Lucas Sebastian Haedo helped John Profaci's Colavita Sutter Home team move up the ranks, despite "missing an overall GC and a time trialist." (Image credit: Mitch Clinton)
Colavita has stepped down from its title sponsorship of men’s professional cycling team Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, after a seven-year venture. Jamis Bicycles has taken over the title position and the American-based UCI Continental outfit is newly named Jamis-Sutter Home presented by Colavita for the 2010 season.
“He supported the men’s team for over seven seasons, and it was time for them to leave,” Alexandre said regarding the John A. Profaci, Colavita USA’s Vice President and uber cycling supporter. “The good thing is that Jamis and Sutter Home stepped up and wanted to continue to working with us.”
Colavita plans to continue their involvement in cycling with the sponsorship of the women’s professional cycling team along with its many club teams that span the USA. As for the men’s professional team, Profaci will continue to manage the team under Colavita Sports LLC.
“If there were several people like John in the US there would definitely be more teams,” said Sebastian Alexandre, directeur sportif who expressed his gratitude to Colavita for its support. “He is a great guy who always wanted to support cycling, at every level, from clubs, Colavita has several regional clubs across the nation, to the pro teams. He believes in this sport and he thinks that is a great way to promote his brand.”
The team signed nine riders to date with seven returning from 2009 to include winning Argentinean sprinters Sebastian Haedo, who placed second overall in the NRC ranking and Alejandro Borrajo a former Giro d’ Italia podium finisher. The bulk of the team returns with Cuban Luis Amaran, Argentineans Anibal Borrajo and Guido Palma, Americans Tyler Wren and Andy Guptill.
New additions to the team include Jamey Driscoll from Rock Racing and Nick Frey from Ciclismo Racing. “Nick is a very talented time trialist and Jamey is one of the most talented cyclo-cross riders in the country so I’m confident they will work out great with our team,” said Alexandre.
“I wanted to build a team where we can race for at least two years with the same guys,” he continued. “So I added some young guys to the core of the team from last year. In 2008 I planned the same strategy and we had a great year. After that I wanted to maintain the same guys in 2009 and the year was again great. We maintain seven riders from last year, and added some young talented riders to replace the guys who left the team.”
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After a seven-year ambition, the Colavita-Sutter Home men’s professional cycling team captured overall best team in the nation following the ‘09 NRC season. “It was John Profaci's and Colavita's goal to win the NRC and it’s nice when you finish the best season ever with a bonus of being the number one team in the country. When Profaci asked me to win the NRC, after we were second place in 2008, I tried to plan the schedule based on the riders I had and the races where we could do well. The team responded great at every event and we conquered our overall goal for the year.”
According to Alexandre it is his goal to bring Jamis-Sutter Home presented by Colavita in to the top NRC ranking next year as well. “The 2009 season was the best year ever for Colavita, but I believe with the experience and confidence our team has gained over the past two seasons. We are ready to do a better job. This will be the third season for this group of riders racing together.”
The strategy? The team’s main goal for 2010 is to win races and individual stages and with that, Alexandre hopes that the NRC ranking will follow suit. It ended the ’09 season with five riders placed in the top fifteen of the NRC individual ranking. “We kept our high-speed riders for the field sprint finishes, Haedo and Borrajo have proven that they are some of the fastest guys in the American racing, so there is no doubt the team will win races.”
Next year, the Jamis-Sutter Home presented by Colavita squad will put its best foot forward throughout the 2010 NRC events. However, it will also venture outside of the USA to possibly contend several events in Canada, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
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Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
