Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

Cycling Pro: Team Type 1 - sanofi-aventis in hilly Tour de Korea

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Parent Category: Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

Category: News Cycling Pro Road & Mtb 2011

Published on Friday, 15 April 2011 12:08

Written by Luca Salvatelli

Team Type 1 - sanofi-aventis tackles the nine-stage Tour de Korea beginning Friday, with six riders from five countries launching in to the 1,335km race against 20 teams from around the world.

Team Type 1 - sanofi-aventis Director Sportif Mike Carter said the Tour de Korea stands out in a season of global racing for its hilly profile and challenging terrain.

"We have our hands full against a tough field of international competition. The general classification race could likely start on the first day, and the short, steep bergs will put the winners into contention by stage two. We have climbs and great, technical courses, and on Sunday there is a 40km section on a seawall right before the finish," Carter said.

Team Type 1 - sanofi- aventis line up for the UCI 2.2 Tour de Korea:

Alessandro Bazzana - ITA

Will Dugan - USA

Joe Eldridge* - USA

Ben King - AUS

Scott Stewart - USA

Aleksei Shmidt - RUS

* - rider with type 1 diabetes

Carter said Bazzana, Dugan and King are tabbed early for overall classification, with stage hunting to be determined as the race unfolds.

"It’s not easy to tell who is in form in a field of 200 riders from all over the world. Some of the other teams we raced against in South Africa and India, but this race will be wide open until it isn’t. Any one of our guys can take out a stage, and Bazzana has blazing form so far this year," Carter said.

Eldridge is a type 1 diabetic athlete, and must monitor his blood glucose constantly, periodically taking insulin to control the disease.

Type 1 diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas that stops the body’s natural production of insulin. Team Type 1 began when Phil Southerland and Eldridge decided to field a team of diabetic athletes to compete in the Race Across America.

Southerland and Eldridge succeeded in building Team Type 1 into a record-setting squad of RAAM champions, and have gone on to create an organization of more than 100 athletes competing in triathlons, marathons, and cycling events for men and women.

For 2011 Team Type 1 - sanofi-aventis has expanded its professional cycling team, receiving a UCI Professional Continental license and taking on a deeply experienced squad of riders to race a full European and global calendar. Six of the 20 pro riders have type 1 diabetes.