GT News http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News GT Bicycles is always trying to stay in touch with its customers. Through press releases, news articles and special events, GT Bicycles prides itself on customer service, awareness and communication.Choose articles that you wish to read by clicking on the items below. © 2008 GT Bicycles 5 Jelly Belly at the Atlanta 100

Jelly Belly's Bernard Van Ulden and Team Tibco's Lauren Franges took the wins in Atlanta on Labor Day, taking their share of a $30,000 combined prize list at the city's U.S. 10k Classic.

Held the same morning as a 10k running race, men race 100k on a fast five-mile loop, finishing on a wide downhill highway. The mens field contained many who had raced in the weekend's USPRO championships in Greenville, South Carolina, including Van Ulden, who was eighth in the USPRO time trial and did not finish the road race.

Women raced 10k, with the same wide-open finish as the men.

Action Images' Kurt Jambretz was in Atlanta to capture all the racing for VeloNews.com.

]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2926-Jelly-Belly-at-the-Atlanta-100 2926-Jelly-Belly-at-the-Atlanta-100 9/1/2008; Sports Illustrated Review on BMX Olympic Debut
Click Here to read: Sports Illustrated Review on BMX Olympic Debut ]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2927-Sports-Illustrated-Review-on-BMX-Olympic-Debut 2927-Sports-Illustrated-Review-on-BMX-Olympic-Debut 9/1/2008; Bryn Atkinson Cranks It Up At Canberra
Round # 6 of the UCI World Cup downhill series dropped south of the equator to the land down under, Australia. It was a homecoming of sorts for GT Bicycles factory downhill pilot Bryn Atkinson as he was born in the host city of Canberra and now lives only a few hours away by the Blue Mountains. Canberrra is quite the contrast from the beaches of Sydney as it is a dry hi-desert landscape about 200 kilometers from the coast plus it was winter time making for some pretty cool temperatures.
 
Bryn has been nursing some sore ribs since injuring them at the World Cup in Bromont Canada so his participation was questionable coming into the event. The trooper he is, Bryn wrapped up his ribs and put in a few training runs to test his pain threshold and the result was good. The Canberra course was a little on the short side with a bit of pedaling towards the bottom of the course so the technical skill was important but not as much as the fitness to charge the flat finish section.
 
As the race day came rain was forecasted but all of the locals insured us “it doesn’t rain here… ever!” But low and behold as we woke up on Sunday morning… RAIN! Not a torrential down pour but a pretty steady rain that could be a factor in how the course was attacked. Bryn warmed up for his semi final run with his ever present smile and positive attitude while GT mechanic Mark Maurissen performed his prerace magic on Bryn’s 2009 DHi Team. The rain kept coming as the semi’s started and Bryn didn’t let it distract him as he blazed down the Mount Stromlo course to qualify in 10th. The result was a good one for Bryn being that he had trouble breathing due to his sore ribs.
 
The rain kept coming and the course started to become more difficult. The flat sections of the track started to get boggy meaning that fitness would be a factor for all. The finals had a solid group of competitors with a strong contingent of local Aussies who had the course dialed so no one could be counted out.
 
Bryn rolled into the start house knowing that he could give the run more of an effort and improve on his semi final time. He powered his way down the mountain side hitting each section with reckless abandon as his teammates an friends watched on the jumbo screen at the finish line. He was riding like he had something to prove and in a way he did after battling with injuries and some bad luck. Not only did he have to finish the race but he needed to do so with top time to get him back on track. As cranked to the finish his time was looking to be good. The last couple hundred meters leading to the finish was getting soupier and slicker and it was taking its toll on most of the competitors and would separate out the field. Bryn crossed the line with a time that came close to putting him in the Nissan Hotseat but came up short. Bryn sat on the sidelines watching the remaining racers make their run at the top spots. After everything was said and done Bryn held on to 9th place overall which is the best result he has had this season at a World Cup. The solid finish fueled Bryn’s motivation as he looks forward to the next World Cup in Schladming Austria in two weeks
 
A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to the gang at Monza for helping out in Canberra! Stephen Robinson, Mog and the SRAM boys are a top notch crew and went the extra mile and beyond to make sure the GT Team was taken care of.
 

GT Bicycles is proud to be sponsored by:
SRAM, Kenda, Champion Systems, Sun/Ringle, Fly Racing, SDG, Ogio, Kore and ethirteen

]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2922-Bryn-Atkinson-Cranks-It-Up-At-Canberra 2922-Bryn-Atkinson-Cranks-It-Up-At-Canberra 8/31/2008; Bryn Reports in from Canberra
What a weekend, The crowds that showed up in Canberra would rival Scotland World Cup crowd for their enthusiasm towards Mountain biking. I have honestly never experienced anything like the crowd during Saturday practice, They were so wild, It felt like a race run with everyone cheering, and we weren't even racing yet! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! The World Champs here next year are going to be Nuts!

Surprise surprise, it rained on race day, it's so funny, no matter where we go on planet Earth, whenever there is a World Cup, there is rain. It had not rained in Canberra in like 5 months, so weird. The rain didn't really have any negative effects on the track because it was so dry and dusty, but the grueling 30 second flat sprint to the finish, was pretty sloppy and boggy, so it made it all the more brutal.

