Bici Vida partner with US team

Feb 23rd, 10. New Zealand team Bici Vida has announced a partnership with US team Rubicon-Orbea with whom it already shares a number of riders.

Van Uden's US victory in 2009 ©Land Rover Orbea

The two teams plan on continuing to work together with a rider exchange program. They are combining forces to help develop the next generation of professional cyclists.

When Kiwi sailing Olympian Carl Williams launched the Bici Vida team late in 2009 the team roster included one Kiwi rider from the US based team, Roman Van Uden.  

Van Uden had made headlines for his Portland, Oregon team, known as Land Rover Orbea at the time, when he won the Tour of Gila criterium in May last year against a peloton stacked with pro-tour riders.   

Since launching, Bici Vida has added another Rubicon-Orbea rider to their roster when Mike Northey joined the team.  

Northey also tasted success in the US last season, he wore the Best Young Riders' jersey during the final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix in June.

The teams share a third rider, Patrick Bevin. Bevin joined Bici Vida after his strong performance at the Tour of Southland and last month he told RoadCycling.co.nz he was joining Rubicon-Orbea for the 2010 season.

Williams with Bevin, the newest member of Rubicon-Orbea ©RoadCycling.co.nz

"The cool thing about going to the USA is that we get to line up with the pros," said Bevin.  

"For someone aspiring to be professional bike rider, it's an excellent place to start, to get racing that is not possible if you stay in New Zealand."

Carl Williams agrees.

"Bici Vida is completely dedicated to extending New Zealand cycling and its cyclists into the international cycling scene where they get to compete against the world," Wiliams told RoadCyclng.co.nz

"Continually developing to an international level as a team and as riders is an impossible task, so entering into this international relationship with Rubicon-Orbea is a huge step in the right direction towards getting our riders on international podiums!"

Rubicon-Orbea gives the young Kiwis great race experience, but also great life experience.  The team lives with co-founders Dave and Norrene Godfrey (no relation to Kiwi Hayden Godfrey) and actively work to raise funds and awareness for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

"Continuing where they left off in 2009, the Rubicon-Orbea squad will once again be visiting hospitals and inspiring more people who have been affected in any way by cancer to take control, face it head on, take no prisoners and reach out to others for support," said team co-founder and team director Norrene Godfrey, who lost both her parents to cancer.

"As a cycling team, we hope to visit as many hospitals as possible, handing out as many yellow wristbands as we can, to encourage those individuals to keep fighting, and let them know they're not alone."

As well as the new Kiwi face,  Rubicon-Orbea has two new US riders for 2010. Quinn Keogh will join the squad after returning from his own battle with testicular cancer and Omer Kem, a familiar face in NRC races as he rode for Bissell Pro Cycling last year. One more rider will be announced later this year.

2010 Rubicon-ORBEA Benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation

NEW RIDERS

• Patrick "Paddy" Bevin - NZL, U19 Cyclist of the Year 
• Omer Kem; USA, Team Leader, formerly from Bissell Pro Cycling team
• Quinn Keogh; USA, our 2009 Seattle LIVESTRONG Challenge sponsored rider

RETURNING RIDERS

• Mike Northey; NZL, 2009 U23 National Criterium Champion
• Aaron Tuckerman; NZL, Team Leader
• Roman van Uden; NZL, Tour of the Gila stage winner
• Josh Bartlett; USA, 2009 King Valley RR Winner
• Dean Tracy; USA, 2009 National Team Sprint Champion