Rijders: Christoph Sauser, Roel Paulissen, Tinker Juarez, Franz Hofer, Hannes Pallhuber, Cedric Gracia en Petra Bernhard Siemens mobile, one of the global leaders in mobile communication, and Cannondale, the world's premier manufacturer of high-performance bicycles, are joining forces to sponsor a pro mountain bike team, that is expected to race among the best. The team will compete under the name Siemens mobile/Cannondale in the 2003 and 2004 World Cup seasons, and it unites some of the world's top professional riders. Rainer-Wurz.com, the company owned by former mountain bike racer Markus Rainer and Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz, helped to bring the companies together and will run the team.
Cannondale will provide state-of-the-art racing bikes, technical expertise and support. Siemens mobile will provide cutting edge mobile phones that will allow the team, via triple band technology, to make phone calls in all parts of the world.
The new squad includes some of the world's best pro riders, such as Christoph Sauser (Switzerland), Roel Paulissen (Belgium), Tinker Juarez (U.S.), Hannes Pallhuber (Italy) and Franz Hofer (Italy) for cross-country, and Cedric Gracia (France) and Petra Bernhard (Austria) for downhill and four-cross. The riders come from the Rainer-Wurz.com team and the former Volvo/Cannondale squad, the winningest team in mountain bike history.
The team's contract runs for two years and the squad will compete in the World Cup, the World Championships and all major international and European mountain bike races. The Siemens mobile and Cannondale logos will be featured prominently on the race jersey, the three Cannondale race bikes (the Gemini for downhill, the Jekyll for four-cross and the Scalpel for cross-country), team post-race clothing and the five team vehicles. Cedric Gracia's participation at the Red Bull Ride last week in Australia marked the official debut of the new Siemens mobile/Cannondale team.
Rolf Beisswanger, vice-president and head of Global Sponsoring Siemens mobile, voiced his excitement about the new team. "This high-level team has huge potential and will race among the best. The riders are all technically sophisticated and need partners that they can rely on. Now they have high-performance bikes, the communication equipment they need, and one of the most successful team leaders. This really sets new standards in mountain bike racing."
Saskia Stock, Cannondale Europe's vice-president of marketing, was equally excited about the team. "Cannondale is very proud to be involved with Siemens mobile and Rainer-Wurz.com. We feel this cooperation between three outstanding companies will set the standard for mountain bike racing teams," said Stock. "We have a long, successful history in the mountain bike racing world and we think this team raises the bar once again."
Alex Wurz, of Rainer-Wurz.com expressed his enthusiasm, "We are delighted to have two such strong and professional team partners in Cannondale and Siemens mobile. Cannondale has a very successful history in mountain bike racing and brings a wealth of experience to the team. I think it reflects very positively on the sport that, even in the current economic climate, major global companies such as Siemens mobile are seeing mountain biking as a strong marketing platform."
Siemens Mobile/Cannondale Riders 2003
Christoph Sauser
Discipline: Cross Country
Nationality: Swiss
DOB: 13.04.1976
Home Town: Windigen, Sigriswil, Switzerland
Height: 181 cm
Weight: 66 kg
UCI Ranking XC 2002: 7
Career Highlights:
2002 World Cup XC #2 - Houffalize - 1st
World Cup XC #5 - Les Gets - 2nd
World Cup XC #4 - Grouse Mtn. - 2nd
Telluride Sports Festival XC - 2nd
Garda Fest - Lago di Garda - 2nd
Cross Country Overall World Cup - 2nd
World Cup XC - # 1 Madrid - 7th
2001 World Cup XC #4 - Grouse Mtn. - 1st
World Cup XC # 6, Leysin - 2nd
World Championships, XC, Vail - 3rd
Overall World Cup Standings - 5th
Swiss National Champion 2001, 2000, 1999
2000 Sydney Olympic Games - Bronze Medal
NCS Cross Country - Mt. Snow - 1st
Elvia Swiss Cup - La Chaux-de-Fonds- 1st
World Cup XC - Mt. Sainte Anne - 2nd
1999 World Cup #6 - Big Bear, USA - 1st
World Cup #5 - Plymouth, GB - 2nd
World Cup CX Overall - 3rd
1998 World Championships - 2nd
Roel Paulissen
Discipline: Cross Country
Nationality: Belgian
DOB: 27.04.1976
Home Town: Hasselt, Belgium
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 67 kg
UCI Ranking XC 2002: 3
Career Highlights:
2002 Europa Cup MTB, XC#5 - France - 1st
Europa Cup MTB, XC#3 - Germany - 1st
Europa Cup MTB XC#2 - Austria - 1st
Belgian Cup XC #6- 1st
Belgian National Championships - Belgium - 1st
Black Lake Bike Marathon - Italy - 1st
Belgian Cup XC#1 - Belgium - 1st
Kamptal Klassik Trophy XC - Austria - 1st
Lurnfelder Eisenwald - Austria - 1st