It has been 4 weeks since I tore the cartilage between my ribs in Canada, and I went out for a test ride on Wednesday afternoon to see if i could handle it, I wrapped my chest up in an elastic bandage, and it was manageable. I did minimal practice during the week, skipping the first day, and only doing 5 runs before the race. (usually I like to do at least 10-12 practice runs to be race ready.)

I put in a pretty chilled run for qualifying, Qualifying 10th, but had trouble breathing at the end with my chest all wrapped up, so decided to unwrap for the final. I had a Pinned run going, but kinda just ran out of puff on the last straight. I finished 9th, I'm really happy, cause it has been a while and plus, I was only 1 second off podium. This year has been crazy, and it was nice to be able to put on a show in front of a home crowd.

Steven Robinson and Mog from GT Australia had a sweet set-up for us, Spencer and Mark got us dialed in and did a great job, It was smooth sailing. Off to Austria next week, for the World Cup finals.

See ya'
Bryn
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2923-Bryn-Reports-in-from-Canberra 2923-Bryn-Reports-in-from-Canberra 8/31/2008; Randy Wins NBL Grands!

GT PARTICIPANTS:
 
Randy Stumpfhauser:
Elite Men Friday:    1st
Elite Men Grands:    1st

 
Stumpy came into the Grands weekend only seven points out of the lead for the Elite Men’s Year End Title.  What he needed to do was win the Friday event and then win the Grands main event. If he could do it, he’d have the second NBL Elite Men’s Title of his career.  As he usually does, Randy was out front in nearly every moto he was in.  The main event on Friday was a walk-away for him, as he really took it to ‘em wire to wire.  After that main event, he had a very slim ONE point lead before the Grands event.  The pressure was really on come Saturday night’s Grands main, as Randy needed to finish ahead of one of BMX’s fastest riders, Cristian Becerine (Free Agent).  The two had a few good battles in the heat races and were both ready for the final.  When the gate fell, it was all Randy Stumpfhauser.  He led from wire to wire, but had a brief challenge from Becerine coming out of the last turn.  At that point, Randy just put the hammer down and the threat was quickly extinguished.   It was a really sweet victory as he won his second NBL Elite Men’s Year End Championship Title.  Congrats Randy!  U Da Man!!!

 


Joey Bradford:
Elite Men Friday:    6th
Elite Men Grands:    5th

 
Joey looked really good this weekend here in Louisville.  He has had good success here as an amateur and hopes to equal that as a pro.  He did well in the heat races while doing his E.T. pedaling through the pro section.  He made the main event at the Friday night national AND at the Saturday night NBL Grands.  He was disappointed to say the least, as he finished 6th on Friday and 5th on Saturday.  Joey really puts in the hard work and it shows.  He’s right on the edge of being where he wants to be, so he’ll keep at it and you can rest assured, he’ll be a solid threat for the win at any event real soon.  Good job Joey.  We’re proud of you.  

 

 

Eric Rupe:
Elite Masters Friday:   DNQ
Elite Masters Grands:   4th
Masters Open Grands:   5th


Big Daddy has had incredible success here in Louisville over the years.  He won the Elite Men’s Year End Title here in 1984, finished 2nd in the Elite Men’s main event in 1984, 1985, 1986 & 1987.  He won the Pro Cruiser Title here in 1987 & 1988, while winning the main in that class in 1988 & 1989.  He won the Vet Pro Year End Title here in 1996 as well as 2004 and won the main in that class in 1996.  He won the Single A-Pro Year End Title and the main event in 2000.  He won the Single A-Pro Cruiser Year End Title and main event in 2002.  Needless to say, his pro class success at the NBL Grands is second to none.  At 45 years young, racing the Masters class against guys 15 years his junior is a real challenge.  He did well at the Grands event by making the tough main event and even finished 4th for the day.  He got a solid 5th in the 30 & Over Open main on Sunday, but wasn’t really thrilled with his run.  It was still a very respectable performance to say the least.  Nice job Big Daddy.

 

 
The GT team sponsors include: Kenda, Shimano, Sun Rims, Fly Racing, OGIO, SDG, SNAP Products and Champion System.

]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2924-Randy-Wins-NBL-Grands 2924-Randy-Wins-NBL-Grands 8/31/2008; Todd Wells Gets First World Cup Podium!
GT Bicycles’ cross country bandits Todd Wells and Burry Stander have been on a bit of a whirlwind travel schedule over the last month. Just after the UCI World Cup in Bromont Canada they made a quick stop to Todd’s house in Durango Colorado and then ventured off to the Jejeu Islands in Korea to acclimate and train for the Olympics in China. Then after soaking in their Olympic experience in Beijing the made the jaunt to the southern hemisphere to their teammate Bryn Atkinson’s homeland, Australia.
 
 
The trip was a quick geography reminder that August in Australia is winter time. Images of the sun soaked beaches of Sydney was quickly replaced with the reality of the cold outback foothills of Canberra. Unbeknownst to most, Canberra is the capital of Australia and is situated about 200 kilometers inland from the east coast of Oz. On the outskirts of Canberra is Mount Stromlo which will be the home of the 2009 UCI MTB World Championships. Stromlo isn’t your run-of-the-mill mountain. It is a little of the small side in vertical drop compared to most of the world cup courses but has its share of technical sections with rocks, logs, jumps and banked turns. Todd and Burry loved the course saying it was one of the funnest they have ridden which helps set a positive tone for race day.  


