T-Mobile women start racing down under

T-Mobile women's team will start its World Cup season in Australia with a stellar line-up including Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Judith Arndt (who recently renewed her contract through to the end of 2008), as well as four newcomers - Kate Bates, Alexis Rhodes, Oenone Wood and Linda Villumsen.

Prior to the World Cup in Geelong, the team will start racing the 2007 season with the Geelong Tour stage race, to be held from February 27-March 1.

"These stage races, lasting several days, are the best preparation for the upcoming World Cup," said Teutenberg, who last year won a stage win in the Geelong Tour along with her World Cup victory.

Last year's Geelong Tour winner Oenone Wood showed that with tactical cleverness, it is possible to triumph in the race without winning a stage. With the time bonus system, the then Equipe Nürnberger rider claimed the overall winner's title for the third consecutive time.

The Geelong round of the 2007 UCI Womens' World Cup, to be held on March 3, kicks off the nine-race series. Eight 15km laps will be tackled by a field of 100 women.

"Our goal is to start the season as well as we did last year with a victory for Ina-Yoko Teutenberg," said team manager Kristy Scrymgeour. "If there's a sprint finish the 32-year-old from Düsseldorf has a good chance of a podium win." According to how the race develops, Scrymgeour has some other tactical options at her disposal. Of the six women in the team, Teutenberg and three other riders have already won podium places at the World Cup in Geelong. "The team is very strong and we will act as a single unit. Because of our riders' different strengths we will be able to respond the right way to every type of race situation," said Scrymgeour.

Geelong Tour 2007 stages

Stage 1 - Tuesday February 27: 8km Time Trial Portarlington
Stage 2 - Tuesday February 27: 30km Criterium Portarlington
Stage 3 - February 28: 115km Lara to Lara Road Stage
Stage 4 - Thursday March 1: 80km Road Circuit Barwon Heads

For full details of both the Geelong Tour and Geelong World Cup see the official website.