By Sean Weide

Kansas City, MO – Moises Aldape helped Team Type 1 stamp its authority on the Tour of Missouri Sunday by winning the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains title.

The Mexican’s victory in the special classification capped a week that also saw Team Type 1 figure in every major breakaway and earn the Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider jersey on the second stage of the seven-day, 600-mile (965 km) race.

Team Type 1 Founder Phil Southerland said it was inspiring to watch the team whose stated mission is to inspire people around the world affected by diabetes accomplish so much against world-class competition.

“Seeing the entire team and Fabio (Calabria) rally around a common goal to get the jersey was phenomenal for Team Type 1,” Southerland said. “Having Moises on the podium every day and being in all the breakaways brought a whole new level of exposure to Team Type 1 through pro cycling.”

Calabria, a 22-year-old Australian who has had Type 1 diabetes the past nine years, became the first rider with Type 1 diabetes to finish the Tour of Missouri in its three-year history. He placed 81st, 7:18 behind overall winner David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Slipstream). All eight riders from Team Type 1 finished Sunday’s 71-mile (114 km) stage that was won by Martin Gilbert (Planet Energy).

Aldape received some valuable assistance from his teammates to secure the King of the Mountain (KOM) crown. Darren Lill integrated himself into an early three-man breakaway to take third place on the first sprint while Aldape was fourth, and teammate Matt Wilson fifth.

On the second sprint of the race, Lill was right behind Aldape to take points away from Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank), who wound up second in the final KOM standings. Team Type 1’s Chris Jones then sealed the jersey for Aldape by winning the third sprint ahead of Sorensen.

Aldape smiled when he was asked whether the large contingent of Hispanic fans congregating on the city’s West End district inspired him. A large Mexican flag was also on display at one of the two KOM sprint lines.

“It was very good,” he said. “The first day of this race we attacked to get the jersey and from then on, we did everything we could to hang onto it.”

Aldape’s King of the Mountain crown is the ninth in Team Type 1 history and the fifth this season. The others this year were won by: Matt Wilson (Tour of Ireland), Darren Lill (Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah), Shawn Milne (San Dimas Stage Race) and Jesse Anthony (Tour de Taiwan).

Photos: Courtesy Casey B. Gibson

By Sean Weide

St. Joseph, MO – Moises Aldape of Team Type 1 padded his lead in the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains competition at the Tour of Missouri.

But his 13-point margin over Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) is not enough to secure the special classification of the seven-day event. A maximum of 24 points can be earned during Sunday’s final stage, a 72-mile (116 km) circuit race through the streets of Kansas City.

Aldape showed how serious he is about keeping the blue jersey on his back. He threw down a fierce attack on the only King of the Mountains (KOM) climb, which came seven miles outside of St. Joseph.

"There were two guys from Astana and then Sorensen and another rider,” Aldape said. “Sorensen was going for it at one kilometer. He attacked and then I went hard at 200 meters."

Aldape’s impressive acceleration came on a day when Italian Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) won the race with the fastest average speed (29.85 mph) ever recorded in the race’s three-year history. Chicchi and the majority of the 112-rider field covered the 110 miles (177 km) in three hours and 41 minutes.

Aldape can expect to have some help from fans in his defense of the jersey. Sunday’s race passes through a prominently Hispanic neighborhood in Kansas City and already the Mexican has received a great deal of attention since taking the lead in the KOM standings on Stage 2.

"Tomorrow, I will have to be very attentive,” he said. “There are two KOMs on lap three. If Sorensen doesn't get any points on either of those two, I'll be the winner."

After Sunday’s race, Team Type 1 will be signing autographs on commemorative cards in the team’s booth at the Health and Wellness. Team Type 1 sponsors Abbott Diabetes Care and the American Diabetes Association will also be part of the exposition.

Photos: Courtesy Bob Cullinan, CycleTo.com

By Sean Weide

Sedalia, MO – Five special sprints over the final two stages are all that stand between Team Type 1’s Moises Aldape winning the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains title at the Tour of Missouri.

And Team Type 1 will do everything possible to keep Aldape in the special blue jersey, said Director Sportif Vassili Davidenko.