Race day arrived and so did the cool temperatures along with some clouds and threats of rain. GT’s Belgian wonder-wrench, Mark Maurissen, made sure that Todd and Burry’s 2009 GT Zaskar’s were in precision running condition to compete against the worlds best cross country racers. Todd and Burry have had a great season so far and their top finishes and consistency have helped move them to the top-ten of the world cup starting order positioning them on the front row.


As the starter’s gun sounded the lead pack quickly separated itself from the rest of the field and Todd and Burry were in it. The leaders established a blistering pace trying to shake each other loose but the top eight kept each other within reach. Burry and Todd were looking strong until on the third lap until Burry had a slide out in a loose turn taking him down temporarily. He recovered quickly and made up time trying to move back up to the lead pack meanwhile Todd kept on his charge. As Todd made his last pass through the feed zone he was sitting in 5th place with a large gap separating him from his South African team mate Burry. Todd kept on the gas to the line landing him on his first World Cup podium ever! It was a proud moment for Todd, his team mates and GT…. CONGRATUALTIONS TODD! Burry made a great comeback and came in behind Todd in 6th making for a great team result.    


With the great finishes it strengthens their overall standings in the World Cup points series. Going into the last event in Austria Burry is sitting in 4th and Todd moving up to 9th overall. Watch for them to wrap up the season in Schladming Austria on September 14th with their best personal overall results in their careers.


GT Bicycles is proud to be sponsored by:
SRAM, Kenda, Champion Systems, Sun/Ringle, Fly Racing, SDG, Ogio, Kore and ethirteen
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2921-Todd-Wells-Gets-First-World-Cup-Podium 2921-Todd-Wells-Gets-First-World-Cup-Podium 8/30/2008; BMX Race Team Shop Visit: Clarksville, IN

GT PARTICIPANTS:
 
Randy Stumpfhauser:

Joey Bradford:

Eric Rupe:

 

The GT BMX race team was in the Louisville, KY area for the NBL Grand Nationals and paid a visit today to Clarksville Schwinn.  The shop visit went really well, as Bob Peters, the shop owner and manager for over 35 years, showed the GT guys what a truly pro looking shop is all about.  The GT guys had a chance to meet a few customers who were shopping for new GT BMX bikes. They gave the kids autographed team posters, a few GT stickers and GT bike catalogs.  Stumpfhauser, Bradford and Rupe even had their personal race bikes on hand to show off to the fans.

 

 
The GT team sponsors include: Kenda, Shimano, Fly Racing, Sun Rims, SDG, Champion System, O’GIO, SNAP Products.

]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2925-BMX-Race-Team-Shop-Visit:-Clarksville,-IN 2925-BMX-Race-Team-Shop-Visit:-Clarksville,-IN 8/28/2008; Burry Stander Reports from the Big Show in Beijing

After spending a week in Korea I arrived in Beijing on Wednesday and received my first taste of the Olympic vibe.  As we got into the new terminal in Beijing we were ushered through to a special Olympic lane which made getting out of the airport easier than ever and we immediately had pictures taken with some natives.


A short bus ride later I got to the village and this was where my path split from the US mountain bike team.  It was a sad moment indeed.  As I got to the gate I had my only little hiccup of the whole trip.  I didn’t know where the SA team was situated.  A short phone call to Cherise (my girlfriend), who was already back home solved my problem. 

I got in a little UPS van that took me straight to the door of our Olympic apartments.  Each building had like 9 stories, so yeah it was quite the spectacle even though I’m not a big fan of apartments.  Mallie, the SA mechanic built my bike in a jiffy and it wasn't long before Todd (Wells), Adam, and I re-united for a little spin around the village to check it all out.  It definitely matched all my expectations!  Thereafter I hit the shower and made my first trip to the dining hall. Yup it has all you could wish for no matter where in the world you are from, but the place with the golden arches again proved to be most popular among the world’s fittest athletes...


on Thursday I woke up to pouring rain and didn’t feel the urge to make an attempt to get outta bed until 10am.  I had some breakfast and heard the BMX, which I was eager to go watch, had been postponed. so I hung out in the dining hall for awhile and then got plans dialed to head to the track.  I caught one of the many buses that left to the Loahsan MTB venue every half hour at mid day and got onto the track a short while later. 

At first the course seemed to be similar to the one I had in my mind.  Lots of steep climbs, but smooth and even in the mud not slippery or challenging at all.  Then I got past the first kilometer and that all went out the window.  The course from here on out contained more of those steep pitches followed by crazy steep drops, tight turns and even the soil turned to clay by half way.  The steepest chute on the track had me gasping for air at the bottom as I saw my games coming to an abrupt end before my eyes while I was on my way down.  I decided to finish out the lap and return to the village instead of trying to learn a muddy track that I was going to race in the dry anyway. 

