COLUMBIA MEN RIDE GIANT TO TOP TWO IN GERMANY

TEUTENBERG WINS FINAL STAGE IN HOLLAND FOR WOMEN

(September 8, 2008) Riding the Giant TCR Advanced SL bicycle, Team Columbia stayed in full control on the final day of racing in the Tour of Germany, taking both the top two places on the stage and on the overall classification.

After moving into the lead with a victory on stage one, Linus Gerdemann triumphed overall, with team-mate Thomas Lovkvist in second and the winner of the Best Young Rider competition.

The final stage, a 34-kilometre time trial in Bremen, was completely dominated by Columbia. Tony Martin took first and Bert Grabsch claimed second. For the team, it was their fourth stage win in the eight-day race.

“I’m pleased and relieved because the Tour of Germany was the focus of my comeback from a very hard start to the season,” said Gerdemann, who crashed and fractured his femur earlier this season in the time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico. “I missed out on the Tour de France because of my injuries, so I pinned everything on being in good shape for the Tour of Germany. Of course I was worried, really worried at times that I might not be able to recover fully after such a bad injury.”

“I always had full support from the team,” he continued, “they all helped me to come through. I can’t thank them enough.”
On the women’s side of Team Columbia, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg took a strong solo win in the last stage of the Holland Ladies Tour - a victory which secured her second place overall and first place in the points competition.
On a tough, hilly stage in south Holland, aggressive team-work by Columbia culminated when Teutenberg moved clear of the field.
“It was a very tense day of racing,” Teutenberg commented. “The last part of the stage consisted of six laps on the hills around Valkenberg, and things started heating up on the fourth when [Dutch rider] Marianne Vos made a big attack.”
”Four riders went away, then I got across, but on the fifth lap it all started to come back together. Then [Columbia team-mate] Judith Arndt counter-attacked, finally got caught, and I went away alone immediately afterwards. I got a maximum of 57 seconds advantage, which was great, but they started to reel me in.”
Teutenberg admitted that Columbia were going all out for the overall win, but that she could not be unhappy with the team’s performance in the six-day stage race.
”We got second overall, four stages wins, and the Points jersey. I can be really satisfied even if we were riding today to see if we could take the race outright. That didn’t happen, but we did everything we could.”
Riding the Giant TCR Advanced SL bicycle, the men and women of Team Columbia have more victories this season than any other team in the pro peloton. For more information about Team Columbia, visit: www.highroadsports.com