“Saturday’s race is more of the same as the first four days – up and down,” Davidenko said. “We’ll aggressively ride to protect the jersey the last two days.”

Aldape did not have to contest any King of the Mountain (KOM) sprints during Friday’s individual time trial in Sedalia. He has a seven-point advantage over Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank).

One KOM sprint comes during Saturday’s 110-mile (117 km) race from Chillicothe to St. Joseph and four more during a 72-mile (118 km) circuit race Sunday in Kansas City. Each special sprint carries point values of six, five, four, three and one-point for the first five riders across the line.

Michael Creed is Team Type 1’s best-placed rider after Friday’s 19-mile (30 km) race against the clock. The Colorado Springs, Colo., resident is 24th overall, 2:08 behind new race leader David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Slipstream). Creed finished 26th in the time trial.

Photo: Courtesy Bob Cullinan, CycleTo.com.

by Sean Weide

Jefferson City, MO – A rider from Team Type 1 figured into a long breakaway Thursday for the third time in four stages of this year’s Tour of Missouri.

Michael Creed was part of a four-man move that escaped the clutches of the peloton about 10 miles into the 109-mile (175 km) race from St. James to Jefferson City. He and fellow Americans Brad White (OUCH presented by Maxxis), Jeff Louder (BMC Racing Team), and Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly Cycling) built as much as a three-minute lead before being chased down as the race reached the first of two finishing circuits in Missouri’s capital city.

Juan Jose Haedo (Team Saxo Bank) won the field sprint up the hill in front of a large crowd cheering outside the Missouri capitol building. Haedo also took over the race lead from Thor Hushvold (Cervelo Test Team) on tie-breaker criteria, since both have identical cumulative times.

Heading into Friday’s individual time trial in Sedalia, Team Type 1 has six of the 76 riders who are within 26 seconds of Haedo. Aldape is in fourth, 18 seconds back, Creed is seventh (21 seconds), Matt Wilson is 13th (24 seconds) and Darren Lill, Chris Jones, and Valeriy Kobzarenko are all 26 seconds behind.

Aldape remains the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains leader, a classification he has led since the finish of Stage 2. The Mexican finished 10th Thursday, despite being slowed by a crash on the finishing circuit that also held up teammates Wilson, Lill and Shawn Milne.

Team Type 1 Director Sportif Vassili Davidenko said he hopes Creed will have a strong showing in the 19-mile (30 km) race against the clock on a rolling course.

“Michael is one of our best guys, but it was really tough today,” Davidenko said. “He spent 90 miles in the lead. I was just hoping he would save a little once the gap came down so he is ready for the time trial.”

Creed said it was possible – but not likely – his breakaway would stay away all the way to the finish.

“They (the pack) would have had to misjudged it a little bit,” he said. “We were hoping they were going to give us 2:50 or 2:30 with 20 miles to go. That’s what we were hoping for. We made the collective decision that with 20 miles to go we were going to put it down as hard as we could. But they didn’t give us that much time. I think we only had a minute-and-a-half at that point.”

Photo: Courtesy Bob Cullinan, CycleTo.com

by Sean Weide

Rolla, MO – Matt Wilson earned the Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider jersey and Moises Aldape retained his hold on the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains jersey to help Team Type 1 continue its early success at the Tour of Missouri.

The world’s only professional cycling team with riders who have Type 1 diabetes made its third consecutive appearance Wednesday on the podium after Stage 3 of the seven-day, 611-mile (983 km) stage race.

Wilson was part of a three-man breakaway that spent more than 100 miles in the lead. He picked up a $2,000 prize for being the first rider to the top of Pilot Knob, one of three King of the Mountain sprints in the 114-mile (183 km) race.

“I thought that inside the final 10 kilometers to go, with it being a somewhat downhill finish, that we had a shot,” Wilson said. “But those rollers coming in, after you have been away all day, was just too much.”

Team Type 1 Assistant Director Gord Fraser, who provided strategic advice to Wilson from the team car for nearly four hours, said it was never a question of Wilson and breakaway companions Will Frischkorn and Mike Friedman (both of Team Garmin-Slipstream) getting a gap. What wasn’t known was precisely when Team Columbia-HTC was going to ramp up the pace and reel in the trio after their lead stretched out to nearly four minutes.