The rest of the day I spent riding rollers and hanging out at the Oakley safe house.  The place was awesome--good food, fun games, supersport, and of course the best athletes from around the world.  I also got my race day radars made up while I was there.  Some sweet SA colouring was in order.  After arriving at the village it was time for my massage and I also got to watch the 200m final from the table.  All I can say is lightning!  My biggest regret from the Games was that I wasn't in the Nest at the time Michael Johnson’s record fell.


On Friday I woke up to the heat we had become accustomed to.  Also the skies were perfectly clear and there was a new found freshness in the air.  After hanging in the dining hall I made it back to the international lounge just in time for the men’s BMX final.  It was super exciting seeing Sifiso in the gate,  I think I was more nervous for the run than my own race!  After a solid start and riding in 3rd/4th, Skizo unfortunately hit the deck...or should I say tar.  Very disappointing but still an incredible result! 

After a quick chat with Mannie (Mr. Africa) Heymans I was off to the track to have a more solid run at the race track.  As Wellsy and I got on the dirt I was amazed by how quick the track was drying.  However those climbs didn’t seem any easier and when we got to the steep drop I had to stop and make some calculations...whilst I was doing this the affects of the heat became evident.  My legs had a constant stream running down them and this for me is the sign that it was going to be a problem.

After a few tries I had my line dialed and I carried on riding a few laps to learn the track.  It was very important to memorize the course as being in the correct gear was vital at all times.  After the ride I felt more comfortable for Saturday’s showdown and I could feel the excitement start to build.  At the dining hall the team sat down to discuss race plan.  With the conditions we were in for, heat and a severely technical course ,the backup team would prove to be invaluable. For my race I had spare wheels in each of the two tech zones and in one I had spare parts, for instance a derailleur, dropout, seat/seatpost, chain and even shoes in case I ran into some technical difficulty out on the track.  Mallie would man this post along with tony Harding who would provide ice water bottles for drinking and spraying over myself and of course motivation! 


Carol Austin took up the roll of my main feed which I did through the slowest tech zone.  I really wouldn’t want to drop one of these bottles as any calories I was going to consume came from these feeds.  Also before the start I would have her along my side with my start bottle and ice vest.  After the meeting Wellsy and I hung out a little and had a chat about the village experience thus far.  It wasn’t all bikes I tell you what!  As I got back to the SA house I got a package from tony that Cherise had left for me.  I was definitely inspired.


On Saturday it was go time.  I had breakfast and watched the women’s race live.  It was cool to see the track but made me a little nervous.  I’m sure I would have been anyway.  At noon I was on the bus to insure I got to the track with loads of time to go over everything again.  After making my bottles and checking my Olympic edition GT Zaskar I suited up in the green and gold.  I’m not usually the sentimental type but the moment was overwhelming.  The feeling was even more exaggerated as I rolled out of the prep building and saw the massive crowd that turned out for the race. 


After my normal warm-up routine I saw my mother on the side of the track.  She was all suited up in green and seemed as ready for the race as I was.  (She would spend most of the 8 laps running from point to point to urge myself and the other riders on.)  The call up was swift and everyone’s ice vests got turfed with the one minute to go call. 


The adrenaline that pumps through the veins at this point is something else.  Prior to the Olympics I had only felt it at the World Champs each year.  My hands went completely numb and my mouth dried in an instant.  I was on the second row so I had to at least keep in the top 20 for the first lap and try and move up from there.  The gun fired and I was one pedal stroke slow in clipping in, but no one came by so I held a solid position heading into the woods.  The whole first lap was a blur.  I can’t say I remember anything from it.  The front group stayed wheel to wheel and 25 odd riders came through the finish on lap one strung out in one long line.  I was in 19th but only 15sec down.  my start had gone as planned but I felt a little uncomfortable with the pace.  I managed to keep charging over the next few laps and made it up to 8th place by halfway. 


The medals however were creeping away and I was already all tapped out.  I fought the pain until lap 7 hoping to get comfortable, but this didn’t happen and I started paying.  I slid to 10th by the end of the lap and there was a train coming up from behind.  It’s crazy how riders fly by you when you show even the smallest signs of fatigue when you race at this level.  I ended the race in a satisfying 15th position and felt happy with my achievement as this was all I had to give on the day and was completely spent.  The experience of competing here was something special and one that I will forever cherish.


After the race my mom and I got to spend some time together thousands of miles away from South Africa.  It was real nice to relax a little before the celebrations.  On the way back to the village I got lost on the buses.  These two Chinese girls I met spoke awesome English though and lead me home.  By the time we cleaned up and ate it was 11pm but we still felt up for a good time, so Todd, Adam, and I holla'd at a cab and set off to the Budweiser Club.  The place was incredible.  Pools, huge dance floor, good music, and free Bud made for a big evening.  It ended off perfectly as we found Beijing Hooters for some chicken wings.


Sunday morning my mom and I took to the silk market with a vengeance.  I had my negotiating cap on and was ready to make some sweet deals.  Needless to say we left the place with R7000 worth of overweight baggage for my mom and some serious Beijing bling.  After some food it was time for the goodbyes as my mom was flying out that evening.  I headed back to the village to go and get ready for the closing ceremony.  Walking into that stadium was the highlight of the whole games for me.  One realizes that the games are about more than just sport when you feel the energy in that stadium.  I think my mouth was hanging open for the whole duration of the show.  It was a spectacular ending to one of the best weeks in my life....bring on London 2012!


