What bikes are the big road teams riding in 2009?
Written by: Herbert Krabel
Date: Thu Sep 04 2008
As the end of the 2008 season approaches, we are seeing lots of bike sponsorship changes in the Pro road peloton. Who are the winners and the losers of the 2009 bike sponsorship challenge and who just swapped teams?
Well, the disappearance of Colnago might be the big story. They always seemed to have had multiple teams in the pro peloton and now they appear to have lost all 3 teams (Milram, Rabobank and Katusha/Tinkoff) at once. Another bike manufacturer on the outside looking in is Pinarello with their loss of Caisse d'Epargne to the French brand Look. Are these two big Italian brands now following in the foot steps of De Rosa to a more quiet life?
Canyon and Focus are some of the new players that may surprise some folks. Both these brands are German based and while Canyon has dabbled in that world before via team Unibet, Focus is completely new to the game. So in 2009 we will see Team Silence - Lotto on Canyon bikes and Team Milram on frames from Focus. Well, Milram's TT bikes are Focus by Walser, and thus Switzerland gets a bit of love here too.
Specialized jumped on a "new horse" with Team CSC - Saxo Bank when the "old horse" Team Gerolsteiner started to lame. Plus they held on to their Belgian based team Quick Step.
Scott walked away from Scott - American Beef and moved over to American Team Columbia - Omni Shade.
Here is a quick chart of all the changes we are currently aware of.
Well, the disappearance of Colnago might be the big story. They always seemed to have had multiple teams in the pro peloton and now they appear to have lost all 3 teams (Milram, Rabobank and Katusha/Tinkoff) at once. Another bike manufacturer on the outside looking in is Pinarello with their loss of Caisse d'Epargne to the French brand Look. Are these two big Italian brands now following in the foot steps of De Rosa to a more quiet life?
Canyon and Focus are some of the new players that may surprise some folks. Both these brands are German based and while Canyon has dabbled in that world before via team Unibet, Focus is completely new to the game. So in 2009 we will see Team Silence - Lotto on Canyon bikes and Team Milram on frames from Focus. Well, Milram's TT bikes are Focus by Walser, and thus Switzerland gets a bit of love here too.
Specialized jumped on a "new horse" with Team CSC - Saxo Bank when the "old horse" Team Gerolsteiner started to lame. Plus they held on to their Belgian based team Quick Step.
Scott walked away from Scott - American Beef and moved over to American Team Columbia - Omni Shade.
Here is a quick chart of all the changes we are currently aware of.
| 2008 team ride | 2009 team ride | |
| Columbia - Omni Shade (USA) | Giant | Scott |
| Silence - Lotto (BEL) | Ridley | Canyon |
| Milram (GER) | Colnago | Focus |
| Rabobank (NED) | Colnago | Giant |
| Caisse d'Epargne (ESP) | Pinarello | Look |
| Katusha (RUS) | Colnago | Ridley |
| CSC - Saxo Bank (DEN) | Cervelo | Specialized |
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What are they riding now?
At the recent Bonita Ironman New Zealand, Cameron Brown was aboard an Avanti Team Chrono when he won a record 9th title at this event. Plus Rasmus Henning and Javier Gomez have a new bike sponsor. 3.07.10
At the recent Bonita Ironman New Zealand, Cameron Brown was aboard an Avanti Team Chrono when he won a record 9th title at this event. Plus Rasmus Henning and Javier Gomez have a new bike sponsor. 3.07.10
Comments
Pro Peleton Bike Changes
Reviewed by: Michael Coburn, Sep 10 2008 7:24AM
I enjoyed the update but how can you not mention Cervelo at all?
