November 29, 2007 (St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC) – Generally anniversaries are times of reflection, times of sentiment, and times of historical perspective. However, in 2008, Louis Garneau will be celebrating their 25th Anniversary by strategizing for the future. With tremendous growth in the helmet product category and plans for continued evolution, the decision to continue sponsorship of Bouygues Telecom Professional Cycling Team for a 3rd consecutive season is blueprinted in the company’s marketing plan for 2008.

Upon return from the 70.3 World Ironman Championships, Pierre Perron, Marketing Director for Louis Garneau USA shared market share statistics at a staff briefing. “The 70.3 World Championships included 1,624 athletes from over 52 countries. Of those participants, 563 wore aero helmets. And of those 563, 43% wore Louis Garneau aero helmets. These stats represent the largest segment of those 563 participants with Giro falling behind at only 24%. This concludes that our efforts to increase market share of Louis Garneau helmets has been successful, and we will continue to push in 2008,” remarked Perron.

Bouygues Telecom, who came on board with Louis Garneau in 2006, has been central to that growth. The team has worked in conjunction with Louis Garneau’s team of product engineers to refine and innovate the Louis Garneau helmet line by providing feedback and participating in windtunnel testing. “It is one thing to support a high caliber team whose philosophy and interest lies in notable young riders.

It is another thing to use the visibility of that team to advertise the company’s interest and development of cycling gear, and it is yet another thing to collaborate with that team to push the limits and innovate with our products. And that is where Louis Garneau goes beyond the competition. Our sponsorship decisions are more than mere advertising opportunities. We use them as building blocks”, notes Founder and President, Louis Garneau.

And 2008 may represent a powerful year for the Bouygues Telecom team. Working with renown returning riders Thomas Voeckler, Pierrick Fédrigo, and Jérôme Pineau, several young, aggressive, and inexperienced racers will make their debut at the professional level including: Damien Gaudin, Sébastien Turgot and Perrig Quemeneur as well as the Russians Yuri Trofimov and Evgeny Sokolov. Being part of the Bouygues Telecom team will allow them to demonstrate their qualities that are the strengths and identity of the team: Solidarity, Distinction, and Unity. The Tour de France will once again be the highlight of their racing calendar.

Other highlights of their 2008 schedule include a first stage early in December, their official launch of the season on January 10th, followed by the departure to Australia for the first race of the season.

For 2008, Louis Garneau has launched the Rocket Air helmet, an evolution of the Rocket helmet with added ventilation that doesn’t compromise the aerodynamics. “We were the first on the scene with a certified TT helmet, and we continue to be the forefront of TT helmet technology,” states Pierre Perron. The Rocket Air’s unprecedented ability to improve speed can also be seen on the head’s of renowned triathletes including Chris Legh and Desiree Ficker. “We recognize and abide by the fact that helmets represent safety, but we also know that cyclists and triathletes alike seek out products that will shave seconds off their performance and/or increase their comfort. It is all about the gear. Innovative. Technical. Perfect Gear.”

Also part of the 2008 line is the return of the Titan Carbon and Exo-Nerve helmets. With the help of a recent ad campaign, Louis Garneau is challenging consumers to consider the price they are paying per gram of weight for each helmet. The Exo-Nerve which featherweights only 270 grams is $.37 a gram. Compared with the competition, Louis Garneau is offering an extreme lightweight helmet at a more aggressive price.

About Louis Garneau
For over 25 years, Louis Garneau has been producing and patenting the leading apparel, helmets, shoes, bikes and accessories for cycling and triathlon. Garneau’s technical products push the limits of excellence and performance. With distribution in over 36 countries, Louis Garneau is a leader in its industry. Through sponsorship of renowned teams including Bouygues Telecom, Jittery Joe’s , AEG-Toshiba-JetNetwork, Maxxis, and more, Louis Garneau continues to support the cycling community. For more information, please visit www.louisgarneau.com.