Tissot/UCI MTB World Cup XC#2 -Belgium - 2nd
Sestrierissima XC - Italy- 2nd
Gaerne MTB Trophy - Italy - 2nd
Tissot/UCI MTB World Cup XC#1, Madrid - 3rd
European Championships XC - Switzerland - 3rd
2A Sunshine Cup - Italy - 3rd
World Championships - Austria - 6th
World Cup XC #5 - Les Gets - 7th
World Cup #3 - Mont Ste Anne - 8th
2001 World Cup - Kaprun - 3rd
World Cup - Leysin - 5th
World Cup XC #3 + 4in Grouse Mountain and Durango - 6th
World Cup Overall - 9th
2000 Olympic Team Member
Belgian National Champion
1999 World Championships Overall - 4th
Belgian National Champion
4 times National U23 champion
Tinker Juarez
Discipline: Cross Country
Nationality: American
DOB: 04.03.1961
Home Town: Downey, CA
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 63 kg
Career Highlights:
2002 Gorge Games - 24 Hour Race- 1st
24 Hours of Adrenaline - Winter Park - 1st
24 Hours of Adrenaline - Laguna Seca- 1st
24 Hours of 9 Mile - 1st
24 Hours in the Old Pueblo - 1st
2001 Subaru Gorge Games, 24 Hour Solo Race - 1st
24 Hours of Laguna Seca - 1st
24 Hour US National Championships - 1st
NCS XC#5,Mt. Snow - 5th
2000 US Olympic Team Member
World Cup XC, Mazatlan - 10th
1999 Norba Short Track Overall - 5th
3 times NCS National XC Champion ('98, '95, '94)
Franz Hofer
Discipline: Cross Country
Nationality: Italian
DOB: 27.12.1981
Home Town: Bolzano, Italy
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 71 kg
Career Highlights:
2002 Italian Championships XC - Malé - U23 -1st
Alpago Liquigas Cup Intern. -Italy - U23 - 1st
International Breitenauer XC E1 - Austria - U23 -1st
Montepurga Cup Intern. - Italy - 2nd
2A Sunshine Cup - Nales, Italy - U23 - 2nd
Winter Grand Prix 1st heat- Solbiate - U23 -2nd
South Tyrol Cup - Italy - 3rd
International Championships Breitenau - 5th
European Championships CX - 22nd
2001 Stubai Marathon - 1st
3 race victories
World Cup in Napa Valley - 50th
2000 Italian National team member
Regional Champion
Hannes Pallhuber
Discipline: Cross Country
Nationality: Italian
DOB: 06.02.1974
Home Town: Brunico, Italy
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 63 kg
Career Highlights:
2002 Marathon Kaprun, Austria - 1st
Vecchia Ferrovia de la Val de Fiemme - 1st
Cortina - Dobbiaco - Italy - 2nd
Gardena Star Bike - Italy - 2nd
Kitzalp Bike Marathon - Austria - 2nd
Rampilonga - Moena - 3rd
Dolomiti Superbike Marathon - Italy - 3rd
Kamptal Klassik Trophy - Austria - 4th
La Rampirina 8th - Italy - 4th
2001 International Race Leermos, Austria - 1st
Italian Championship - 7th
3 regional victories
World Cup Leysin - 31st
2000 Leermos, - 3rd place
Styria Alpentour - 5th
Italian Championship - 12th
1999 Grafenau Marathon - 1st
Italian Championship - 11th
Cedric Gracia
Discipline: Downhill, 4X
Nationality: French
DOB: 23.3.1978
Home Town: Pau, France
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 76 kg
UCI Ranking 4X: 2
UCI Ranking DH: 3
Career Highlights:
2002 World Cup 4X #1 - Ft. William - 1st
Sea Otter Classic, Dual Slalom - 1st
World Cup DH #1 - Ft William - 2nd
World Cup DH #4 - Mt. Sainte Anne - 2nd
World Cup 4X #5 - Telluride - 2nd
World Championship, 4X - Kaprun - 2nd
Norba NCS DH #3 - Snowshoe - 2nd
Downhill Overall World Cup - 2nd
4X Overall World Cup - 2nd
Sea Otter Classic, Downhill - 3rd
World Championship, DH - Kaprun - 4th
Sea Otter Classic, 4X - 4th
World Cup DH #6 - Les Gets - 5th
Norba NCS 4X #2 - Alpine Valley - 5th
World Cup DH #5 - Telluride - 6th
World Cup 4X #4 - Mt. Sainte Anne - 6th
World Cup 4X #2 - Maribor - 7th
World Cup 4X #6 - Les Gets - 9th
Norba NCS DS #1 - Snow Summit - 9th
2001 NCS DH #5 -Mt. Snow - 1st
World Cup Dual #1, Maribor - 2nd
World Cup DH #7, Kaprun - 2nd
World Championships Dual, Vail - 2nd
Dual Overall World Cup - 5th
Downhill Overall World Cup - 5th
2000 World Cup Dual, Mt. Sainte Anne - 1st
World Cup Downhill, Leysin - 1st
Dual Overall World Cup - 2nd
Downhill Overall World Cup - 4th
1999 NCS Downhill Finals, Mt. Snow - 1st
World Cup Dual Slalom Overall - 3rd
Petra Bernhard
Discipline: Downhill, 4X
Nationality: Austrian
DOB: 18.11.1980
Home Town: Bad Radkersburg, Austria
Height: 171 cm
Weight: 56 kg
UCI Ranking DH 2002: 12
Career Highlights:
2002 Tieschen MTB Dual - Austria - 1st
International Tauplitz DH - Austria - 1st
MTB Hoch. Schruns DH - Austria - 1st
Montafoner DH - Austria, - 1st
Styrian Extreme Cup DL - Austria - 1st
Olympus MTB DH - Croatia- 1st
Tissot/UCI MTB World Cup, DH-4x#2 - Slow. - 3rd
Schöckl DH - Austria - 3rd
Maxxis Cup Intern. DH #4 - Germany - 6th
Maxxis Cup Intern. DH #5 - Italy - 7th
2001 Unica Cup DH#3 - Austria - 1st
Double Champion in Downhill and Dual Slalom
2000 Austria Cup DH #2 - Afritz - 1st
Austria Cup DH #3 - Tauplitz - 2nd
World Cup DL - Les Gets - 7th
Austria Cup DH #5- Nauders - 4th
Austrian DH Championships - 4th
Austria Cup DH #1 - 4th