I would like to thank everyone for their support during the Games.  It really motivated me to put on a good show.


Ciao,


Burry


I would like to thank a few special people for their support and helping me to be the rider I am today.


Firstly to my parents and two brothers I owe a great deal.  They have been the foundation on which all of my successes have been built.  To the rest of my family I also thank you for the incredible support.


To Todd, you have been there with me since the start of my pro career.  You are not only a team mate, having you at the races means I get to travel the world with one of my best friends.  I would have cracked in that first year but you pulled me through.  I look forward to many more good times buddy!


To Cherise my girl friend, for being there for me in the build up.  You understand me like few people do.  Your attitude towards life is an inspiration.
To my friends--you guys are awesome!
To Mohammed and Racheed at Bobbys Cycles for all the years of support.  You guys made a young kid's dream come true and I always appreciate the help I still receive from you guys.
To Alan and Neal from Omnico--without your help I would be able to do what I do today.
To the whole SA MTB community—its an honor to represent you guys.
To the south coast and Bundu Bashers--I feel blessed to call the south coast my home and ride alongside you guys.
To everyone on the GT Team as well--huge thanks.
I would like to thank my sponsors as well.  Without you guys none of this would be possible.

]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2920-Burry-Stander-Reports-from-the-Big-Show-in-Beijing 2920-Burry-Stander-Reports-from-the-Big-Show-in-Beijing 8/27/2008; Olympic BMX Medalists Mike Day and Jill Kintner on Sports Central
GT Olympic BMX Medalists Mike Day and Jill Kintner are interviewed on LA's local news station, KCAL.

> Check out the Day and Kintner video here on Sports Central ]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2919-Olympic-BMX-Medalists-Mike-Day-and-Jill-Kintner-on-Sports-Central 2919-Olympic-BMX-Medalists-Mike-Day-and-Jill-Kintner-on-Sports-Central 8/25/2008; Bad Luck for GT MTB Team at Olympics
GT MTB Racers Todd Wells and Burry Stander were in Beijing, China this past weekend to compete in the MTB race.
 
The track was difficult and the heat was immense.  Todd did not finish and Burry Stander came in 14th.
 
Read more about Todd's race and see photos here:

Read an official race recap here:
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2918-Bad-Luck-for-GT-MTB-Team-at-Olympics 2918-Bad-Luck-for-GT-MTB-Team-at-Olympics 8/23/2008; GT Rider Mike Day Wins Silver in Beijing Teammate Jill Kintner Takes the Bronze
GT Bicycles is proud to announce that team rider Mike Day has won the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing China!  Teammate Jill Kintner, the sole American woman competing in BMX, won the bronze medal in the women’s race.
 
Santa Clarita, CA’s Day earned silver medal honors with his brilliant racing at the Laoshan BMX Complex tonight. Fighting his way through qualifiers, quarterfinals and semifinals amongst a field of 32 of the world’s best BMX Race competitors, Mike found himself among the top eight riders on the planet battling for a top three finish. Riding his GT Power Series Ultra Box with custom Team USA graphics, Mike had a strong start and it looked like he could break away from the pack right out of the gate. Facing stiff competition from Latvia’s Maris Stromberg, Mike’s unbelievable speed on the bike kept him in a significant second place position for the entire race, giving him an impressive silver medal victory.
 
“It was amazing! So much effort, time and training went into this and I can’t believe it is over,” said Day after his silver medal finish. “The experience is overwhelming and great for our sport.”
 
Seattle’s Kintner earned herself the well deserved bronze medal honors with her third place finish. After blazing her way through three rounds of competition, Jill had to battle seven of the world’s top riders, including Anne-Caroline Chausson and Laetitia le Courguille of France to take home a medal. Jill also rode a GT Power Series Ultra Box with custom Team USA graphics.  In a particularly hard-fought race punctuated by three different crashes, including one that took out powerful British rider Shanaze Reade, Jill maintained her composure, avoided the wreckage, and pedaled through it to the bronze.
 
“It was like the seas had parted and there it is – go!” said Kintner. “On one knee, it’s been a crazy-ass year.”
 
Mike’s and Jill’s places on the podium are made even more memorable by the fact that this was the first time BMX Race has been included as an Olympic sport. With Mike’s silver and Jill’s bronze, each now holds a special place in both Olympic and BMX Race history.  For more information on Mike or Jill or to request an interview or images, please contact one of the representatives above. For additional information on GT Bicycles and their quest to make Olympic history, please visit http://olympics.gtbicycles.com.
 
GT Bicycles is part of the Cannondale Sports Group Division of Dorel Industries (TSX: DII.B, DII.A).
 
About GT Bicycles
 
Built on its race-proven performance products, GT Bicycles has been designing technologically advanced bikes in the road, mountain and BMX categories since 1973. For more information about GT Bicycles, please visit www.gtbicycles.com.
 
