Mara Abbott & Anna Christian Sign For Wiggle Honda In 2015

Peloton Cafe - 2013 Giro Rosa Stage 6 - Mara Abbott
Peloton Cafe – 2013 Giro Rosa Stage 6 – Mara Abbott (image copyright Giro Rosa)
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling is delighted to announce that Mara Abbott and Anna Christian have both signed a contract to join the team in 2015. Both riders were selected to ride for their countries in last month?s World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain, and will add to the strength of the black and orange team, as well as maintaining its commitment to develop young talent. 28-year-old Mara Abbott, from Boulder, Colorado, is a two-time US National Champion, and the winner of the Giro d?Italia – the toughest and most prestigious stage race in women?s cycling – in 2010 and 2013. Other notable results include four overall victories of the Tour of the Gila, in the US, with 2014 seeing her take that fourth Gila and the Vuelta a El Salvador. ?I am so excited to ride a full season in Europe next year, and Wiggle Honda is offering me the perfect set up to do that,? Abbott said.??I am absolutely thrilled by the line-up of teammates, and the chance to work with a rider as strong and proven as Elisa LONGO BORGHINI is going to be really amazing. ?I have been so impressed by the organisation and attention to personal desires and strengths of riders already,? Abbott added. ?I know this is going to be a team I will be very proud to represent and I can’t wait for the season to begin!? Mara?s World Championship road race unfortunately ended with the big crash that hit the peloton midway through the second of seven laps. Thankfully, however, despite leaving the course by ambulance, she suffered no serious injuries and will be ready to start 2015 in the black and orange jersey. ?I was really excited when Mara expressed that she wanted to join Wiggle Honda,? said the team?s Managing Director Rochelle GILMORE. ?A pure climber is something Wiggle Honda has missed until now and the addition of Mara, in combination with Elisa LONGO BORGHINI means that we can now target winning races like the Giro d’Italia Femminile. Wiggle Honda has some very important Italian partners like: Colnago, Campagnolo, Fizik, Deda & Vittoria so winning a race like the Giro would be a lovely way to thank our committed partners. ?Mara has won the Giro d’Italia twice and has a degree in economics ? along with her friendly smile she will bring a world of knowledge to the team,? Gilmore added. ?Wiggle Honda are proud to bring her Grand Tour legs into the team!? Anna Christian is one of the most exciting young British talents, having been selected to ride for her native Isle of Man in the Commonwealth Games, in
Peloton Cafe || Anna Christian
Peloton Cafe || Anna Christian (image copyright Bart Hazen)
Glasgow, Scotland, this year. The 19-year-old rode the time trial and road race, and finished in the top-20 in both. ?I’m really proud and excited to have the opportunity to ride for such a high profile team as Wiggle Honda. It will be great to work alongside Rochelle as well, who has experienced and achieved so much at the top end of the sport and in the women’s peloton. I know the team’s set up and environment is going to help me achieve my ambitions and dreams. I’m already excited to get stuck into racing for the team in 2015!? Performances like those in Glasgow 2014 earned Anna a place in Great Britain?s World Championship team in Ponferrada, in her very first year in the Elite category. Anna?s attacks and accelerations in the last 30km of the race, in support of team captain Lizzie Armitstead, marked the beginning of what was to become an aggressive finale. ?Anna caught my eye when I was commentating the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July,? Gilmore said. ?She kept coming into vision, even on the toughest parts of the circuit which meant she was always well positioned and extremely strong. ?Next, I was commentating the World Championships and witnessed Anna Christian being the rider that really got the race started, again on the toughest parts of the World Championship circuit?? Gilmore added. ?I just had to have her, she’ll be a huge success and I’m honoured be a part of her journey in the early stages of her career.? With the inclusion of Mara and Anna, alongside Dani King and Elisa LONGO BORGHINI, Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling has confirmed four of its riders for 2014. Stay tuned for further announcements in the coming weeks.

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