Barloworld (cycling team)

Infobox Cycling team
teamname=Barloworld


code=BAR
base= UK
founded=2003
disbanded=
manager=Claudio Corti
discipline=Road
status=Professional Continental
season=
oldname=
kit

Barloworld ("UCI Team Code": BAR) are a UCI Professional Continental cycling team.
Although the cycling team's parent company is South African and the team have maintained a strong South African identity [cite web|url=http://www.teambarloworld.com/news_view.php?l1=2&l2=2&id=16&l=1|title=Team Barloworld, a long-term project to put South Africa among the world's elite] , the registration of the team has moved, firstly to Italy and then, from 2007, to Great Britain. The UCI therefore considers them to be a British team.

They participate in UCI Continental Circuits races and, when selected, to UCI ProTour events. They are managed by Claudio Corti, with Valerio Tebaldi, Christian Andersen and Alberto Volpi as directeurs sportifs. Barloworld's prominent riders are South African Robert Hunter and Colombian Mauricio Soler.

The team's sponsor is Barloworld, an industrial brand-management company. The team ride Bianchi frames with Shimano components [ [http://www.teambarloworld.com/level1.php?l1=1&l2=5&l=1 www.teambarloworld.com] ] .

Tour de France 2007

Barloworld competed in the 2007 Tour de France after obtaining a wild card entry. This made Team Barloworld the first British-registered team to compete in the Tour de France since ANC-Halfords Cycling Team in 1987. The team took two stage wins and the King of the Mountains competition, and had eight of its nine riders complete the course. Shortly after the 2007 Tour de France, team rider Ryan Cox, not a member of the Tour de France squad, died when an artery burst in his leg following surgery.

Tour de France 2008

The team again received a wildcard entry for the 2008 Tour de France, but the team plans were in disarray when the leader, Mauricio Soler incurred an injury on Stage 1, and he withdrew at the beginning of stage 5. Three other team members left the race with injuries, and only four completed the race, with no top three placings on any stage. Team member Moisés Dueñas had a positive test for EPO following stage four of the race, and was withdrawn before stage 11. As a result of this,Barloworld Ltd announced their withdrawal from sponsorship of Team Barloworldcite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Sponsor quits Tour after doping | date=19 July 2008 | publisher= | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7515524.stm | work =BBC News | pages = | accessdate = 2008-07-19 | language = ] . To mitigate the likelihood of the team suffering from financial collapse, Barloworld continue to support the team during the search for a new sponsor though their name will not appear on the team's jerseyscite news | first= last= | coauthors= | title=EuroTrash Monday! | date=2008-07-21 | publisher= | url=http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6109 | work=PezCycling News | accessdate=2008-08-01 | language=English ] . As of 31 July, the company's website still carries news of the team,and the team are still using the name Barloworld.

Major results

;2007
* 1st, King of the Mountains, Tour de France, (Mauricio Soler)
* 1st, Stage 9, Tour de France, (Mauricio Soler)
* 1st, Stage 11, Tour de France, (Robert Hunter)
* 1st, Volta ao Distrito de Santarém, (Robert Hunter)
* 1st, Team Standings, 2006-2007 UCI Africa Tour

Team roster

As of January 2, 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2008/teams2008/BAR.shtml |title=Barloworld |accessdate=2008-01-02 |work=cyclingnews.com]

ee also

*List of teams and cyclists in the 2008 Tour de France
*2008 Tour de France
*Tour de France

References

External links

* [http://www.teambarloworld.com Official Site]