places. It’s a really exceptional result."

Teutenberg Moves into Yellow in Rabo Ster

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:39:36 -0700

Second place in stage two of the RaboSter Tour on Friday has propelled Ina-Yoko Teutenberg into the leader’s jersey of the three-day Dutch race.
Teutenberg succeeds her team-mate Linda Villumsen, who won the opening day’s prologue, at the top end of the general classification.

“We tried lots of different tactics during the stage and at the end of the day we ended up with Ina in the lead and with Linda in second place overall. For the final day’s racing in an event which is always won by seconds not minutes, that's an ideal scenario” commented Columbia-Highroad’s sports director Petra Rossner.

“We tried to keep the jersey for Linda by getting her to go on a solo break but it didn’t work out, so Ina went for it in the intermediate sprints to pick up some bonus seconds. She got second in one intermediate sprint and first in another, and Chantal [Beltman] also won one too. Finally Ina’s second place with the bonus seconds that she could move into the lead. It was very windy today and the bunch split into two groups, but we had all five of our riders in the front. They all stuck together, worked for each other and did a great job all round.”

Rossner said a crash in the final kilometre had made the bunch sprint more complicated than usual.

“A British rider went down and Ina fortunately managed to get past her. But if she wasn’t so quick in the sprints maybe instead of taking second, she’d have been tenth.”

With one stage remaining, Teutenberg is now in the lead tied on time with Villumsen. Columbia-Highroad is showing very strongly in other classifications as well. Van Dijk is leading the Best Young Rider’s competition, Teutenberg heads the points classification and they are in the top spot in the teams ranking.

Kirchen Wins Fifth Stage of Switzerland for Columbia-Highroad

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:11:12 -0700

Kim Kirchen soared away on stage eight of the Tour of Switzerland to capture Columbia-Highroad’s fifth win of the prestigious ProTour race - and the team’s fifth victory in less than 24 hours. Kirchen tore out of the pack with less than a kilometre to go to the uphill finish in Vallorbe Superparc, finishing two seconds ahead of Czech Roman Kreuziger and seven seconds ahead of the main pack.
The Swiss stage is Kirchen’s first of the season following Spring Classics campaign all but wrecked by injuries.

“Tactically Kim’s win was taken very cleverly,” commented Columbia-Highroad chief sports director Rolf Aldag. “When Kreuziger attacked, first of all Albasini went with him, which forced the other teams to work. Then when Michael cracked, first Maxime [Monfort] and then Kim were waiting to go for yet more attacks.”

“That kind of team-based strategy only works when you’ve got really good team spirit, and that’s definitely the case in Columbia-Highroad. Even earlier on, Marcus Burghardt had been in the break of the day but after it had got caught on the final climb, he kept working for his team-mates as best he could. And though Tony Martin crashed twice in quick succession, Mark Cavendish and Bernhard Eisel were waiting to bring him back each time round. It was great to see them working for their young team-mate to try and help him protect his place overall.”

According to Aldag, Columbia-Highroad’s domination in Switzerland in stages of all kinds is also due to the team working very closely as a squad.

“We’ve had four different winners in five stages, which is a sign of our versatility but also how strong that team spirit is again. In Columbia-Highroad it’s not like there’s one super-star here and everybody works for him as if they were in an office doing the routine stuff from nine to five. Everybody has a chance. That brings up the squad’s level of motivation and sense of responsibility across the board and by a massive level.

“The whole squad knows that if, for example, they work to bring one rider to the foot of a climb, then the next day they’ll get a good lead-out in return. In Kim’s case, he had a difficult spring, but he’s shown here he’s definitely coming up for July. Not being so strong in the Ardennes Classics could be an advantage in the Tour, too where he’s sometimes suffered in the third week. This time round, by coming into form a bit later, he should be able to have a better second half of the race. And with that powerful sprint of his on mountain-top finishes, there are definitely some stages where we expect him to shine.”

“I’m not here to train for results, I’m here for results,” Kirchen said afterwards. “It’s also a great boost to my morale after what happened to me earlier in the season. Kreuziger attacked with three kilometres to go, but I waited to see what would happen and then went for it with less than a kilometre to the finish. My form’s in really good shape now, in time for the Tour de France.”

Asked why the team was winning so much, Kirchen explained that “we learned a lot of lessons last year when we were very successful too. We keep on gaining in experience, but the most important thing is we’re willing to help each other in the races, we’re friends as well as team-mates. On top of that, the young guys are hungry for success. We ride to win each race.”

