Linda McCartney Racing Team

Cycling team infobox
teamname = Linda McCartney Racing Team


code = LIN
base = UK
founded = 1998
disbanded = 2001
manager = Julian Clark
teammanager =
techdirector =
discipline = Road
status = Inactive
season =
oldname =
kit
The Linda McCartney Racing Team was a British professional road bicycle racing team.

History

The team was conceived in 1998 with the marketing concept that the Linda McCartney range of vegetarian foods (launched by ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney's late wife, Linda) sponsor a cycle team of vegetarian riders and support staff. As a result, it was hoped that the team's success in races such as the Tour de France would reflect the nutritional and health benefits of vegetarianism and of "Linda McCartney Foods". [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010126/ai_n9661195 The Independent] 26 January 2001]

The team was formed to compete in Britain before expanding to international events. Aligned with this strategy, the team was initially made up of British riders with the more internationally-experienced riders joining later to improve the squad's credentials for entering the UCI World Cup and the European Grand Tours.

It was the first British team to ride the Giro d'Italia but, as the team and its commitments grew, the increase in costs and the lack of adequate sponsorship (including an absence of continuing funding from Linda McCartney Foods itself) brought financial pressures causing it to disband in 2001 with reported debts of over US$1m and a dispute with the UCI over riders' wages. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2001/03/06/mccartney010306.html CBC Sports] 6 March 2001] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/1136391.stm BBC Sports] 25 January 2001]

Notable Riders

*Tom Barras
*Taveb Braikia
*Ben Brooks
*Íñigo Cuesta
*Maurizio de Pasquale
*Matthew DeCanio
*Scott Guyton
*Gregg Imlah
*Brian Kenneally
*Alan Lacoune
*Martin Lonie
*David McKenzie (a stage winner in the 2000 Tour Down Under)
*Ciarán Power
*Huw Pritchard
*Mirko Puglioli
*Pascal Richard
*Mark Scanlon
*Max Sciandri
*Spencer Smith
*Matt Stephens
*John Tanner
*Bjørnar Vestøl
*Julian Winn
*Bradley Wiggins
*Charly Wegelius
*Sean Yates

References