July 05, 2013 – (Stockholm, Sweden) — Stage one of the 2013 Tour de France on the island of Corsica marked both the start of the centennial version of the world’s most famous bike race, and the beginning of an exciting collaboration between Ryder Hesjedal, the 2012 Giro D’Italia champion, and the Swedish company, POC.

“I’m really excited to be working with POC,” said Hesjedal. “They bring a sense of style to safety, and I am especially looking forward to the great things to come from the brand.”

Last year, Hesjedal became the first Canadian to ever win the Giro d’Italia. He has also won stages at the Vuelta a España, the Tour de France and the Tour of California, not to mention top ten finishes at spring classics like Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Amstel Gold.

“Ryder is a fantastic cyclist and we are thrilled to be able to work closely with him,” added Stefan Ytterborn, POC CEO and founder. “His experience and input will make him a huge asset in our development process.”

Founded in 2005 with a focus on providing industry-leading protection for gravity sports athletes, POC quickly gained market share with its distinctive skiing and mountain biking helmets and padding. In April 2012, the Swedish company launched its first road cycling helmet, the Tempor, an aerodynamic TT/triathlon helmet developed in conjunction with Olympic cyclist Gustav Larsson. Working with top athletes like Hesjedal and Larsson, POC is planning to introduce a complete, top-of-the-line road cycling collection.

About POC
POC is a Swedish company, built on a strong mission: to do everything we can to possibly save lives and reduce the consequences of accidents for gravity sports athletes and cyclists. For more information about POC, please visit www.pocsports.com.