Long hours in the saddle The Team Type 1 professionals typically rode up to five hours a day. (Image credit: MarcoQuezada.com/NYVelocity)
The US-based Continental Team Type 1 has invited cyclists of all levels to ride with the men's and women's squads in February as part of its 'Pedal with the Pros' fundraiser.
The team will be in northeastern Georgia for the February 12-14 camp, and will fly participants to the area, house them, feed them and kit them up with Team Type 1 gear for a $5,000 per-person registration fee.
Team Type 1 CEO Phil Southerland said inquiries from fans of the world's only professional team with type 1 diabetics about how they could show their support for the program led to the creation of Pedal With The Pros.
“This is a great way to give those people a real hands-on experience at what the ‘pro lifestyle’ – and more specifically, what the ‘pro lifestyle with diabetes’ is like,” Southerland said. “We can show people with and without the disease the additional steps our athletes take to be the best they can be, and how we use diabetes to make us better people.”
Southerland said money raised from Pedal With The Pros will go toward supporting the European racing campaign for the professional men’s team in 2010.
“This is just another step to put us on the fast track to the Giro d'Italia in 2011 and the Tour de France in 2012,” he said.
The $5,000 per-person registration fee includes air transportation to and from camp (U.S. domestic flights only), hotel accommodations and meals. Participants also receive daily massages, full mechanical assistance and they will go home with a complete Team Type 1 cycling kit (jersey, shorts, socks and other accessories), logo bag and water bottle.
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More details can be found on the event’s website, www.pedalwiththepros.com. Deadline to register is Feb. 4.
Team Type 1 Promotion and Fundraising Manager Jennifer Helms said Pedal With The Pros promises to be a memorable experience, regardless of age or ability.
"This opportunity is perfect for individuals who love cycling, want to support Team Type 1 and make a tax-deductible donation before the end of the year,” she said.