“The odds weren't in our favor for that break to succeed,” Fraser said. “So it was a matter of picking the right time to go from three-quarter to full throttle. Columbia-HTC is well drilled is the best in the business in gap management. But I think we gave them a good little run.”

Wilson and Friedman eventually shed Frischkorn after the race reached the 100-mile mark. But their own freedom ended inside the final five miles. Thor Hushovd (Cervelo Test Team) went on to win in a bunch sprint, ahead of Juan Jose Haedo (Team Saxo Bank) and Dario Cataldo (Quick Step).

In the King of the Mountain competition, Aldape pulled out of a tie with Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) by finishing fourth on two KOM sprints and fifth on the other. With 29 points and only one KOM sprint Thursday, followed by an individual time trial with no KOM competition, Aldape may retain the jersey until Stage 6 Saturday.

Team Type 1’s success in its first trip to the Tour of Missouri began Monday when Aldape earned the Most Aggressive Rider jersey. The Mexican received the honor – in a vote by a panel of four journalists – for being part of a three-man breakaway in Monday’s race in St. Louis.

Heading into Thursday’s 109-mile (175 km) race from St. James to Jefferson City. Aldape sits in fourth place overall. He and more than 80 other riders remain within 20 seconds of the lead held by Hushovd.

Photos: Courtesy Casey B. Gibson

by Sean Weide

Cape Girardeau, MO – Team Type 1 continued to put its mark on the Tour of Missouri Tuesday, thanks to another fine effort from Moises Aldape.

The Mexican donned the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountains jersey following the 102.4-mile (180.9 km) race from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau. Aldape beat Chris Anker Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) on both of the designated climbs to tie the Dane on points (22). But Aldape earned the right to wear the jersey due to his higher position on the overall classification.

Aldape did slip from second to fourth, thanks to time bonuses awarded at the finish. He sits 12 seconds off the overall lead of Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia-HTC), who has won both stages of the race.

Team Type 1 Director Vassili Davidenko said the squad took aim at the King of the Mountains jersey since Aldape earned points in the classification during his long breakaway on Stage 1 in St. Louis.

“Our strategy at the beginning of the stage was a simple tactic,” Davidenko said. “If there was a break, we needed to have riders in it. Our team is designed to have good endurance and riders for breakaways, so our goal was to get a guy in every one today.”

Both climbs came in the first 25 miles (40 km). Aldape said he was feeling the effects of being in the lead for more than 60 miles on Monday.

“The hardest part of the stage was at the beginning because of the hills,” Aldape said. “We knew that, so the guys did a great job of leading me out both times.”

Wednesday’s third stage features three King of the Mountain sprints in the middle third of the 114.3-mile (183.9 km) route from Farmington to Rolla.

“We'll try and defend the jersey,” Aldape said.

by Sean Weide

St. Louis – Team Type 1 enjoyed a trio of success Monday by earning the Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider jersey, a third place in the final race of the Tour of Missouri Womens Series and a runner-up fiinish in the last National Racing Calendar (NRC) event of the season.

The remarkable day in the history of the cycling program that serves to inspire people affected by diabetes was summed up best by Team Type 1 Founder Phil Southerland. He addressed the massive crowd at the finish of the Tour of Missouri in Downtown St. Louis.

“What we’re trying to do is raise awareness that people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, with good control and a healthy diet and lifestyle, can achieve great things,” Southerland said. “Thank you, Missouri, for having us.”

Team Type 1’s Moises Aldape was the talk of the opening day of the seven-stage, 611-mile race. The Mexican Olympian figured prominently in a three-man breakaway during the 10-lap, 75-mile circuit race. By winning two of the three intermediate sprints along the way and being the last of the three to be caught by the chasing pack, he climbed into second overall. He was also awarded the Most Aggressive Rider jersey in a vote of a panel of four journalists.

“I’m very happy – for me, for our team and for people who have diabetes who watched today,” Aldape said. “I didn’t expect this.”

Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia-HTC) easily won the bunch sprint to take the overall lead.

