The UK’s first UCI Trade Team for women has today been announced. Team FBUK (www.teamfbuk.com) have gained professional team status and have started 2006 as they mean to go on.

With a strong international line up to their team, they are confident they can build upon the huge success of 2005 and form a strong and stable team for the future.

The year has started in spectacular style with Helen Wyman winning the UK National Championships on Sunday with a dominant performance in the women’s race sponsored by Schwalbe. Behind her teammates Gabby Day (4th) and Clare Gross (6th) were in very impressive form. Louise Day was also on the podium as she picked up a silver medal in the veterans race.

With the past few weeks being a waiting game to see if the UCI would grant professional status to the team, Team Manager Stefan Wyman has added two major signings to the squad for 2006.

Line Ramsrud of Norway, who appeared as a guest rider for the team in the 2005 Tour of Brittany has joined on a full time basis along with former Luxemburg National cyclo-cross and road champion Suzie Gadart. Both riders bring international experience to the squad a sound European basis for what will be a hectic year of both UK and Continental racing.

UCI Trade Team status should allow the team to gain starting positions in some of the world’s biggest races and therefore provide the riders will opportunities to race at the highest level every week.

The past few weeks have also seen the team management increase with Rene Groot of Holland and Marc Godart added to the roster to ensure that the team has the best opportunities to succeed and progress as the year develops.

Team Manager Stefan Wyman is very happy with the progress made over the winter and says, “When we set this team up 2 years ago, it was a distant dream to gain Trade Team Status. This has now been achieved and we are already seeing the rewards. Two major signing and international sponsors coming on board look likely to help secure the long-term future of the team. We’ve even got a fan club now with members in several different countries”

Those international sponsors include Abus www.abus.de who have provided great support to the team in the past few weeks including crash helmets and Tim Harris Import Exports in Belgium.

Links:
• www.teamfbuk.com
• www.helenwyman.com
• www.claregross.co.uk
• www.gabbyday.com
• www.emmasilversides.com
• www.uci.ch

Suzie Godart	Line Ramsrud	Helen Wyman (’06 cross champ)