The Pennsylvania based GPOA-Cannondale Cycling Team will further expand its operation. Having been successful at the elite level, with championship titles in four states, BAR titles and numerous podium finishes, the team will now add an under 25 section, to make it a development team. The team is not only focused on road racing, but participates in track events as well.
The squad has also secured a new title sponsor, the Pennsylvania-based Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute. The team is registered with USA Cycling and will race under the name of Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute racing team. It will continue to promote six races in the Pennsylvania state.
Riders who comprise the category-1 U25 team include Chris Kuhl, a three-time US National Collegiate team time trial champion member, Elliot Gaunt, a three-time US National Track Champion and 2005 member of the Junior World Team, Turner Johnson, Brett Jacoby, a former US National junior team member, Justin Brown and Adam Farabaugh. Kuhl and Gaunt bring a wealth of NRC and European race experience to the squad. The U25 team's focus will consist of numerous U25 road events throughout the United States, as well as competing for U23 and Elite National titles.
The full team's focus will be selected NRC races, the Commerce Bank Triple Crown Series, Rochester Omnium (New York), the Southeast Crit Series in North and South Carolinas, US National U23 and Elite Road Championships in Orange County, California and the US National Elite Criterium Championships at Downer's Grove, Illinois.
There is also a women's team, led by returning elite rider Leeann Beatty, who earned third place overall in the 2007 Pennsylvania Elite Women's BAR. Adding to the team's climbing prowess is Whitney Serviano.
Team Director Dennis Dansak added: "The talented U25 riders will gain a vast amount of tactical experience from the current elite squad, which has earned a great deal of success over the past several seasons. Furthermore, the team has initiated a mandatory anti-doping policy. The anti-doping policy will be signed and agreed to by all team members. None of our team riders are involved with any banned or illegal enhancement performing substances. Our policy is simple- zero tolerance."
The team will again be competing on Cannondale bicycles with the entire elite and U25 riders being provided with Cannondale's race proven System SIX.
