Felt announces international team for 2009

Team Felt International announced its roster for 2009 last weekend at Gimondibike, in Iseo, Italy. It will be lead by cross country rider Kashi Leuchs of New Zealand. The team will race the World Cups, the Swiss series and some rounds of the German Bundesliga and Internatazionali d'Italia.

In 2008, Leuches rode with Cannondale-Vredestein and finished 24th at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. He is looking forward to the role of team leader.

"I'm confident this is going to be a really great team! I have always enjoyed helping younger riders and with this team I have the chance to be a little bit of a team leader. This will be a new challenge for me and motivate me a lot," said Leuchs.

He will be joined by Swede Emil Lindgren (from Full Dynamix); Swiss Jürg Graf (ex-Swisspower MTB Team), Andreas Kugler (from Fischer-BMC); Italian Andrea Tiberi; and Slovenian Blaza Klemencic.

At 23 years-old, Graf doesn't yet have the international results like the rest of his team-mates, but he has been attracting attention in Switzerland where he's competed with some of the best talent in the world.

"Our objective is to be among the top teams," said Team Manager Antonio Brozzu, "for this all our athletes have signed two-year contracts, except Kashi Leuchs, who has signed for four years, in view of the next Olympic Games of London."

The Felt International Team will also have a second squad of elite and amateur racers that will race primarily in national-level contests.