About Dorel
 
Dorel Industries Inc. (TSX: DII.B, DII.A) is a world class juvenile products and bicycle company.  Established in 1962, Dorel creates style and excitement in equal measure to safety, quality and value. The Company’s lifestyle leadership position is pronounced in both its Juvenile and bicycle categories with an array of trend-setting products.  In the Juvenile segment, Dorel’s powerfully branded products such as Quinny, Maxi-Cosi, Safety 1st and Bébé Confort have shown the way to safety, originality and fashion.  Similarly, its highly popular brands such as Cannondale, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose and SUGOi have made Dorel a principal player with both independent bicycle dealers and mass merchants.  Dorel’s Home Furnishings segment markets a wide assortment of furniture products, both domestically produced and imported.   The Company exerts relentless innovation and marketing flair across all of its divisions.  Dorel is a $2 billion company with forty-six hundred employees, facilities in seventeen countries, and sales worldwide. 
 
US operations include Dorel Juvenile Group USA; the Cannondale Sports Group; Pacific Cycle; Ameriwood Industries which produces ready-to-assemble furniture; Altra Furniture; and Cosco Home & Office. In Canada, Dorel operates Dorel Distribution Canada, Dorel Home Products and SUGOI. Abroad, operations include Dorel Europe and IGC in Australia, a manufacturer and distributor of juvenile products. Dorel Asia sources and imports home furnishings products. Dorel China has eight offices which oversee the sourcing, engineering and logistics of the Company’s Asian supplier chain.
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2914-GT-Rider-Mike-Day-Wins-Silver-in-Beijing-Teammate-Jill-Kintner-Takes-the-Bronze 2914-GT-Rider-Mike-Day-Wins-Silver-in-Beijing-Teammate-Jill-Kintner-Takes-the-Bronze 8/22/2008; Mike Day Sweeps first competition at Olympics!
The first Olympic BMX Race competition was held today in Beijing, China.  It was a special day not only because it is the first time for BMX to be in the Olympics but because one GT racer stood out from the crowd of BMX talent gathered to represent the world at the 29th Olympiad.
 
The first event held was the time trials where each racer rode the course by themselves to rank the fastest to slowest riders.  The men and women's classes each ran two trial runs.  The fastest rider of each class would get to pick the lane choice for the quarter final race for men and the semi final race for the women.
 
Mike Day came out ahead of everyone and qualified first to get his pick of the lanes.  The first lane out of the eight lanes is the best so that is what Mike picked.  Let the onslaught begin.
 
The men had three runs to prove their worth in the quarter finals today.  Mike was out in front of the pack during each run which led to a sweep of all three runs putting Mike in the number one spot for the day.  Mike goes into the Olympic Semi Final tomorrow with a great day behind him and the hope of a medal before him.
 
Join all of us at GT Bicycles to wish Mike Day good luck in Beijing!
 
You can watch the race on your local NBC Channel:
 
Wednesday, August 21st at 8pm - 10pm ET/CT
 
The GT BMX Race team is proud to be supported by:
 
 Kenda, Shimano, Sun Rims, Fly Racing, OGIO, SDG, SNAPP Products and Champion System.
 
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2912-Mike-Day-Sweeps-first-competition-at-Olympics 2912-Mike-Day-Sweeps-first-competition-at-Olympics 8/20/2008; 2010 GT ULTRA BOX USA CUSTOM EDITION UNVEILED AT THE 2008 OLYMPICS
As BMX Race makes its debut today at the Beijing Olympiad, medal hopefuls Jill Kintner and Mike Day will be showing their patriotism while riding their 2010 Ultra Box Custom Olympic Edition bikes. This prototype aluminum bike is loaded with a custom paint job and decals fitted with stars and stripes, including the signature Team Edition seat.
On the tech side, the bikes were fitted to the athletes’ specificities from the saddle and rims to the handlebars and pedals that only a handful of riders were lucky to score. Details of the bike’s features include:
 
Mike Day’s 2008 Olympic GT Ultra Box Bike
  • 2010 GT Ultra Box Pro XXL prototype aluminum frame
  • Shimano DXR 180mm cranks
  • Shimano PD M647 Olympic Edition pedals
  • Shimano HG 91 chain
  • Custom painted Sun Envy Olympic Edition 20x1.75, 36 hole rims
  • SDG USA Team Edition seat with Carbon I-Beam post
  • Snap BMX Mike Day Olympic Signature Chainring
  • Fly Racing Mike Day Signature handlebar (chrome)

Jill Kintner’s 2008 Olympic GT Ultra Box Bike

  • 2010 GT Ultra Box Pro Frame prototype aluminum frame
  • Shimano DXR 175mm cranks
  • Shimano HG 91 chain
  • Custom painted Sun Envy Olympic Edition 20x1.75, 36 hole rims
  • SDG USA Team Edition seat with Carbon I-Beam post
  • Snap BMX Jill Kintner Olympic Signature Chainring 46
  • Kore Pro BMX handlebar
  • CrankBrothers Mallet pedals

Be sure to watch the televised Olympic BMX Race events on NBC, August 20th and 21st as GT Bicycles cheers on its two medal contenders, Jill Kintner and Mike Day.  For more information or to download custom bike images please visit http://olympics.gtbicycles.com

]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2913-2010-GT-ULTRA-BOX-USA-CUSTOM-EDITION-UNVEILED-AT-THE-2008-OLYMPICS 2913-2010-GT-ULTRA-BOX-USA-CUSTOM-EDITION-UNVEILED-AT-THE-2008-OLYMPICS 8/20/2008; Dave Gets Staples Out
Hey guys,

This week has been pretty chill.  I went Thursday to my doc and got the staples out of my elbow.  He said everything is looking good.  I started phisio on it Tuesday.  I did a video shoot for Famous Stars and Straps Thursday also.  Was pretty fun.  Got to hang out with some hit sheilas.  I am moving to North Carolina next week so got some packing to do.

