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Fiordifrutta Announces 2008 Team Fiordifrutta, an Italian producer of organic jams and honeys, is proud to announce the roster of the number one ranked US amateur cycling team. The team has spent the last five years near the top of the National Racing Calendar points classification and has graduated nine riders to the professional ranks in the last few years. The squad is based entirely in New England and it racked up thirty-four wins in 2007, racing a full road and cyclocross season. In late February, the team will start its season with a training camp including a tour of Rigoni USA which provides the title sponsorship for the sixth straight year through its Fiordifrutta brand. “Fiordifrutta is pleased to have a long-term relationship with such a fast group of racers who are great ambassadors for my product” said Rigoni USA’s Claudio Mucci. The team is also pleased to have performance testing support from Incline Training in Massachusetts which is run by PhD physiologist and former Webcor director Jay Gump. The team’s schedule for 2008 includes NRC and National Championship events as well as regional races on the East coast. The squad has always focused on the development of younger riders, and continues as the nation’s premier program to help riders step up to the next level of cycling. Team riders who have moved onto careers in professional cycling include: Jonathan Page (Colavita/Sutter Home, Sunweb/Projob), Mike Jones (Healthnet), Shawn Milne (Navigators, Healthnet), Justin Spinelli (Saeco, Navigators), Dan Timmerman (Kodak/Sierra Nevada), Mike Cody (Jelly Belly), Matt Svatek (Sportsbook.com), Mike Dietrich (Kodak/Sierra Nevada), and Phil Wong (Jittery Joes). Team riders who have ridden for the US National Team in Europe include: Oliver Stiler-Cote, Shawn Milne, Darby Thomas, Robbie Dapice, Donny Lopez, Matt White, and Johannes Huseby. Team members have held more than thirteen National Championship titles. The team in 2008 is a close group of sixteen riders, consisting of twelve returning veterans and four new additions. The veterans are highlighted by team leaders Matt White and Josh Dillon. Last year these two riders were often together on the results board, with 5th and 7th place finishes in the elite national road race, and 5th and 6th place spots respectively in the elite national time trial. White is also a cyclocross superstar on the national circuit with multiple UCI race wins in the last two years. Fiordifrutta also supports some of the nation’s top U23 riders including Todd Nordblom (3rd at U23 road nationals, 2nd at collegiate road nations) and Toby Marzot (1st at collegiate road nationals, two time US world team member for cyclocross). Jamey Driscoll was 2nd at U23 cyclocross nationals and has won the Crank Brothers US Cyclocross Grand Prix for U23 the last two years. Another strong U23 rider is Hayden Brooks from Australia who just finished 13th in his national time trial championships. Other returning veterans include Cory Burns (8th at elite time trial nationals) and Josh Lipka (two time New England junior time trial champion). Experience and leadership on the road come from Chris Rozdilsky, Johs Huseby, and Will Riffelmacher. New riders include Phil Gaimon (7th at Univest and 12th at elite road nationals), Alister Ratcliff (2nd in the Green Mountain Stage Race’s road race), sprinter Eric Schildge, and New England up-and-comer Steve Weller. Curt Davis and Chris Peck continue managing the squad and have been involved with this same team since 1995 as it has eventually evolved to promote the Fiordifrutta brand. Complete rider bios can be found below and the team is also happy to announce the following supporting sponsors: Cannondale (Frames, Forks and SI Cranks)
Hayden Brooks (1)
Hayden was Fiordifrutta’s first ever Australian signing in 2007, and he started off 2008 with a 13th place finish in his home country’s national time trial championships for under 23’s. He will spend the season living in Massachusetts, and he is a young rider with a lot of potential as proven with his 3rd place overall GC finish at the NRC’s 2006 Nature Valley stage race in the under 23’s. 13th 2008 Australian National Time Trial Championships, Under 23
Cory is back for a second year with Fiordifrutta and is on the fast track to cycling success. He finished in the top 10 at the national time trial championships and also dominated NY’s toughest hill climb at Whiteface Mountain. Cory is an all around rider and his email address of wannabeapro@hotmail.com shows he is determined to succeed. 1st 2007 Whiteface Mountain Hill climb, NY
Josh has long been a strongman in New England and has become one of the top amateurs in the country. In 2007 he took 7th at elite road nationals, and he knows that 2008 is his year to step it up even more. 7th 2007 Elite Road National Championships, PA
