Team Gerolsteiner
Encyclopedia
Gerolsteiner was a German
road bicycle racing
team in the UCI ProTour
. It was sponsored by the mineral water company Gerolsteiner Brunnen
and Specialized
.
The team was founded in 1998 with manager Hans-Michael Holczer and sports directors Rolf Gölz
and Christian Henn
. The contract with Georg Totschnig
in 2001 helped make the team enter Division I. In 2003
the team participated in the Tour de France
for the first time.
The leader for several seasons was Georg Totschnig, who recorded top 10 finishes in the Tour de France and was an excellent climber. In 2005, Totschnig won stage 14 of the Tour, showing his skill on the 15 km long climb up the Port de Pailhères (2000m at 8.2%). He was overfilled with emotion, after becoming the first Austrian to win a tour stage since Max Bulla in 1931, who won 3 stages. In 2007, with former riders Georg Totschnig
(retired) and Levi Leipheimer
(left for Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
) gone, the team turned to youngsters Markus Fothen
and Stefan Schumacher
to captain the team in the 2007 Tour de France
.
The team announced in September 2007 that Gerolsteiner will not be renewing its sponsorship agreement at the end of the 2008 season. In August 2008 the team confirmed it will dissolve after the 2008 season, after being unable to find a new sponsor.
In October 2008, riders Stefan Schumacher
and Bernhard Kohl
were tested positive for CERA (continuous erythropoitin receptor activator, a third-generation variant of erythropoietin
, aka EPO).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
team in the UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
. It was sponsored by the mineral water company Gerolsteiner Brunnen
Gerolsteiner Brunnen
Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG is a leading German mineral water firm with its seat in Gerolstein in the Eifel mountains. It is well-known for its Gerolsteiner Sprudel brand, a bottled, naturally carbonated mineral water...
and Specialized
Specialized Bicycle Components
Specialized Bicycle Components, more commonly known simply as Specialized, is a major American brand of bicycles and related products. It was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard and is based in Morgan Hill, California-History:...
.
The team was founded in 1998 with manager Hans-Michael Holczer and sports directors Rolf Gölz
Rolf Gölz
Rolf Gölz is a retired road and track cyclist from Germany, who was a professional rider from 1985 to 1993. He represented West Germany at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, where he won the silver medal in the men's individual pursuit, behind America's Steve Hegg...
and Christian Henn
Christian Henn
Christian Henn is a retired road racing cyclist from Germany, who won the bronze medal for West Germany in the men's individual road race at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea...
. The contract with Georg Totschnig
Georg Totschnig
Georg Totschnig is an Austrian former road bicycle racer who raced professionally between 1993 and 2006.-Career:In 1989, Totschnig became the Junior Austrian National Time Trial Champion. He turned professional with the Italian Lampre - Polti team in 1993, remaining with the team in 1994 when...
in 2001 helped make the team enter Division I. In 2003
2003 Tour de France
The 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3,427.5 km , proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages...
the team participated in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
for the first time.
The leader for several seasons was Georg Totschnig, who recorded top 10 finishes in the Tour de France and was an excellent climber. In 2005, Totschnig won stage 14 of the Tour, showing his skill on the 15 km long climb up the Port de Pailhères (2000m at 8.2%). He was overfilled with emotion, after becoming the first Austrian to win a tour stage since Max Bulla in 1931, who won 3 stages. In 2007, with former riders Georg Totschnig
Georg Totschnig
Georg Totschnig is an Austrian former road bicycle racer who raced professionally between 1993 and 2006.-Career:In 1989, Totschnig became the Junior Austrian National Time Trial Champion. He turned professional with the Italian Lampre - Polti team in 1993, remaining with the team in 1994 when...
(retired) and Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
(left for Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team was a United States-based professional road bicycle racing team. It was the continuation of the 2004 U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team. Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner, was its leader until July 2005...
) gone, the team turned to youngsters Markus Fothen
Markus Fothen
Markus Fothen is a German road racing cyclist, currently riding for the German continental team NSP.In 2003 Fothen won the under-23 World Championship time trial in Hamilton, Canada. He completed the 30.8 km course in 38:35.29, beating his nearest rival by nearly 20 seconds...
and Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher is a German professional road racing cyclist.-Career:First professionally employed with Team Telekom in 2002, he was released the following year...
to captain the team in the 2007 Tour de France
2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
.
The team announced in September 2007 that Gerolsteiner will not be renewing its sponsorship agreement at the end of the 2008 season. In August 2008 the team confirmed it will dissolve after the 2008 season, after being unable to find a new sponsor.
In October 2008, riders Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher
Stefan Schumacher is a German professional road racing cyclist.-Career:First professionally employed with Team Telekom in 2002, he was released the following year...
and Bernhard Kohl
Bernhard Kohl
thumb|Bernhard Kohl wears the polka dot jersey of theTour the France at the city centre criterium inWels on 30 July 2008Bernhard Kohl is an Austrian former professional road bicycle racer and recognized climbing specialist...
were tested positive for CERA (continuous erythropoitin receptor activator, a third-generation variant of erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
, aka EPO).
Team honors
- 1st, Team classification, 2006 Deutschland TourDeutschland Tour 2006The 30th edition of the Deutschland Tour road bicycle race took place in Germany from August 1 to August 9, 2006. It consisted of a Prologue and eight stages covering a total of , starting in Düsseldorf and finishing in Karlsruhe...
- 1st, 2005 Eindhoven Team Time Trial
See also
- List of teams and cyclists in the 2008 Tour de France
- 2008 Tour de France2008 Tour de FranceThe 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
- Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...