March 28, 2003 (Detroit, Michigan) – Canadian athletes Lyne Bessette, Charles Dionne, Manon Jutras, Amy Moore and Eric Wohlberg will ride for the Saturn Cycling Team for the 2003 season, blending the strengths of veteran athletes with up-and-coming riders.
Lyne Bessette, of Knowlton, Quebec, who returns to Team Saturn for her fifth season, was named by Velo News as the North American Female Cyclist of the Year in 2001 and placed first last year at the Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic (Fitchburg, Mass.). New to the team this season are Manon Jutras of Montreal, Quebec, who pursued cycling after winning the 1999 Coupe du Quebec triathlon. Manon achieved a breakout season in 2001, placing second at the Green Mountain Stage Race (Vt.) and at the Ottawa Bicycle Club Grand Prix. Also new to the team is Amy Moore of Mississauga, Ontario, who won the 2002 Bermuda Grand Prix and clinched a stage win at the Wendy's International Cycling Classic (Ohio).
Veteran racer Eric Wohlberg, of Levack, Ontario, is a seven-time National Canadian Time Trial Champion. He will be joined by Charles Dionne of St. Redempteur, Quebec, who shot to instant stardom when he won the San Francisco Grand Prix last season.
Bessette, Jutras and Moore will be riding with fellow teammates Ina Tuetenberg of Germany, who is an Olympian and three-time Junior World Champion; Jessica Phillips, U.S. National Road Champion; 2002 Pro Cycling Tour Champion Laura Van Gilder and Katie Mactier, 2001 Australian Road Champion; plus young up-and-comers Sarah Uhl, U.S. National Track Champion, and Megan Elliot, U.S. Women's Espoir Road Champion. The Saturn women's team is currently ranked number one in the world by UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale).
Wohlberg and Dionne will join returning Saturn team members Rahsaan Bahati, former U.S. National Criterium Champion; Ivan Dominguez, who won the inaugural 2002 NYC Championships; Will Frischkorn, 2002 Espoir U.S. National Road Race Champion; Tim Johnson, 2001 U.S. National Cyclo-Cross Champion; Trent Klasna, 2001 number-one-ranked NRC (National Racing Calendar) rider; and Mark McCormack, who finished sixth at the 2002 USPRO Road Race Championships.
New to the team are current number-one-ranked U.S. cyclist Chris Horner; Tom Danielson, the impressive climber who smashed the Mt. Washington Hill Climb (N.H.) record in August; Belarus native and former Saturn Cycling Development Team member Viktor Rapinski and up-and-coming U.S. racer Phil Zajicek, who holds the Arizona State 40K time-trial record.
“We are extremely pleased with the depth of experience on our roster,” says Team Saturn Assistant General Manager and Women's Team Coach, Giana Roberge. “The athletes we have form a well-rounded team to tackle both the one-day events and stage races that make up the North American racing scene.”
Also new for 2003 is men's team coach Andrzej Bek, a native of Poland, who has been involved in cycling as a racer, an Olympian and a coach for more than 30 years. Bek, who lives in Wauwatosa, Wis., has a degree in coaching from the Polish Cycling Federation and Institute of Sport. Bek, 51, has both the experience and the skills to lead the reinforced Saturn Cycling men's team to a strong season. “Andrzej's skills are a perfect complement to the Saturn Cycling Team,” says Tom Schuler, Team Saturn General Manager. “The athletes and staff alike respect his abilities and look forward to working with him to help field a winning men's program.”
“I am looking forward to working with this talented group of bike racers who are truly world class,” says Bek.