Five time World Champion Hanka Kupfernagel is to link with Horizon Fitness RT for the 2011 road season in a partnership that will see her ride professional races with the team. Hanka will use these events in her build up to her major target; the World Time Trial Championships. There is also the chance that Hanka will race in the UK in some key events.
Having been the World TT Champion in 2007, Hanka is looking for a return to the top of the discipline as she builds towards London 2012. Over the course of the cyclo-cross season, Hanka has had several meetings with Horizon Fitness RT team to discuss the possibilities and how best to link over the summer of 2011.
Following a busy winter in which Hanka finished 4th in the World Cyclo-Cross Championships, it is likely that the first events together would commence from May onwards with Hanka riding as a guest rider for the team.
“It’s a new and exciting challenge for me.” said Hanka about the link. “Thüringen Rundfahrt is a major objective this season. This is a young and hungry team and I’m looking forward to riding in it with a full team dynamic.”
“We’d like to take part in 2 high profile events in Germany. Thüringen is a 6 day stage race which is organised in a very professional manner. Everything about this race is carried out to a high standard and it’s an event that we’d very much like to be a part of. The same can be said for Sparkassen Giro, a UCI 1.1 ranked event. It’s an event I’ve taken teams to many times and would be an ideal race for our team” commented team manager Stefan Wyman.
“This season, our team is all about fast tracking our rider’s development so that we are in the best position possible to become a professional team in 2012. We have some outstanding riders and it’s clear to me that the riders would learn a huge amount given the opportunity to ride for a World Class team leader.” said Wyman “We’re looking at a very carefully selected race program including some high profile events, both stage races and one day races. Riders likes Dani King and Jess Allen are going to learn firsthand how to lead a team in major races from someone I consider to be the best.”
“This also shows the ambition of the team. We’re not here to float along at the level we’ve already achieved. We’re looking to push forward and it’s great that riders like Hanka have noticed that and have chosen us to help her push toward another rainbow jersey. We’ll do everything we can to ensure the environment is right for her, the riders are strong in support and everyone can develop over the course of the road season.”
The Horizon Fitness RT riders are very excited about the news. Annie Simpson said “To get the chance to ride with one of the world’s best all-round women cyclist is pretty special. To be able to learn from someone with such a wealth of experience is invaluable to a developing rider such as myself and it just adds to the list of exciting things happening in 2011.”
Mexican star Nancy Arreola reaction to the link was “Wow, it will be just amazing, she has so much experience. She is a 5 times World Champion and former world ranked number 1 road rider. We could learn a lot from her. For me it would be such a great inspiration and having her as a teammate would just motivate me to keep training harder.”
Hanka Kupfernagel Results
2011 – 4th World Cyclo-Cross Championships
2010 – 2nd World Cyclo-Cross Championships
2009 – 2nd World Cyclo-Cross Championships
2008 – World Cyclo-Cross Champion
2007 – World Time Trial Champion
2007 – World Number 1 Cyclo-Cross
2006 – German Champion Cyclo-Cross
2005 – World Cyclo-Cross Champion
2004 – European Champion Cyclo-Cross
2003 – European Champion Cyclo-Cross
2002 – 2nd World Cyclo-Cross Championships
2001 – World Cyclo-Cross Champion
2000 – World Cyclo-Cross Champion
2000 – 2nd – Olympic Road Race