Dave ]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2911-Dave-Gets-Staples-Out 2911-Dave-Gets-Staples-Out 8/11/2008; Bryn Atkinson at Bromont
Another week in Quebec. It's so funny, we come to these races all around the world in the summer, and it rains 95% of the time.

Slippery muddy conditions can be sketchy. I started the second day of practice out nicely, had a few good runs in the mud, and locked my lines in. After lunch, I headed up for another run. My front wheel slid out and I hit a tree. Thought I had broken some ribs, but I'm ok, just sprained the muscles and cartilage that connect the ribs. Should be back on the bike for Whistler.

I don't know what to say, I suppose.  I'm trying too hard.  I put all of my efforts into this, and it just hasn't clicked for me this season.  It wouldn't be an experience worth having, if it was always easy I guess.

Less than 2 weeks till Jill (Kintner, GT’s BMX Race Olympian) goes to Beijing. It's so exciting.  She's so close.  I will be arriving there the day before her time trial. I can't wait! It's going to be quite the experience!

Thanks for the support guys. It was great to have Steve (Spencer, MTB Team Manager) back at the races. He is for sure appreciated by all!

I did an update on Jill’s site, go check it out.

Bryn

]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2910-Bryn-Atkinson-at-Bromont 2910-Bryn-Atkinson-at-Bromont 8/6/2008; Dave Dillewaard: Rocky Road to Recovery
Hey guys,

So X-Games was on the weekend, and what a bad weekend for me.  I was feeling good practicing all week up until Friday when we had prelims for Superpark.  I did my intro run and went sweet as.  Then I dropped in for my first run of the jam session and hung up on a triple whip over the spine.  It sent me straight to my lift side, and thinking about my wrist, I didn’t put it down first, and I went straight onto my elbow.  I had a pretty decent gash on there, and after seeing a few people about it, I was sent to the hospital for xrays.  I fractured my elbow and ended up having surgery Friday night and stayed in hospital until Sunday.  So I am now on the recovery road again.  It sucks real bad, but these things happen, and all I can do is get better ASAP.

Dave ]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2909-Dave-Dillewaard:-Rocky-Road-to-Recovery 2909-Dave-Dillewaard:-Rocky-Road-to-Recovery 8/5/2008; Wells and Stander in Bromont XC World Cup
Stop seven of the UCI MTB XC World Cup Series staged up in Bromont, Canada. Bromont is small resort town about one hour outside of Montreal. The mountain is small by comparison at only 400 feet tall but has plenty of challenging terrain for skiers in the winter and biking in the summer.
 
The GT Bicycles XC team of USA’s Todd Wells and South Africa’s Burry Stander came to Bromont to add to their already stellar season. After placing well in last weeks World Cup down the road in Mont St Anne the boys were feeing confident. With 2008 being the best season of both riders’ careers they are building momentum heading in the Olympics in Beijing in a few weeks. GT Bicycles are proud of Todd and Burry’s accomplishments and are honored to have them be leading their respective countries into the Olympics.
 
With the unsettled weather occurring all week everyone expected to be riding in the mud on Sunday and that they did. Everyone was welcomed by a steady rain early in the day making the already saturated course boggy and slick. The course was demanding enough without it being totally soaked. The start of the course wound its way backwards up the jump-run section of the existing bike park then at the top of the course dropped into a heavily wooded section that had deep ruts, roots, rock sections and oh, don’t forget the mud. Making it around the course one time around without falling would be a feat in itself but the competitors had to make six loops!
 
While getting ready at the team trailer you would never think that Todd and Burry were getting ready to race against the world fastest cross country athletes. There preparation usually consists of witty banter and poking fun at one another and sometimes sounding like an old married couple. These teammates and travel partners are fierce competitors but they know how to keep the stress levels down by having a little fun.
 
The riders were called up to the start box based on their current World Cup ranking placing Todd and Burry up on the front row. Sitting on the front row of a World Cup start is a huge accomplishment and these guys have earned it. With a great position at the line the starter’s gun sounds for the start sending the large field of riders on their way. Todd jumps to the early lead trying to settle in to a good pace but is closely followed by the field’s fastest riders. The steady rain compounded the difficulty of the course conditions as well as becoming sticky and gumming up the riders drive trains. As Todd comes around for his third lap he has a flat tire and a quick wheel change got him back on course but after losing several positions falling back to 13th place. Burry too started strong but started to show signs of something wrong after the first few laps. The boys kept charging forward taking on the mud and fatigue. Todd started to make a late charge and was sitting in 7th place heading into the last lap. Everyone huddled around the finish area anxiously waiting for the racers to cross the line. When Todd finally made his way around he appeared to be struggling which turned out to be a flat tire… again! Todd toughed it out to the finish on a flat tire and had dropped back to 10th place which is amazing! Burry crossed the line in 24th after experiencing a tricep muscle problem early on the race. Due to the conditions nearly half the field had dropped out so finishing the race was an accomplishment in itself.  Congratulations to Todd and Burry for a hard fought race.
 
