2008 team
Welcome to the official home of Rite Aid Pro Cycling!
We hope you’ll visit us often throughout the course of the season to follow your favorite rider, check for the latest race updates, view action photos, follow our upcoming schedule and maybe even visit the official team store. We also encourage you to sign up for our mailing list so you will have an inside track on team activities and results.
Currently entering our 4th season as a pro squad - the 3rd with Rite Aid as Title Sponsor - our plan to be the premier developmental pro squad in the USA is right on track. From our innaugural year, when as the number one elite amateur program in the country we launched Snow Valley Pro Cycling Team, we aimed to build a team that would provide opportunity for the best young elite riders to transition into the pro ranks. We have seen some great young riders pass through our program: Kyle Wamsley, winner of the Tour of Somerville and Chris Thater, who has moved on to ride with both Navigators Insurance and Colavita Sutter Home; Russ Langley, winner of the TT at Tour of Virginia; Zach Bell, Canadian Champion and Olympic hopeful; and most recently, Alejandro Borrajo, winner of 7 races in 2007, with 14 podiums, as well as a 7th place finish at the Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic, a 2nd place at the Reading Classic and a 4th at the Philadelphia International Championship. In 2007, Rite Aid Pro Cycling garnered 17 wins, 38 podium placings and was the #1 placed domestic team at the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling! We had the 4th-ranked UCI America Tour rider in Alejandro, were the 8th-ranked UCI America Tour Team overall, and the 2nd-ranked US team (second only to Navigator’s Insurance, a Division 2 pro team).
The 2008 season promises to be every bit as exciting. We welcome a new presenting sponsor, Shebell & Shebell LLC, a law firm headquartered in Ocean, New Jersey, which specializes in the legal representation of the interests of individuals who have suffered injuries while cycling through no fault of their own. We also welcome new equipment sponsor Token USA, manufacturers of high performance cycling components employing the latest in carbon composites, titanium, ceramic and alloy materials. In addition, we’ve formed a partnership with the PA Lightning, an elite U-25 amateur team featuring two former junior national champions with extensive international experience, Taylor Brown and Michael Chauner; Chris Kuhl, a three time intercollegiate national champion; Chris Ruhl, a four time national champion; Kyle Wagner, a former national team member with international experience; and Jeff Salvitti, a newcomer from West Chester.
And our 2008 roster is one of the strongest we’ve ever fielded, with some young names that we’re sure you’ll be hearing a lot from during the course of the season. Returning riders Jake Rytlewski, winner of the 2007 Fitchburg Longsjo Classic; Stephan Kincaid, with 4 wins and 7 podiums in 2007; Clayton Barrows, winner of 5 races including all three stages of the Tour of Ephrata in 2007; and Bill Elliston, with over 35 career victories. New riders include Bobby Lea, a World Track Team member, 8 time US National Track Champion, 5 time Junior National Track Champion and current US National Madison Champion, with 6 wins and 11 podiums in 2007 for Toyota United; Richard Geng, a multiple Berlin Champion on the road and track, and winner of the Sprinter’s Jersey at the Sachsen Tour 2.1; Robbie King, a former US Collegiate National Champion with 4 podium placings for Priority Health in 2007 despite being injured for most of the season; Al Arnal, who placed 2nd at the National Time Trial Championship, and garnered 5 TT wins in 2007 in only his 4th season of racing; and Jonathan Erdelyi, a scary fast seasoned pro and one of the best tacticians in the pro ranks.
So stay tuned... 2008 will be a season full of excitement for fans of Pennsylvania’s only professional cycling team!