With the presentation of the 2016 edition of Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank complete and team camp finished, the focus is now on letting the riders’ legs do the talking.
Cycling journalist Bruce Hildebrand introduced the team to sponsors and a large group of supporters that included cycling personality Bob Roll, on Feb. 6 at Terun Restaurant in Palo Alto, California. The 2016 roster is made up of Alizee Brien, Cheryl Clark, Emily Collins, Lauren Hall, Jo Kiesanowski, Kathrin Hammes, Lauren Komanski, Lindsay Myers, Kendall Ryan, Lauren Stephens and Brianna Walle.
The team is entering its eleventh season with the same title sponsors — TIBCO software and Silicon Valley Bank. Fuji, the team’s bike sponsor, has supported the squad with road and time-trial bikes for the past three years.
“Fuji has continually sponsored professional women’s cycling since 1974,” said Milay Galvez, manager of sponsorships for Advanced Sports International, owner of Fuji Bikes. “The team’s longevity as well as its success makes for a partnership that’s a core part of our philosophy.”
THE 2016 SEASON
Even before the team presentation, Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank had already posted winning results in 2016. Lauren Stephens won the individual time trial at the Tour de San Luis Femenino in January and finished fourth overall despite injuries and illness that plagued the team.
Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank will kick off an eight-week block of racing in Europe at the end of February. Among the one-day spring classics the team will be contesting are Omloop Het Nieuwsblad; Gent Wevelgem; Strade Bianche, the first UCI Women’s World Tour event ever; Flanders and Fleche Wallonne.
The team will return to North America in late spring for a block of domestic UCI racing, including the defense of Stephen’s overall win at the Joe Martin Stage Race in Arkansas from April 21 to 24 and the Tour of the Gila from May 4 through 8.
The team’s focus will then turn to two major events in North America that are part of the UCI’s inaugural Women’s World Tour — the Amgen Tour of California stage race in May and the one-day Philadelphia International Cycling Classic in June
Linda Jackson, owner and founder of Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, noted that when the team first started it was ranked 64th in North America. Now it is in the top ten worldwide.
“We started this year ranked ninth in the world, so instead of begging organizers for race invitations we are now getting automatic invitations,” Jackson said. “Each year we try to build on our previous accomplishments. This is going to be a critical season to prove that we are one of the best teams in the world.”
Road to Rio
One facet of the early season campaign is to position Lauren Stephens for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Stephens is currently on the U.S. long team for both the road and track. A win for her at an early season World Cup would make her an automatic selection for the Olympic road race in Rio.
Jo Kiesanowski and Emily Collins are also positioned to earn a spot on New Zealand’s Olympic team. Ed Beamon, general manager of Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, said the team’s two Kiwis have a dual motivation; one is to earn qualifying points for their country so New Zealand can add two riders to its Rio roster and then for one or both to compete.
Regardless of the of Olympic aspirations of team members, Beamon said the benefits of experiencing higher levels of racing are going to help all of the riders be more competitive, which will boost individual efforts and team rankings.
“We want to race and race to win,” Beamon said. “And if we race well we will have a strong ranking.”
TEAM TIBCO-SILICON VALLEY BANK 2016
Alizee Brien: reigning U-23 Canadian National Time Trial Champion
Cheryl Clark: Neo-pro for Team TIBCO-SVB after strong showings in 2015, including the Tour of Battenkill where she finished ahead of the first pro woman.
Emily Collins: multiple-podium finisher at major European stage races.
Lauren Hall: Winner stage 2 and stage 5 at Tour of New Zealand, won third stage of the Boels Rental Tour, as well as winning stage 4 at the Cascade Cycling Classic.
Kathrin Hammes: 2015 German World Championships road team member
Lauren Komanski: Third overall at the Women’s Amgen Tour of California, member of U.S. national team at the UCI World Road, podium finish at the Winston Salem Classic.
Jo Kiesanowski: 2015 New Zealand World Championships road team member.
Lindsay Myers: raced for the team in 2012 and returns for 2016 after graduating with a doctorate in physical therapy.
Kendall Ryan: reigning U.S. Criterium National Champion
Lauren Stephens: 2015 U.S. World Championships road team member, winner of the Joe Martin Stage Race, the ITT at the Tour of the Gila, second overall at the Tour de Feminin and l’Ardèche, third overall at Thüringen Rundfahrt
Brianna Walle: Fifth overall at the BeNe Ladies Tour in Holland following a fourth-place result in the individual time trial, ninth overall at La Route Feminin following a third-place finish in the opening prologue
