Zipp News

USA Nats Roundup; Brownlees go 1-2; Saxo ready for Tour

Zipp athletes had a slew of strong performances at the USA Elite Road National Championships this weekend from the likes of Peanut Butter & Co. TeamTWENTY12, California Giant Cycling Team, and NUVO Cultural Trail Cycling Team.

The Peanut Butter & Co. TeamTWENTY12 women had impressive showings all around.  Tayler Wiles took the U23 Time Trial win to earn the Stars and Stripes jersey.  Coryn Rivera took her first title as a U23 in the Criterium, adding to the thirty-two Junior titles she holds across multiple disciplines.  PB&Co's Kristen Armstrong took Bronze in the Elite Women's Road race, teammate Alison Starnes close behind in fifth.
On the men's side, Jon Jacobs took a big win at the Elite Time Trial for NUVO Cultural Trail Cycling Team.  Jacobs, Rivera, and Wiles will each wear a Stars and Stripes jersey for the rest of 2011-2012, any time they compete in the same discipline in which their respective jerseys were earned.

Across the Atlantic, Alistair Brownlee defended his European Championship title in Pontevedra, Spain, while his younger brother Jonathan came right behind him in second.  Hot off the heels of his blazing win in Kitzbuehel last week, Brownlee stormed to an astonishing victory, overcoming a flat tire that seemingly put him out of contention.  But Alistair clawed hard on the bike, riding Zipp 404 Tubulars to regain time, coming into transition 33 seconds back on the leaders.  Despite the vicious fight to recover from his flat, Brownlee had conserved enough energy to unleash his trademark run, and posted the fastest split of the day.  Jonathan posted the second-fastest run to complete the one-two victory.

At Ironman Coeur d’Alène in Idaho, Mark Twelsiek put a notch in the history books when he absolutely flew to a new bike course record, smashing the old one by over nine minutes.  Twilsiek chose the 808 Firecrest Tubular up front, with a Sub-9 Tubular Disc in the back, on the way to his epic bike split.  He held on during the run to finish second behind Craig Alexander, who had to break the run course record to beat him.

But this Saturday, all eyes in the cycling world will turn to France as the Tour begins.  Saxo Bank-Sungard will be representing Zipp in their campaign to help Alberto Contador defend his Tour de France victory from last year, in pursuit of his fourth title.
But this Saturday, all eyes in the cycling world will turn to France as the Tour begins.  Saxo Bank-Sungard will be representing Zipp in their campaign to help Alberto Contador defend his Tour de France victory from last year, in pursuit of his fourth title.  

The Saxo Bank-Sungard team will use the same wheel selection formula that helped launch El Pistolero to the overall victory in the Giro d'Italia earlier this year.  On the early flatter stages, the riders will be on the new 404 Firecrest Tubulars for their all-around mix of aerodynamics, stiffness, and stability.  For the Stage 2 and Stage 20 time trials, the riders will put Zipp's fastest-ever 808 Firecrest Tubular up front, with the Super-9 Tubular Disc in the rear.  And for the decisive mountain stages, expect to see the team on 202s, Contador likely riding the ZED2 wheelset he used to such great effect in Italy last month.  Allez!
Finally, Zipp is proud to acknowledge a stellar weekend of racing for Matt Bigos, who swept the USA Paralympic Road Nationals in Georgia - winning the TT, Crit, and Road Race.  Matt's triumph comes after suffering a car accident which Matt races in the Class 1 disability category, meaning he has the greatest amount of disability among riders using standard bicycles.  So Matt's spoils this weekend are even more impressive given that he beat all of the Class 1, 2, and 3 athletes in his races on the way to those 3 gold medals.  Congratulations, Matt!