May 30, 2003 (Montreal, Quebec) – After the high demand from cycling fans last year, official RONA/Esker Cycling Team products are back this year at the Montreal Women's World Cup cycling race and the Greater Montreal Tour.
Products in RONA/Esker Cycling Team colors will be available from May 31 to June 4 exclusively at race sites. The team includes cyclists Geneviève Jeanson, Magali Le Floc'h and Melissa Holt, respectively national champions of Canada, France and New Zealand, as well as the renowned French cyclist Catherine Marsal.
In February of this year, Team RONA welcomed a new partner – Esker spring water – to become the RONA/Esker Cycling Team. Esker is the brand name of a spring water from Northern Quebec, the source of which is controlled by the Canadian company Eaux Vives Harricana Inc., a member of the Parmalat Group.
A wide selection of products to be offered at race sites. The 2003 line of official RONA/Esker Cycling Team products includes jerseys, official team bicycle shorts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, polar fleeces, caps, hats, water bottles, pins, key chains, mouse pads and the official team poster.
Sales booths will be set up at the five following sites:
Women's Cycling World Cup
– Saturday, May 31 – at the Mount Royal lookout for the 100-km road race
Greater Montreal Tour
– Monday, June 2 – at Park René-Lévesque (in the Lachine borough) for the 3.5-km individual time trial
– Monday, June 2 – at the corner of Saint-Laurent and Dante for the 50-km criterium in Little Italy
– Tuesday, June 3 – at the Rigaud Sugar Shack (top of Saint-Georges Road) for the 111-km road race
– Wednesday, June 4 – in Vieux-Terrebonne (Boulevard des Braves) for the 80-km road race
Small team flags will also be distributed free at these locations. A portion of the profits raised by the sale of team products will be donated to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada in support of this year's MS Bike Tour, which will be held August 23 and 24, 2003.
“We were pleasantly surprised by the popularity of our team products last year,” explains Claude Bernier, RONA executive vice-president, Marketing and Traditional stores. “Cycling enthusiasts of all ages were proud to don the colors of a Canadian women's cycling team. And their pride boosted our athletes' own pride in being part of this team.”
RONA/Esker Cycling Team members will also participate in selected activities at the Montreal Bike Fest, which will be taking place in the greater Montreal area at the same time.
On Sunday, June 8, teammates Geneviève Jeanson, Magali Le Floc'h and Catherine Marsal will give the starting signal for the Tour de l'Île at 9:15 AM on Saint-Joseph Boulevard near Laurier Park, and will accompany the participants on the course. At the finish line, they'll sign autographs at the RONA booth in Laurier Park from 12:45 to 2:30 PM. There will also be a draw for official team products at this location.
At the Tour de l'ÃŽle des enfants on Sunday, June 1, RONA/Esker Cycling Team members will be on hand to greet the kids from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, and on Saturday, May 31 at the finish line of the Metropolitan Challenge at Mont-Saint-Bruno Park, there will be a draw for two jerseys autographed by team members and for official team products.