We’ve been sent news that the Alpine Bikes, the Scottish based chain of shops, has launched an assault on the world of mountain bike racing – and it’s only our very own columnist Rab Wardell who’s going to be heading it up the newly formed Alpine Bikes Racing.
If you’ve been following his regular Rab’s World columns then you’ll know that after his recovery from injury earlier this year, Rab aims to qualify and compete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in his home city of Glasgow as well as taking part in a whole load of Elite level races.
As it happens he’s in Israel at this very moment with plans to compete in four UCI races over the next ten days. He’s also teamed up with Morrocco Media to produce a series of web edits following his progress – you can see the first below…
Here’s the release in full…
“Rab Wardell and Alpine Bikes join forces to launch Alpine Bikes Racing
Website www.alpinebikesracing.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/rabwardell85
Twitter www.twitter.com/rabwardell
Alpine Bikes Racing has been officially launched at the TISO Glasgow Outdoor Experience. The elite cycling team is a joint venture initiated by Rab Wardell with conjunction with Alpine Bikes. Rab Wardell is an elite level mountain bike racer living in Glasgow, Scotland, and is a multiple Scottish and British medallist. Rab’s primary aim is to qualify for and compete in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and to do so, he is looking to return to competition at the highest level in the UK and ultimately in UCI World Cup. Rab gets his competition program underway on the 9th of March in Israel where he will compete in four UCI Class 2 cross country events over ten days, before returning home to compete in the British Cross Country Series, selected UCI and SXC events.
Rab will focus on Olympic distance cross country mountain biking and will also compete in marathon cross country, road and downhill enduro events. He will compete on Trek Bikes equipped with Bontrager components and tires, and Crank Brothers pedals and accessories. In addition to Alpine Bikes as title sponsor, the team boasts the support of Endura (official clothing partner), Singletrack Mountain Bike Magazine (official media platform), HDS-LTD (Trace Heating and Gas Detection experts), Clif Bar (sports nutrition) Crank Brothers (pedals, luggage and accessories) Pedros (bicycle maintenance) and Nite Rider lights.
Speaking at Alpine Bikes, Glasgow TISO Outdoor Experience, Rab said ”I’m really excited to be competing for Alpine Bikes Racing in 2012. The team and sponsors offers me the opportunity to compete without compromise. I’m confident that I have the best clothing and equipment which the guys at Alpine Bikes will keep running perfectly all year. I’m extremely motivated and proud to be taking Alpine Bikes Racing forward and I hope to encourage and inspire others to try cycling through acting as an ambassador for cycling at home and abroad”
Bryan Shedden, Director of Alpine Bikes added “Alpine Bikes is very excited to be supporting Rab Wardell and the creation of Alpine Bikes racing. When Rab approached us last year with his detailed sponsorship proposal we saw this as an opportunity to support a Scottish athlete with huge potential. His proposal appealed to us as Rab competes in various cycling disciplines at competitive level, as well as aiming for a place in the Scottish team in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth games. We are looking forward to working with Rab and his other sponsors”
Rab is also working in partnership with Morrocco Media to release an online webisode series covering his return to serious competition and the series of films will be posted on the Alpine Bikes Racing website.
