By Kirsten Robbins Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light has announced its squad for 2008....
Borrajo is well suited to the US racing style. (Image credit: Bill McCarrick)
By Kirsten Robbins
Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light has announced its squad for 2008. The North American professional squad has signed several new riders, including Argentinean Alejandro Borrajo. Borrajo previously raced in Europe on the Panaria and Miche squads, where he scored several top ten finishes in the Giro d'Italia before he left Europe for the USA.
After completing a successful first year campaign with the Rite Aid Pro Cycling Team, the 27 year old has become the most talented all-round cyclist to hit the US circuit, achieving more than twenty podiums that include the Tour of Virginia, the US Open and the Commerce Bank Triple Crown.
Along with Borrajo, the team has reunited with 2006 team-mate and sprinter Kyle Wamsley who is coming from the Navigators Insurance squad. Wamsley ended his 2007 season winning the Chris Thater Memorial Criterium and moved on to place third in the first stage of the inaugural Tour of Missouri.
Returning to the 2008 squad are the team's all-rounder Davide Frattini and climbing talent Anthony Colby. Frattini is an Italian native and former 'Baby' Giro d'Italia winner who provides the team with ample experience and leadership qualities. After consistently placing in the top five during some of the toughest races on US soil, he will return to support both the pure sprinters and pure climbers. Durango, Colorado native Anthony Colby has shown to be one of the toughest riders to contain on a climb after taking third place up the Tour de Georgia's infamous Brasstown Bald. He went on to win the King of the Mountain jersey in the 2007 Tour de Toona.
The organization's women's team will once again be led by five-time US criterium champion Tina Pic. One of the most decorated sprinters in the history of American racing, Pic continued to win numerous events during the 2007 season. She not only dominated the US circuit but she continued her success over seas winning the Pan American road championships solidifying a spot on the US national team for the Stuttgart world championships.
Returning riders to women's team include newly crowned US pursuit national champion Dotsie Bausch and Pan American time trial champion Allison Powers. Bausch is one of the strongest all-round riders to come out of the US and brought her team home the first win of the 2007 season in stage one of the Ladies Geelong Tour, a UCI sanctioned race held in Australia. While she excels in prologue, time trials and the pursuit, she is well known for her climbing prowess and sprint finishes. As a former down hill skier, Powers displays remarkable strength in long time trials and unmatched technical skills. She won the 2007 Pan American time trial championships that guaranteed her spot along side Pic on the US world championships team in Stuttgart.
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The 2008 teams will be under new directorship, to be announced with the full rosters with the teams and schedules this month.
Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.
