Riders, 3 US Men & 3 European Women, Now Flying Rapha-FOCUS Colors

Rapha Performance Roadwear announces today the 2012-2013 roster for Team Rapha-FOCUS, a professional cyclocross racing team. The third-year team will expand to six riders, balancing the men’s and women’s teams, and will contest an international schedule with the intention to place riders on their respective national teams for the 2013 World Cyclocross Championships to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Returning team riders are reigning United States Cyclocross Champion Jeremy Powers (Massachusetts, USA), reigning United States U23 Cyclocross Champion Zach McDonald (Washington, USA), Christopher Jones (California, USA), and Julie Krasniak (Metz, France). Newly signed riders Gabriella “Gabby” Day (Sleaford, United Kingdom) and Sabrina Schweizer (Wangen, Germany) will join Julie Krasniak in bringing Rapha-FOCUS to the women’s ranks. The team will race an international schedule beginning with the raucous, season-opening CrossVegas and continue with specific focus on the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross series and UCI World Cup events.

“Last season was an absolute success,” says Slate Olson, General Manager, Rapha North America. “We felt the best way to improve the team was to bring balance and place a focus on women in the sport,” he adds. Further, “Between the growth of the team and the anticipation of what we expect in Louisville, it’s going to be fun this season.”

Martin Böckelmann, Team Liaison Manager, FOCUS Bikes, adds, “Team Rapha-FOCUS has been important for us because cyclocross is the origin of FOCUS. Cyclocross is in our hearts and we see it on the rise in Germany and throughout the world. Further, we have supported women racers in cyclocross from our beginning days and are excited to build such a dynamic team for women in this sport. We share the same passion for the sport as Rapha and are proud to continue our relationship in the support of Team Rapha-FOCUS.”

Reigning United States Champion Jeremy Powers expressed his enthusiasm for the coming season and the team, “This is a big team but I can tell already that it will be easy to get along. We’ll probably need some more space under the tent, though! We all share the same ambition so we’ll push and encourage each other and I expect the women will get some great results. For all of us there’s gonna be a lot of moving and shaking this season.”

The team will wear Rapha Pro Team apparel with an updated team design during racing & training with off-the-bike selections from the Rapha City Wear collection. A range of team-inspired apparel is available beginning today at rapha.cc.

FOCUS Bikes provides the all-carbon Mares Rapha Focus bicycle, available to the public for the first time this year. A team-use-only disc brake version of the Mares Rapha Focus will be available for Rapha-FOCUS riders.

About Rapha

Rapha creates the finest cycling clothing and accessories in the world. Designed without compromise for the most discerning rider, Rapha products blend style with optimum performance. A passion for road racing means Rapha is more than just a product company. It is an online emporium of performance roadwear, accessories, publications and events, all celebrating the glory and suffering of road riding. www.rapha.cc

About FOCUS Bicycles USA

Based in Carlsbad, California, FOCUS Bicycles USA is dedicated to enhancing the cyclist’s experience with premium, race-inspired machines, which integrate German engineering, precision design and cutting-edge technology. True to the brand’s German lineage and world championship pedigree, FOCUS bicycles are developed, built, tested and delivered with the utmost efficiency and to exacting standards. For more information check www.focus-bikes.com.

Team Rapha-FOCUS Roster

• Jeremy Powers (USA) Elite National Champion
• Zach McDonald (USA) U23 National Champion
• Chris Jones (USA)
• Julie Krasniak (FRA)
• Gabby Day (UK)
• Sabrina Schweizer (GER)

Ride along with Jeremy Powers as he pre-rides the course for Round 8 of the UCI World Cup series in Hoogerheide (Netherlands), with a stem-mounted ContourGPS camera! Also visible in the video: Zach McDonald and Chris Jones.

Latest UCI World Rankings have Jeremy Powers 11th in the world and the top rider from the United States! Ryan Trebon and Tim Johnson are the 2nd and 3rd in the US placing 17th and 24th in the world respectively.

Source: UCI Cyclocross Rankings 06 Dec 2011