January 18, 2008 (Montreal, QC) — The Specialized women’s team will ride again in 2008, but with the Specialized-Carrefour-Multisports (SCM) name, reflecting changes in its sponsors. The official team announcement is expected soon, but team sponsor, Specialized Canada’s marketing manager, Dave Pecuch, told us today that the team will have Clara Hughes as their spokesperson. Hughes has distinguished herself by winning bronze in cycling at the Atlanta Olympics and also gold in speed skating at the Turin Winter Games. Hughes was recently inducted into the Order of Canada. (see Hughes interview at here.)

Team president, Gerard Penarroya, indicated that he’s very pleased with Clara Hughes’ association with the team. “I hope that having someone of her prestige will bear fruit for the team and help cycling,” said Penarroya while confirming that Emilie Roy has left and that the team has recruited Audrey Lemieux (formerly with Expresscopy in 2007) and Shanie Bergeron is returning to the squad. Penarroya also spoke of having the team compete in races all over Quebec, including the Montreal Women’s Road World Cup, races in Ontario and the NRC races in the USA. Some of the team will head to France to train with the GSD Gestion team that Specialized-Carrefour-Multisports is twinned with. Penarroya mentioned that SCM will also take part in certain track events noting that Bergeron, the 2007 Junior Women’s Points Race Champ, is as top track rider.

Pecuch spoke to Pedal about the public perception of cycling since Geneviève Jeanson’s admissions last September to doping with EPO. “Jeanson took money away from other cyclists who were riding clean,” commented Pecuch. “They are the ones who suffer”¦” Alluding to the doping problems, Penarroya spoke about current difficulties in soliciting sponsors, mentioning that some $180,000 of cash and materials promised by various companies will not be forthcoming this year. “We will have to make do with only about $100,000 in cash and materials in 2008, which is more than the $60,000 we had in 2007.”

Other Specialized Canada sponsorships include Cascades, another Quebec-based women’s team,. “We provide them with bikes, helmets, shoes, and optics,” added Pecuch. “We also sponsor a Specialized mountain bike team with Benoit Simard. We have an affiliation with C3 Olympic, Team D’Ornellas, and with Team Restoration. We also sponsor paracyclist Eric Bourgault.”