Greipel Wins Back to Back Stages in Holland

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:47:07 -0700

Columbia-Highroad’s André Greipel has seized his second straight stage win and his ninth win of the season in the Ster-ElektroToer in Holland on Friday, and has now become the race’s overall leader. Greipel was the fastest in the bunch sprint which decided the 179-kilometre hilly stage starting and finishing in Schimmert, outgunning Australian Allan Davis and Slovenian Borut Bozic.

“The stage looked tougher in the route book than it actually was. But in any case the team did a brilliant job of controlling the race on each of the stage’s climbs, marking a steady tempo all the way on each ascent so there were never really any dangerous moves,” Greipel said afterwards.

“We caught a break of six riders with about five kilometres to go, and then after that it was all about going for the bunch sprint. With 3000 metres to go I still had five team-mates in front of me, so we were in a dominating position. Then [Columbia-Highroad team-mate] Mark Renshaw gave me a perfect lead-out, and really all I had to do was give it everything in the final 200 metres.”

As well as taking two stage wins, Greipel is now the leader in both the general classification and the points competition. “Whether I can win both all depends on how I recover from today’s stage. I was very windy and I used up a lot of energy getting through. The overall will be harder for me to defend, particularly on Saturday’s stage, but I’ll do my best to keep it.”

Villumsen Scores Hat-Trick for Columbia-Highroad

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:07:04 -0700

First Andre Greipel won for Columbia-Highroad in Holland, then Mark Cavendish did the same in Switzerland - and finally Linda Villumsen made a spectacularly successful day for Columbia-Highroad even more special by snapping up the team’s third victory in the space of just a few hours.

Villumsen was the fastest in the opening prologue of the Raboster stage race in Holland, a 7.1 kilometre time trial held in the late evening in the town of Vlissingen.

Her victory came just hours after Columbia-Highroad’s Andre Greipel had powered to a stage win in the Ster-ElektroToer in Holland and team-mate Mark Cavendish had done the same in another bunch sprint in the Tour of Switzerland.

Villumsen’s victory was no less impressive. Despite the time trial course being very short, the Danish rider opened up a margin of 5.5 seconds on second-placed Loes Gunnewijk of the Flexpoint team. Columbia-Highroad women’s team turned in a remarkably strong collective performance in the Dutch stage race, placing four riders in the top ten and five in the top 15.

Team-mates Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Chantal Beltman and Ellen Van Dijk finished fourth, fifth, and seventh respectively, whilst Emilia Fahlin was thirteenth.

“I knew the course well and I was motivated because I won on the same time trial circuit three years ago,” Villumsen said afterwards. “It was very technical, with a lot of roundabouts and corners, and quite windy too, so knowing it was definitely an advantage. There weren’t any real tactics, just a question of going all out 100 percent and seeing how you did.”

With the racing starting in the early evening and not finishing until nearly 10 pm, Villumsen said it had been a long wait through the day.

“Ina and I went training early on and then we did some shopping to try and kill some time. Fortunately it was worth waiting for the race!”

Villumsen plans to defend her overall lead as well as possible in the two remaining days racing, but she says the team’s main objective will be “to fight for the stage wins.”

“We’ve got a strong line-up here, with Ina-Yoko and Emilia for the sprints, and there are some time bonuses to fight for, too. So going for the stages will be our big goal. But whatever happens, I’m really pleased - and it’s amazing that the team has got so many victories in just one day.”

Columbia-Highroad’s total of victories for the men’s and women’s teams this season has now reached 67, with ten of those first places coming in the last seven days.

Cavendish Racks Up Men's Team's Fortieth Win of Year in Switzerland

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:13:16 -0700

Sprint ace Mark Cavendish blasted to the Columbia-Highroad mens' fortieth win of the season and the team’s fourth victory in six days in the Tour de Suisse on Thursday.
In the 178-kilometre stage from Oberriet to Bad Zurzach, Cavendish once again proved unstoppable in a bunch sprint, outpowering Oscar Freire of Spain for his 13th win of the season. Cavendish’s first place finish continues a run of victories for Team Columbia-Highroad, which has now netted 40 victories in 2009, more than any other team in professional cycling.

On Thursday alone, the team took two triumphs in one day: Cavendish’s victory in Switzerland coming alongside a stage win by fellow sprinter Andre Greipel in the Ster-Elektrotoer in Holland. The squad’s total of 40 victories puts Columbia-Highroad well on track to become the ProTour team with the highest tally of wins in a single season - for the second year running.

In the Tour de Suisse, Columbia-Highroad’s current tally has now reached four in six days, with wins by Bernhard Eisel on stage two, Cavendish on stage three and stage six, and Michael Albasini on stage five.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher to win the stages, because not many teams have won and we really had to work hard to make sure we came through,” Cavendish said. “However, once again we’ve shown that when it comes to sprints Columbia-Highroad is the best team in the world.”