Aldo Ino Ilesic got things started for Team Type 1 thousands of miles away from St. Louis with his second place in the 100K Classic in Atlanta. The traditional Labor Day event features a downhill, high-speed finish at the end of the 62-mile road race. Ilesic said his CatEye Micro Wireless computer registered his finish speed at 90 kilometers an hour (56 mph).

“I was spinning out in my 55 x 11,” Ilesic said. “There was no time to wait or I would be swarmed. So I hit it and (race winner) Frank Travieso started his sprint from behind me. The last 50 meters went slightly uphill and that's when he passed me.”

Ilesic’s placing was his fifth podium finish at an NRC race and the 115 top-three placing by the Team Type 1 men’s professional squad this year.

In the morning in St. Louis, Team Type 1’s Samantha Schneider used her sprinting prowess to earn her third straight, third-place finish in the Tour of Missouri Womens Series. Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) sprinted to victory to sweep all four races of the Labor Day weekend series.

“I’m really pleased and happy to have been able to help the team finish the season strong,” Schneider said. “There’s room for improvement, but I’m just happy to been able to compete against Brook (Miller), (reigning U.S. national criterium champion and Sunday runner-up finisher) Tina Pic and (third-place omnium competition placer) Laura Van Gilder.”

Photos: Bob Cullinan, CycleTo.com (first, second, and fourth); Chad Andrews, TotalCyclist.com (third).

by Sean Weide

St. Louis – Team Type 1’s Samantha Schneider heads into the final race of the Tour of Missouri Womens Series eyeing a third straight top-three finish.

The 18-year-old scored her second straight third-place result on Sunday when she finished behind Giro Della Montagna presented by Specialized Bicycles winner Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) and runner-up Kelly Benjamin (Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light). Miller has won all three races of the series in St. Louis.

Today’s final event is the Tour of Missouri Pro/Am presented by Greenstreet Properties. The 50-minutes-plus-five-laps race takes place on a flat, one-mile course that features the same finish line as this afternoon’s Tour of Missouri men’s professional race.
Schneider said she is looking forward to the opportunity to add to the 71 podium finishes the Team Type 1 women’s professional squad has racked up this season. Today’s race is its final team event of the year.

“I'm feeling better every day so it should be good,” Schneider said. “I want to get better than third.”

Sunday’s race was marred by a massive pile-up 16 minutes into the 45-minutes-plus-five-laps race. Nearly two dozen riders went down, but none from Team Type 1. Schneider said she was glad the rain that may have contributed to the crash had stopped by the time the race was wrapping up.

“It was a really fast last lap,” she said. “It was kind of scary but everyone kept it upright. Coming around the last corner, I was about seventh, which is not the best position. But for a downhill sprint, you don't have to be that far up there.”

This afternoon, fans are invited to stop by Team Type 1’s booth in the Health and Wellness Expo to get a commemorative card autographed by members of the women’s professional, development and men’s professional teams. Team Type 1 sponsors VSP Vision Care and the American Diabetes Association are also part of today’s exposition.

Photo: Courtesy Craig Harding

by Sean Weide

St. Louis – Team Type 1’s Samantha Schneider sprinted to a third-place finish in Saturday’s St. Louis Hills presented by Big Shark Bicycle Company, the second race of the Tour of Missouri Womens Series.

The 18-year-old who started college classes earlier this week scored her eighth top-three finish of the year when she stormed across the line in behind race winner Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) and runner-up Kelly Benjamin (Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light).

Miller’s win was her second straight of the four-race series. She also won a field sprint Friday night at the opener, the Tour de Lafayette presented by Studio 2108.

Schneider said she took the shorter line to the finish, sprinting up the slight rise on the inside of the wide road.

“So eventually it should have paid off,” Schneider said. “But Brooke was stronger than me today. This was definitely one of my best results this year. I’m really confident. The next two days should be really promising.”

Sunday’s race is the Giro Della Montagna presented by Specialized Bicycles. Monday is the final event, the Tour of Missouri Pro/Am presented by Greenstreet Properties. It will share the same finish line (Market at 7th Street) as the opening stage of the Tour of Missouri.

