February 2012 Team News

The final full day of BPCT camp was saved for the Skaggs - King’s Ridge loop which has become a tradition at the BISSELL Team’s annual camp in Santa Rosa. The six hour day was punishing with the big, steep climbs up Skaggs followed by unrelenting country rollers on King’s Ridge. Even tough the riders didn’t have time to appreciate, the route was filled with ever-changing landscapes filled with amazing mountaintop vistas, forested Redwoods, and a bounty of wild life.

The team will take a day to rest and recover tomorrow before heading to its first race in Merced CA on Thursday.

Sunny skies again greeted the BPCT today in Santa Rosa. The day started with a small media gathering at Hotel La Rose. From there, the guys quickly set off for a nice light day of riding and an opportunity to spin out their legs after yesterday’s Coleman Valley ride. The team headed out toward Geyserville for a short 2 hour ride on flat roads. It was a relaxing day to take in the sunshine and the beautiful Sonoma vistas. The ride ended at the magnificent Chalk Hill Winery which has hosted the team's photo shoot for the forth year. The spectacular setting and quiet roads made today’s tasks a pleasure. Team photographer, Casey Gibson, orchestrated the day to perfection.

After today’s easy day in the saddle, Director Kem has some serious plans for tomorrow as the team will do the infamous Skaggs ride.

Day two of the BPCT camp was the perfect day to recon stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California, and the stage is certain to deliver the toughest and most exciting opening stage for racing fans with two intermediate sprint points and four KOMs! Mother Nature was in fine form today with beautiful skies, light winds, and temperatures hovering in the mid-fifties. The team settle into the ride as they headed out of Santa Rosa but Paddy Bevin showed that he meant business on the first climb up Fort Ross Road. The team regrouped for the breathtaking descent off Meyers grade and took in some of the amazing views of the Pacific. However, there was no leisure as the the guys approached the Coleman Valley climb. Again, it was Bevin who forged to the top and seemed to take the “win” with ease! 

It was a great day for the team as they settled onto their amazing equipment, jelled well together, and rode what is sure to be a spectacular stage come May 13th.

The BISSELL Pro Cycling Team is happy to be back in Santa Rosa for team camp. Today was the first day of riding and time for the guys to be fitted on their new Pinarello Dogma 2 bikes. The team took on the West Dry Creek Loop which provided the perfect roads for getting accustomed to their new equipment. “The team looked good,” said Director Kem. “It is a privilege to work with such an outstanding and compact group of guys.” Above all, however, the chatter of the day was about the superior equipment. New team member, Carter Jones, said “without a doubt the best thing I’ve ever ridden.”

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 22, 2012– The BISSELL Pro Cycling Team welcomes sponsor, Ecofoam, for 2012. Ecofoam provides a variety of high performance home and business insulation systems to help save energy and increase efficiency. 

Ecofoam adds to the growing number of BISSELL Team supporters from the West Michigan area which includes BISSELL Homecare, Advantage Benefits, Merrell, EmploymentGroup and Emerald Spas. Ecofoam President and CEO, Matt Siebert, was himself a collegiate racer and looks forward to the opportunity to support the sport. 

“Ecofoam is incredibly proud to support the BISSELL Pro Cycling Team and help provide this group an opportunity to turn their gift and dedication into their jobs,” said Siebert.

Siebert, who raced on the Pharmacia Cycling Team as a Cat 2 racer in the early 2000s, has personal experience racing many of the same venues such as the previous crit nationals at Downers Grove and the Joe Martin Stage Race.

 “Having raced quite a few NRC races myself,” said Siebert, “I know what it is like to be eaten alive by these professionals who do this on a daily basis.” 

Siebert came to the U.S. from Germany in 1997 as an exchange student and his immersion into the sport started in his youth. He raced collegiately for Western Michigan University with fellow student, Kelli Emmet, who went onto become a professional mountain bike and world cup racer. Having been away from the sport to build his business, Ecofoam, Siebert is excited to be back into cycling at this level.

The BISSELL Pro Cycling Team will get together for its opening team camp this week in Santa Rosa California and go right into its first race, the Merco Cycling Classic, on March 1.

For updates on BISSELL Pro Cycling year round, visit www.Bissellprocycling.com.

ABOUT BISSELL

A 136-year-old company, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based BISSELL Homecare Inc. is the top-selling brand in floor care appliances in North America,^* with an expanding presence worldwide. As an innovator of cleaning products, BISSELL produces and sells vacuums, sweepers, deep-cleaning machines, bare-floor cleaners and cleaning formulas at retail locations across the globe. The company is in its fourth generation of family leadership.

^* Based on NPD sales data