“There was a second category climb at the beginning of the stage and a headwind for most of the day. It made it a very hard day for me, but it was all worth it. I came to the Tour of Switzerland because it’s the best way to prepare for the Tour de France for me and because I wanted to do some climbs. So far it’s going very well.”

As for the Tour de France, with so many different riders winning Cavendish agreed that “we’ve got 15 guys who could do the Tour. The important thing is that all of the riders we take can adapt - either to work for me in the sprints or to help Kim Kirchen, for example, in the battle for the overall.”

Greipel Takes Stage Win in Ster-ElekraToer

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:43:38 -0700

Andre Greipel has stormed to his eighth win of the season in the opening road stage of the Ster-ElektroToer in Holland. Greipel was the fastest on a 175-kilometre stage from Eindhoven to Sittard, beating Danilo Napolitano of Italy and Tom Boonen of Belgium in a bunch sprint.

“We kept the situation under control so well. There were still three Columbia-Highroad riders ahead of Andre in the final kilometre, waiting to ease him through to the sprint,” commented team sports director Tristan Hoffman. “In the run-in to the finish, all I could hear on the race radio was ‘Columbia, Columbia, Columbia’, and then we won. Yesterday in the opening prologue of the race we were a bit disappointed because all our guys did very well but they weren’t quite up there with the top names. Today was a really different story. Andre got the perfect lead-out and we made sure we got our sporting revenge.”

“[Team-mate] Marcel Sieberg brought things up to speed in the last kilometre, then Mark Renshaw made it even faster and finally Greg Henderson gave me a perfect lead-out in the last 200 metres,” added Greipel. “Every time I win, it’s also a team win, and today was no exception to the rule. I really appreciate what they’re doing for me. The next two stages aren’t so easy, more lke Amstel or Liege, but we’ve got Vicente Reynes and Frankie Rabon for the overall and I’m sure they’ll make sure they’re up there. Then after that on Sunday I should have another opportunity for a win. And if I can, I’ll go for the points jersey just like I did in the Bayern Rundfahrt stage race as well.”

In another great day of racing for Columbia-Highroad, Greipel’s victory came less than an hour before yet another stage win for Mark Cavendish - in the Tour de Suisse. Columbia-Highroad men’s team have now racked up 40 wins this season.

Albasini Nets Columbia-Highroad's Third Stage Victory in Switzerland

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:03:09 -0700

A strong, long sprint by local rider Michael Albasini netted Columbia-Highroad their third win in five stages in the Tour de Suisse. Albasini’s victory came on the toughest stage of the race, a 202-kilometre leg from Stafa to Serfaus, with a first category climb and third category climb immediately preceding an uphill finish. The Swiss rider took off from a group of favorites in the final kilometre and stayed away for his first victory since a stage of the Tour of the Basque Country in Spain in early April.

Albasini’s stage-five win continues a spectacular succession of victories for Columbia-Highroad in the Tour de Suisse started by Bernhard Eisel on stage two and continuing with Mark Cavendish on stage three. “I had to push myself hard to win, but it was worth it to win the hardest stage of the race,” Albasini said afterwards. “I didn’t know the climbs at all, either, because it’s a long way from my home in Switzerland. Fortunately I was able to get on [rival] Fabian Cancellara’s wheel when he went for another rider who’d already attacked in the last kilometre. Then immediately after that I got past Fabian and just gave it 100 percent. It wasn’t really a sprint because it came at the end of a long day in the mountains, but somehow I managed to keep going. I’ve been targeting this race since the beginning of May, because this is my home race and so obviously it’s a big goal for me. Winning here in Switzerland is always special for a Swiss rider.”

Looking further ahead, Albasini said he did not rule himself out for the overall classification, although not the top three. “I wanted to go for a podium place, but in the first couple of stages I suffered more than I expected. I didn't have good legs, and it was very difficult for me to say with the favorites. Still, if I finish with a top ten place overall as well as this stage win, I’ll be more than satisfied.”

Albasini’s teammate Tony Martin was in the thick of the action in the last part of the stage and remains in control of the King of the Mountains classification. In the 2009 season, Columbia-Highroad men’s team have now taken a total of 38 victories, making them the ProTour squad with the highest tally of wins in the year so far.

Cavendish Wins Tour de Suisse Sprint After Perfect Lead out

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:54:59 -0700

Team Columbia-Highroad continued their latest winning streak at the Tour de Suisse Monday thanks to another perfect lead out from the team and a powerful sprint by Mark Cavendish. The stage from Davos to Lumino included the category-one Lukemanierpass where four riders got away, but everything came back together and Team Columbia-Highroad again showed why they are considered the best lead out team in the world.

