HP LaserJet Women's Challenge Helps Determine Sydney Squad; Powerhouse Field Competes in Toughest North American Race

Business Wire, June 7, 2000

Business Editors/Sports & High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2000

As the last North American race used by U.S. Olympic coaches to determine the women's cycling squad for Sydney, the HP LaserJet Women's Challenge will be a tense one, with a strong field competing June 8 through 18 to prove who is the best in women's cycling.

"This is the last race in North America with a strong international contingent," said Henny Top, U.S. Olympic women's cycling coach. "USA Cycling will use this race to assess the qualities of American cyclists, and will announce the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games roster on July 19."

Five of the last six winners are returning to see if they can claim the title of champion. In this race, they will confront a shift in the composition of the race field that reflects a general change in women's professional cycling teams: International and national trade teams have stacked their rosters with dominant athletes, regardless of nationality, so even in an Olympic year, the world's top athletes are predominantly representing trade teams, not wearing their country's national jersey.

American team Timex rebuilt its roster with two strong General Classification (GC) cyclists, athletes whose teammates work to support them to victory in a race. One is America's top-ranked Olympic-hopeful, Mari Holden, and the other an Australian 2000 Olympic team member, Tracey Gaudry. In 1999, Holden took second at the HP LaserJetWomen's Challenge while Gaudry took seventh overall when riding as support for French cycling legend, Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli.

"You can't go into a race like the HP LaserJet Women's Challenge without at least two strong GC contenders, because the race is so long you never know what will happen from day to day," said Giana Roberge, manager of the Timex team. "Having a couple of GC cyclists lets a team adjust strategy, if needed, at any particular stage in the race."

Managers for Saturn will return with a team stacked with three defending Women's Challenge champions, and a new sprinting weapon, Petra Rossner. The three previous champions include Dede Demet Barry, Clara Hughes, and Anna Wilson. Clearly only one can lead, which means two champions must step aside to ride support.

Two-time HP LaserJet Women's Challenge champion Longo-Ciprelli, riding on the Office Depot team, presents a strong challenge to the field. Also, the Lithuanian National Team, sponsored by HP, has more than two GC contenders in the formidable twins, Rasa and Jolanta Polikeviciute, and 1998 World Champion Diana Ziliute.

In addition, Charles Schwab and AutoTrader.com, two trade teams with primarily American cyclists, are competing well this year. Currently AutoTrader.com is the No. 1 ranked team, according to USA cycling, with the top-ranked American cyclist, Tina Mayolo. And Charles Schwab is riding with recently selected Olympic team member Nicole Freedman and U.S. Olympic-hopeful Elizabeth Emery.

The first HP LaserJet Women's Challenge was in 1984, the same year women's cycling was introduced as an Olympic event. This year's is the toughest, spanning 10 days, 625 miles, and traversing much of southern Idaho's rugged terrain with two courses designed to emulate the conditions cyclists will face in Australia come September's Olympic Games.

The official event Web site, www.hplwc.com, features live-action coverage, course maps, individual competitor histories, and fan mail. A one-hour recap of the HP LaserJet Women's Challenge is scheduled to air internationally on ESPN2 Aug. 5 and again Aug. 10 (see local listings.)

About Women's Challenge, Inc.

Women's Challenge, Inc., a non-profit organization, was founded in 1993 to carry on the tradition of the Women's Challenge race which began in 1984. The organization's mission is to promote world-class racing for women, foster the growth of women's cycling, and provide exemplary role models to athletes. HP has been the presenting sponsor of the HP LaserJet Women's Challenge since 1997.

About HP

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services -- is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and an Internet infrastructure that's always on.

HP has 86,000 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.