Fans are invited to stop by Team Type 1’s booth in the Health and Wellness Expo Monday afternoon to get a commemorative card autographed by members of the women’s professional, development and men’s professional teams.

Photo: Courtesy Team Type 1

Three-time world-champion Michael Rogers and 2007 Tour of Missouri winner George Hincapie also named as part of the squad

Jefferson City, MO - Mark Cavendish, who won six stages during the recently completed Tour de France, headlines a star studded international Team Columbia-HTC squad for this year's Tour of Missouri, scheduled for September 7 – 13, 2009.

Joining Cavendish are three-time world champion Michael Rogers and superstar lead-out man Mark Renshaw, both of Australia, Canadian Michael Barry, a stage winner in last year's Tour of Missouri, as well as former Italian time trial-champion Marco Pinotti.

"It is a very important part of our mission to contribute to the growth of racing in the US. The Tour of Missouri is a very well-run and promoted race that is attracting top teams from around the globe and is increasingly recognized as a top international event," said Bob Stapleton, the general manager and owner of Highroad sports, the company that runs Team Columbia – HTC. "We're pleased to be able to bring a top roster to the Missouri in the hope of repeating our success of last year and to be a part of a great spectacle for the fans of cycling in America."

American stalwart George Hincapie, who broke his collarbone in the last week of the Tour de France, is day to day, according to Stapleton, and a final decision on his participation will be rendered at the end of the month.

"To have the world's top sprinter, second place overall finisher from last year's race, and the 2007 race champion all on the same roster coming, it's a beautiful thing," said race director Jim Birrell. "Like last year, they certainly should be a team to contend with for both the overall classification title and individual stage wins."

Added Cavendish, a three-time tour of Missouri stage winner in 2008 and winner of more than 20 races this year: "I really enjoyed Tour of Missouri last year. Cycling fans in America are genuinely enthusiastic about watching us race which makes for a great atmosphere."

Tour organizers have also reached an agreement to feature Cavendish on several marketing materials, including the official map guide for the Tour. Columbia sportswear is the official clothing sponsor for the 2009 Tour of Missouri.

The race begins in St. Louis on Monday, September 7, Labor Day, with a 10-lap, 75-mile circuit race that will be fast and flat and favor a sprinter taking the leader's jersey. On Tuesday, September 8, the race will transfer south to Ste. Genevieve with a 112.4-mile road race to Cape Girardeau. The terrain is hilly to moderate and features finishing circuits.

On Wednesday, September 9, cyclists will face their toughest challenge of the race, with a hilly 114.3-mile stage in the Northern Ozark Mountains from Farmington to Rolla. After a short transfer on Thursday, September 10, the race will proceed from St. James to Jefferson City, with the circuit finish featuring a steep 300-meter uphill sprint to the finish.

Riders will be able make up time Friday, September 11, during the individual time trial at Sedalia with an 19-mile race against the clock around Missouri's State Fairgrounds. On Saturday, September 12, cyclists will race from Chillicothe to St. Joseph while hitting moderate to hilly terrain.

The weeklong journey through the Show-Me-State concludes with a hilly circuit through the streets of Kansas City, Sunday, September 13. The Kansas City circuit will feature two king of the mountain points with more than 3000 feet of climbing over 72 miles. "I think they did a great job of capturing the challenging terrain of the state," said Rory Sutherland, the current national race calendar leader in the United States and a rider in the past two Tours of Missouri.

Though a stellar world-class field was presented last year, the three-year-old race is expected to be even better as the Tour of Missouri was granted an upgrade to one of the top five-ranked events outside Europe by international and national federation's for cycling last month.

The upgrade has drawn top pro tour teams Astana, Cervelo Test Team, Columbia- HTC, Garmin- Slipstream, Liquigas, Saxo Bank and Quickstep, all recent Tour de France teams, of which won 14 of 21 stages of the world's biggest race. Domestic teams participating in 2009 include BISSELL Pro Cycling Team, BMC Racing, Colovita / Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, Jelly Belly, Kelly Benefit Strategies, OUCH presented by Maxxis, and Team Type 1. Canada's top team Planet Energy rounds out the field.

Photo: PhotoSport International