Teammates Marcus Burghardt, Bernhard Eisel, Tony Martin and George Hincapie strung out the peloton with Cavendish perfectly positioned on his wheel and ready for the final sprint. Hincapie, who guided Cavendish in the final kilometre of his victory at Milan-San Remo, did the same again in Switzerland. Norway's Thor Hushovd tried to anticipate Cavendish, but the 24-year-old sprinter was on his wheel in a split second and then had the power and strength to surge past him before the line. Three-time world champion Oscar Freire tried to take on Cavendish but finished second, two bike lengths behind. It was Cavendish's 11th individual victory of the 2009 season.

“It was another perfect win for us and having four riders there to help me in the last three kilometres showed how good and strong we are as a team,” Cavendish said after hugging and sharing his success with his team mates. “It was a great lead out and all the guys worked perfectly. Thor Hushovd tried to get a jump on me but I was able to get him before the line.”

On Sunday Bernhard Eisel won stage two at the Tour de Suisse and Judith Arndt won both the final stage and the overall classification at the Bira race in Spain. The Tour de Suisse is Cavendish's first race since the Giro d'Italia and he kept the team's winning streak going.
“This is the first time I've ridden the Tour of Switzerland, but this is our second consecutive win, so it's proving to be a great race for us.”

Eisel Captures Sprint Win in Switzerland; Team Takes Three Wins in One Day

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:18:54 -0700

Columbia-Highroad’s Bernhard Eisel stormed to a close but convincing bunch sprint victory in the Tour de Suisse’s stage two on Sunday. After Columbia-Highroad teammate Tony Martin had attacked on a first category climb, moving into the lead of the King of the Mountains classification, Eisel seized his chance in the 100-rider bunch sprint which finally decided the 150-kilometre stage.

The Columbia-HIghroad rider edged out Germany’s Gerald Ciolek and Spain’s former triple World Champion Oscar Freire for his first victory since taking the Paris-Bourges one-day race in France last autumn. “I went for a long sprint, found my own line and, above all, I didn’t look back until I crossed that finish line,” Eisel said afterwards.

“It was a very technical finish. Fortunately [teammate] George Hincapie gave me a really good leadout, so I was in a great position to go for it and go for the stage win.”

After Columbia-Highroad had worked hard to control the race in the closing kilometres, Eisel said he had had no choice but to give it everything in the sprint. “Tony [Martin] had attacked, and at one point we thought he was going to win the stage. But then after he had been pulled back, Columbia-Highroad set things up perfectly for a bunch sprint. The only problem was that when I started sprinting, the line seemed like it was never going to arrive! I was nervous about Ciolek and Freire, too. They could have overtaken me right on the finish line. Fortunately I just managed to hang on. But it was close!”

Eisel’s victory came on a day of exceptional all-round success for Columbia-Highroad. In the Bira race in Spain, Judith Arndt fended off Germany’s Claudia Hausler to take both the stage win and the overall victory. So thanks to Eisel and Arndt, Columbia-Highroad racked up no fewer than three first places in one day.

Arndt Gets Stage Hat Trick and Overall Win in Bira

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:18:16 -0700

A spectacular all-out attack by Columbia-Highroad’s Judith Arndt on the final descent of the Bira race in Spain netted the German star both the overall win and her third stage in four days.

After Columbia-Highroad teammate Mara Abbott and rival Claudia Hausler of Germany had attacked on the last climb, Arndt powered across to the two stage leaders on a dangerous rain-soaked descent. Arndt then outpowered Hausler in the final sprint for the line in the town of Orduña, while Abbott took third. It was Arndt’s third stage win in four days, and her first overall stage race victory since winning the Tour of Tuscany in Italy last September.

To round off an exceptional day for Columbia-Highroad, Abbott took third on the stage and third overall, while the squad also won the Bira’s teams’ classification. And just an hour or so before, in the Tour de Suisse, Bernhard Eisel won the day’s stage for Columbia-Highroad’s men’s team.

“I’m really pleased because I never expected to do this well after all my injuries in the Spring and after not racing for so long,” Arndt said afterwards. “But I’ve come back and I’m already doing much better than I could hope to do. It’s something very special and really motivating. At the same time, the team has really stepped up and given me a huge amount of support in this race. I can’t thank them enough.”

Arndt broke her collarbone and her wrist this spring, meaning she was effectively out of race action for nearly nine months.
“For Judith this has been a really important win after her two injuries this Spring,” added team sports director Ronny Lauke.
“It was a tremendously tough thing for her to handle, because in her 15-year career she’s never had to spend such a long time off the bike because of injuries. She knew how to try and recover and keep in good shape. But until she started racing, she couldn’t be certain everything would work out. This succession of wins, against some of the world’s top riders, proves that it has.”