Todd and Burry now pack their bags for Beijing China for the Olympics August 22nd – 23rd then it will be off to Canberra Australia for the 8th stop of the UCI World Cup. For more on Todd and Burry and their run at Olympic gold check out the Olympic link at www.gtbicycles.com.  
 
GT Bicycles is proud to be sponsored by:

SRAM, Kenda, Champion System, Sun Ringle, Fly Racing, SDG, Ogio, Kore and e.thirteen
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2907-Wells-and-Stander-in-Bromont-XC-World-Cup 2907-Wells-and-Stander-in-Bromont-XC-World-Cup 8/3/2008; Mike Day on CNN
GT BMX Race athlete Mike Day is interviewed on CNN.  Check it out at:
 
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2008/08/01/ypwr.mike.day.cnn?iref=videosearch
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2906-Mike-Day-on-CNN 2906-Mike-Day-on-CNN 8/1/2008; Burry Stander takes 3rd at Canadian World Cup
The start of my round the world trip...

The first leg in my trip has gone pretty well. After getting into Mont St. Anne Canada on Tuesday evening hassle-free I was able to log in some good miles during the week. It pretty much rained all week and we knew we were in for some tough times during the world cup on Sunday.

The track was really technical and I was struggling to find my rhythm on it, I think it’s because I’ve been off the MTB for the last three weeks. Nonetheless I thought I was going okay. It’s pretty humid in Canada at the moment so to add to the difficult terrain we were also going to sweat...a lot!

The race kicked off at 2pm on Sunday and we had the customary two fast dirt loops. Wells lead us out on the first lap and on the first climb I rode in about 8th position. As we got into the first single track section though I totally lost composure and went over the bars, was up quick and back to the lead group. I had however also bent my rear derailleur hanger on a rock just after I got up and bad gear shifting plagued me throughout the first lap and I moved down to 14th at one stage. I stopped on the second lap and fixed the derailleur as best as I could and started to find a rhythm. Thank goodness for me the legs were working well and I was making good ground on the climbs. I moved into third by the end of lap three and things were starting to go good. On lap six I started tiring in my upper body and again found myself on the floor near the end. From then on I was concentrating like mad to get to the finish line in one piece. Third for me on a day like that was awesome. I now definitely feel confident that my form is on the rise again leading into the Olympics.

This week I head off to Bromont, Canada with the team for the 7th round of the world cup. Maybe with some more technical riding this week I’ll keep it together next Sunday.

Ciao

Burry
 
The GT Bicycles Team is proud to be sponsored by Kenda Tires, SRAM, SDG, Ogio, Champion System, e.thirteen, KORE, Sun Ringle and FLY Racing.
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2902-Burry-Stander-takes-3rd-at-Canadian-World-Cup 2902-Burry-Stander-takes-3rd-at-Canadian-World-Cup 7/27/2008; Bryn at Mont Sainte Anne, Canada
Right now I'm in Mt St Anne, Canada, with GT for the fifth round of the World Cup. It has been a good week here, lots of kid's around and we gave out a bunch of my stickers, so that’s always good.
 
The weather has been a little inconsistent here with heavy rain one minute, sunny skies the next, so sloppy conditions. Todd and Burry are racing as I type this after big storms last night but the sun is out right now and it's hot out there.

It has been a year since I was here in St Anne and the last time I was here I broke my wrist so there were a lot of people asking me if that was on my mind. I would be lying if I told you I didn't think of it at all but I'm not the type to hold onto stuff like that. I like this place anyway, so I pinned it all week.
 
Practice was so much fun. It was really good to be back at the races after a few valuable weeks off. The track was a mud pit, really boggy and sloppy in sections but St Anne is so fast that you could still carry a good pace and have fun getting sideways the whole way down.

Race time. The sun was out but there was still a lot of mud in the trees. I was about a minute in on my qualifier and needed to pull a tear-off (a new lens cover for my goggles) as I took my hand off the bar to grab a tear-off, something hit my front wheel, sending me over the bars. I got up quickly, but my bars were twisted at about a 45 degree angle, I had to ride the remaining four minutes of the track with my bars all skew. It's so hard to ride a fast track with bars like that. I jumped a section in the last 30 seconds of the track and some how landed with my bars straight so my wheel was sideways but my bars were straight...not good. I didn't qualify. I was pretty bummed to say the least. To sit out a race always hurts especially right now. I know I am riding awesome, my downhill bike is dialed and after such a solid off season this year, training wise, I know I put it in.

We are off to Bromont on Tuesday for the next World Cup round. It’s only about a three hour drive from here, still in Quebec. I'm looking forward to riding there. It should be fun.
 
Bryn
 
The GT Bicycles Team is proud to be sponsored by Kenda Tires, SRAM, SDG, e.thirteen, Ogio, Champion System, Sun Ringle, KORE and FLY Racing
]]> http://www.gtbicycles.com/nzl/eng/News/Details/2903-Bryn-at-Mont-Sainte-Anne,-Canada 2903-Bryn-at-Mont-Sainte-Anne,-Canada 7/27/2008;