January 11, 2015 (Pescadero, CA) – Team-TIBCO-SVB begins its second decade of racing with added firepower in the form of New Zealander Emily Collins, German Kathrin Hammes and Australian Joanne Hogan, who join a team that won both the overall titles of the USA Cycling NRC series and the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series. All three riders bring plenty of experience to the Team. Collins joins Team TIBCO-SVB after two seasons with Wiggle-Honda, where she achieved solid results on a team deep in talent. Most notably, she took the win at the Omloop van Het Hageland and the New Zealand National Criterium Championship in 2013.

“Emily has shown throughout her career that she can take a leadership role when the situation warrants it, but can also ride strongly for her teammates,” said Ed Beamon, Team TIBCO-SVB General Manager and Sports Director. “She has an aggressive racing style that fits well with our Team. We’re looking forward to giving her more opportunities and room to grow.” Collins, as well as Hogan, have already started their season at the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic in Australia.

Hammes comes to the Team off of her strongest season of racing. She won a stage of the UCI Tour de l’Ardeche and posted top-15 overall results at Ardeche and the Thuringen Rundfahrt. She also won the World University Cycling Championship Road Race and finished 2nd in the WUC time trial.

“Kathrin has been improving steadily in her career but 2014 was definitely a breakout year with her stage win at Ardeche,” Beamon said. “She has a big engine, is a strong time trialist and a very hard worker. We’re also looking forward to helping Kathrin continue to develop her talent.” Hogan was a consistently good performer throughout 2014 for the Bigla squad, taking a win at the Fleche Wanzoise in Belgium, while finishing in the top 10 Overall of the Thuringen Rundfahrt and top 15 of the Fleche Wallone World Cup. In 2013, she started her season with 2nd in the Australian Road Championships, and finished by winning the Oostkamp kermesse in Belgium.

“Jo brings us a great amount of experience,” Team Founder Linda Jackson said. “She’s competed in all the major races internationally and she’s able to do well in all types of races.”

Collins, Hogan and Hammes join a returning group that made up the majority of the 2014 squad, including 2014 NRC Individual Overall Champion Lauren Stephens, and three-time New Zealand Olympian and Team Captain Joanne Kiesanowski. They’re joined by two-time Swiss Time Trial Champion and Joe Martin Stage Race stage winner Patricia Schwager, sprinter Kendall Ryan, climber Krista Doebel-Hickok, who got her first big NRC win at the Cascade Classic in 2014, as well as Sara Headley and young Canadians Alizee Brien and Anika Todd.

Doebel-Hickok, Hammes, Headley, Ryan, Stephens and Todd are presently in Argentina to contest seven days of UCI racing. Riders will open the season on January 10 with the UCI 1.2 Grand Prix San Luis, followed by the UCI 2.2 Tour de San Luis from January 11-16. The six-stage race offers up a variety of terrain, including a pair of hard climbing stages and an individual time trial. The races will provide the Team with an early benchmark for the season ahead.

2015 Team TIBCO-SVB Roster:
– Alizee Brien (CAN)
– Anika Todd (CAN)
– Emily Collins (NZL)
– Joanne Kiesanowski (NZL)
– Joanne Hogan (AUS)
– Kathrin Hammes (GER)
– Kendall Ryan (USA)
– Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA)
– Lauren Stephens (USA)
– Patricia Schwager (SWI)
– Sara Headley (USA)