High Road stays on a roll
Team High Road is enjoying continued success, grabbing 6 wins and six additional podium places in the last two weeks, as well as holding the Young Riders Jersey in the Giro d’Italia; winning the Mountains Jersey in Tour de l’Aude and holding the Yellow Jersey and the Points Jersey.
The team now has a total of 56 wins for the season, counting 29 for the men and 27 for the women.
“We were extremely happy with the way the year started for us,” says Team High Road Owner Bob Stapleton, “and it’s great to see the season continue with so many exciting results.”
“The riders are working hard. There is a great atmosphere in the team and we’ve seen some excellent teamwork to achieve these wins.”
The highlight of the fortnight is without a doubt the two stage wins of young Mark Cavendish, who celebrated his 23rd birthday during the week. The wins are Mark’s first Grand Tour victories and a stepping stone to the next level, with many already hailing him as the fastest sprinter in the world at present.
"Fortunately I’ve got the perfect team, with riders who have been professional for five years helping me win,” said an excited Cavendish after his second win. “That means more than physical talent.”
The Giro started well for High Road with a strong performance in the Team Time Trial on day one which saw them take third place. It has also been successful for High Road’s Italian contingent, with Morris Possoni earning the great honour of wearing the white Young Riders Jersey in his homeland and holding it for three days. His mentor Marco Pinotti continued the Italian success, clocking a blistering time in the Individual Time Trial to place fourth behind Bruseghin, Contador and Kloden.
In Spain another of High Road’s sprinters, Bernhard Eisel had a successful week sprinting to two podium places in Volta a Catalunya, with his teammates George Hincapie and Thomas Lovkvist placing second and fourth in the prologue. The team enjoyed excellent teamwork and some impressive performances all round.
In Oregon, USA, National Champion Mara Abbott won the Queen stage of Mt Hood Classic, attacking on the mountain top finish to win her third race of the year.
Judith Arndt achieved early success in Tour de l’Aude in France taking the yellow jersey on stage 4 after a strong performance by the team in the Team Time Trial event. Arndt also finished the Tour with a stage win on the final stage and the lead in the Mountains classification.
Sprinter Ina-Yoko Teutenberg won two stages of Tour de l’Aude, winning the first after a 65km two-person break away and the second in a bunch sprint. Teutenberg has now won 15 stages of Tour de l’Aude in her career. A record equalled only by Team High Road coach and director Petra Rossner.
The Giro continues this week while the world waits to see if Cavendish can take another win in Wednesday’s stage. Other members of Team High Road head to Bayern Rundfahrt and across the Atlantic to the CSC Invitational and the Triple Crown events in Pennsylvania. The women head to the next round of the Women’s World Cup in Montreal, where Arndt will aim to defend her series lead and on to Tour of Montreal and the Triple Crown.
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