March 7, 2003 – The Hamilton 2003 Road World Championships today confirmed that Colnago Bicycles has signed an agreement as a sponsor of the event. The Italy-based company will be the “Official Bicycle” of the 2003 Road World Championships.

Ernesto Colnago, the company founder, has been making frames for over 50 years and produces what are probably the most famous and revered frames in the world. With a Colnago bike, Giuseppe Saronni won the rainbow jersey in 1982 in Great Britain, Joop Zoetemelk in 1985 in Italy, Abraham Olano Manzano in 1995 in Colombia, Johann Museeuw in 1996 in Belgium, Oscar Camenzind in 1998 in Switzerland, Oscar Freire Gomez in Portugal in 2001 and Eddy Merckx built his legend winning 43 classic and stage races on Colnagos.

Vittorio Adorni, Moreno Argentin Canadian Steve Bauer, Roger De Vlaeminck, Erik Dekker, Oscar Freire Gomez, Fiorenzo Magni, Gianni Motta, Johann Museeuw, Gastone Nencini, American Fred Rodriguez, Tony Rominger and Canadian Genevieve Jeanson (1999 Winner of two World Championships) are only a few of the great champions who have ridden to glory on Colnago bicycles. In September 2002, Colnago launched the CF3 Road Race Bike, the product of a partnership with Ferrari.

Hamilton 2003 General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Neil Lumsden commented, “We are extremely pleased Colnago Bicycles, a company that conducts business internationally, become a partner of Hamilton 2003, through the efforts of Giuseppe Ferrara. Partners such as Colnago will contribute greatly to the success of Hamilton 2003 and the Road World Championships. The world is on their way to Hamilton.”

The Road World Cycling Championships will be staged in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from October 6 to 12, 2003. Over 800 athletes from over 50 different countries will compete in ten different races. There are two disciplines – the individual time trial and the road race with five different classifications, elite men and women, junior men and women, as well as Under 23 men.

It will be only the sixth time the Road World Championships have been held outside Europe and the second time in Canada, the first occasion was 1974 in Montreal. Preceding the Road World Championships will be the Tim Hortons Road National Championships from June 27 to 29, 2003.

For more information, visit the official website, www.hamilton2003.com.