Jamey wrapped up his last U23 cyclocross season by winning both the Crank Brothers GP U23 and collegiate Nationals for a second year, and sweeping the New England Series U23. He narrowly missed U23 Nationals, clearly due to the lack of the mullet. After racing cyclocross internationally, he will be eager to get back on the road in New England and the national circuit. His cross strength should transfer to skinny tires like in 2007 with a solo victory in the ECCC championships and 2nd place in the Housatonic Hills Road Race to teammate Josh Dillon. 1st 2007 and 2006 Collegiate National Cyclocross Championships
Phil is a new rider for the squad with impressive talent and results. His breakout season was 2007 where he put in a strong ride at elite road nationals and finished 7th at the Univest Grand Prix against many of the nation’s top pros. Phil is an English major at the University of Florida and maintains his own website at www.philthethrill.net. 7th 2007 Univest Grand Prix, UCI
Johs was a member of the 2003 US Cyclocross World's Team in Monopoli, Italy. He is also a former National Collegiate Cyclocross Champion and the mountain bike product manager for Cannondale. He is excited to bring his experience to the team for another season. 1st 2007 Faulkner Honda Criterium, PA
Josh is UNH student who shows tremendous cycling potential. He is a two time winner of the New England Junior Time Trial Championships, and has made a rapid rise through the cycling ranks. He looks forward to continuing to push his cycling development and dedication. 2nd 2007 Fitchburg Stage Race, Stage 4, Cat 2, MA
Charles “Toby” Marzot comes back for a second season with the squad and this 20 year old rider has a bright future ahead of him. The Dartmouth student represented the US at the under 23 Cyclocross World Championships in 2006, and won the collegiate national road race championship in 2007. 1st 2007 Collegiate National Road Race Championships
Todd returns for a third year with the team, and is one of the top U23 riders in the country with a 3rd place finish at the 2007 road race championships. He also was narrowly outsprinted by his Fiordifrutta teammate Toby Marzot for the win at the collegiate national road race championships, and looks forward to a rematch in 2008! 3rd 2007 Elite National Road Championships, PA
Alister has impressed team managers Curt and Chris since he started racing as a junior in the local Connecticut races. 2007 was Alister’s year to shine and is a fantastic climber who is learning to use his power on the flats as well. 2nd 2007 Green Mountain Stage Race, Stage 3 RR
A Harvard graduate who currently lives in VT, Will jumped from Category 4 to 2 in 2006, and looks to be on a fast track to cycling success. He is a former world class rower, and also won the KOM competition at the Tour de Toona for Cat 2 men. 15th 2007 Elite National Time Trial Championships
2008 is Chris’s fourth year with the team after a solid 2007 where he led the team logistically at many NRC races. Chris was ranked in the top 25 amateurs in the NRC standings in 2006. Chris is an exercise physiologist and coach who works with many clients and athletes in the Northeast. Many of the team riders use Chris as a resource for training and planning their season. 10th 2004 Tour de Toona Stage 3, PA
Eric is a new rider to the team who is developing into a top sprinter. This Dartmouth student posted numerous podium finishes including a win in Fitchburg’s circuit race (Cat 2) and a 3rd place in the Tour of Somerville (Cat 2). He is looking forward to having the power of the Fiordifrutta lead out train pulling for him in 2007. 1st 2007 Fitchburg Stage Race, Stage 2, Cat 2
Matt is one of the nation’s top cyclocross riders and he represented the US at the 2004 and 2005 World Championships. He has made the transition to the road, developing into a dominant road racer with a 5th place finish at the Elite National Road Championships. Matt was the #4 amateur in the 2007 National Racing Calendar point’s standings. 5th 2007 Elite National Road Championships, PA
Steve is a professional cycling coach who is rapidly becoming a contender at some of New England’s toughest races. He has shown steady improvement over the last three years is excited to contribute to the team’s success. 4th 2007 Williams Criterium, MA
Curt has been (had been) one the nation's strongest amateurs for many years, with some of his top results being a 3rd place at the Elite National Road Championships, and a 2nd place at the Mt Washington hill climb. Curt now enjoys riding more than ever and occasionally races with the team only if the course is flat enough! Curt is an engineer at Cannondale where he takes care of frame needs for all of Cannondale's top pro teams, and he is also co-manager of the team. 7th 2006 Green Mountain Stage Race, Stage 1, VT
Chris brings a wealth of experience to the team, which he puts to use both on the race course and as team director. Chris is the vice-president of R&D at Cannondale, and competes with Curt Davis for the title of rider with the least hours of training per week. 16th 2006 Elite Road Race National Championships, PA 2005 Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks Team 2004 Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks Team 2003 Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks Team
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