Top professional cyclists from
around the globe will be descending here in a few weeks as one of the world’s
top cycling teams hosts its first team training camp in the Cayman Islands.
The team, which will be known as
Garmin-Cervélo in 2011, was formed when it was announced earlier this year that
Team Garmin-Transitions (owned and operated by Slipstream Sports) and Cervélo
SA would join forces for the 2011 season to create a new team. Although the
full roster of the team is still to be announced, it will include World
Champion Thor Hushovd, American sprint sensation Tyler Farrar, and Commonwealth
Games gold medallist David Millar.
The camp will serve as a team
building event for the newly merged team, with numerous activities planned to
introduce the 30 cyclists and 20 staff to the wonders of Cayman.
“The team could have held this camp
anywhere in the world, but they chose Cayman,” said Tom McCallum, local
organiser of the event.
Cycling fans in Cayman will have
two opportunities to interact with the members of the team as part of Cayman
Pro Cycling Camp 2010.
On Thursday 2 December at 9am,
there will be a unique opportunity for cyclists to take part in a training ride
with the team. Entry into the event will include a limited edition cycling
shirt, signed by members of the team, as well as refreshments after the event.
The size of the field will be limited in order to allow more interaction with
the professionals, making this a rare opportunity to ride alongside some of the
best cyclists in the world as they kick off their training for what promises to
be a very good 2011 season. Ride with the Pros is being sponsored by Walkers,
and will start from the Reef Resort in East End. The group will head out at a
comfortable pace in order to allow cyclists to enjoy the scenery as well as the
company of the professional cyclists, before the pace is lifted on the way back
to the Reef to give participants a taste of ability required to be one of the
world’s top cyclists. Very few teams in the world allow recreational cyclists
access to the team, so this is a truly unique opportunity for Caymans’ cycling
community.
In the evening, a meet and greet
event and charity auction will take place at Camana Bay. The event, which will
be catered by Abacus, is sponsored by Piedra Winery, and will see unique team
memorabilia being auctioned off to benefit the Cayman Islands Cancer Society.
Among various items on auction, the team will donate three team race bikes from
the 2010 season. The event will allow local cycling fans and supporters of the
Cancer Society to mingle with the team members in a relaxed atmosphere. The
evening will kick off at 7pm, with tickets available for US$125 on caymancycling.com.
These events are also being
promoted internationally as cycling fans rarely have the opportunity to meet
and ride with professionals of this calibre and especially with a full team.
Major sponsors of the event are the
Ministry and Department of Tourism, Piedra Wines, Walkers and the Reef, with
The Cayman Islands Journal acting as local media partner for the event.
Numerous industry partners have also stepped up to make the event possible
through sponsorship.
The entry fee for Ride with the
Pros is US$125 and entries are available through www.caymancycling.com where
there is full information.
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