Team Pista Palace Unveils Team and Roster

1/21/10 - Team Pista Palace recently wrapped up a week long training camp based out of sponsor Pista Palace hometown San Diego, California. This is the 5th year that director and sponsor Justin Beope has taken the helm of the dominant amateur elite team formerly known as 5 Star Fish/5 Star WVO. The Elite team has put together what it believes is the strongest team in the southwest and beyond. Winner of the San Marcos and Brentwood GP races is Eric Marcoutte. He is joined by recent professionals J.R. Grabinger, Corey Steinbrecher, and Adam Livingston. 

The team will focus mainly on stage races in the Southwest and NRC races throughout the area. "We believe with the team we have assembled this year we can and will compete on an NRC level. We have guys that have won and podiumed NRC races and they will again. Having the experience and level of talent we have on an elite level yet not having the personality struggles that can sometimes plague a professional team allows us to be more team oriented rather than racer oriented". 

Former tugboat captain and now bike shop owner Justin Beope operates a self-proclaimed, "Greatest Bike Shop In The Universe" named Pista Palace in the greater San Diego area. "Our goal is to race hard and raise awareness to the fact that 99.99 percent of road bikes are made in Asia. Our team bikes and bikeshop are 100% China-Free. This means there is not one component that comes from the Far East. We are drawing attention to the fact that without supporting European and American made products, the continued massive trade imbalance contributes to the economic woes within the bike industry and our economy in general. How bike companies get away with charging $4500 for a frameset made by a factory worker making $80/month is mind-boggling."

Team Pista Palace is the only cycling team in the world to be sponsored by French company TIME for 2010 and will be the only team in the peleton riding a European made bike outside of Europe. The team will ride the TIME RXR Ulteam, winner of 2 stages in the 2009 Tour De France. Other equipment sponsors include Fizik bartape, Selle Italia saddles, Campagnolo componentry and wheels, Vittoria tires, LAS helmets, Oakley glasses, and Prolong Energy Drink. The team will also continue sponsorship with Stone Brewing Company for 2010 and have the services of Exercise Physiologist Sean M Burke, esq.

Team Pista Palace will be promoting the annual Red Trolley Criterium race on February 7, 2010 in San Diego, California.

2010 Team Pista Palace Roster:
Adam Livingston
Eric Marcoutte
J.R. Grabinger
Anthony Akers
Chad DeRosier
Mike Telega
Paul Che
Shane Lawlor
James Gunn-Wilkinson
Corey Steinbrecher