(Montreal, PQ) October 30, 2002 – The RONA Cycling Team is proud to announce that Canadian Carrie Tuck has signed on with the team in 2003. Born and raised in Alberta, but now residing in Victoria, B.C., Tuck just turned 22, yet she has been competing for 11 years. “I was really motivated very early”, she says, “my dad and my grandfather were both avid cycling fans!”

Carrie, a 6-foot, 140 lbs athlete, wants to be an all-around cyclist. She has competed on the track and in mountain biking – she was the Canadian junior MTB champion and earned three top ten finishes at the world junior championships. Having discovered road racing in 2000, she now admits a preference for time trialing. She won the time trial gold medal at the 2001 Canada Games, as well as silver in the road race.

Kept out of races for eight weeks following a collar-bone fracture in 2002, she still managed good results – among which a third place at the Delta Road race and a second place at the Canadian criterium championships, right behind RONA's Andrea Hannos, who will be her team-mate next year.

“I can't say how excited I was when André (Aubut, Team RONA's manager) called”, says the young Albertan, a trained cabinetmaker who is now a student at the University of Victoria. “I knew Team RONA, having raced against Raphaële Lemieux at the Canada Games in 2001, and against Amy Jarvis and Manon Jutras at the Tour of White Rock this year. I saw how much they improved by being with RONA. Joining RONA is such a great opportunity for me, I'll sure work hard to contribute to my new team!”

Aubut intends to rely on Tuck's skills. “Carrie is young, but she has good potential to build on”, he says. “Her record confirms she's versatile and I'm sure she'll improve quickly and steadily. I like her attitude.”

The RONA cycling team is one of only two Canadian women's elite cycling teams acknowledged by the International Cycling Union.