Rocky Mountain Bicycles has an impressive palmares of race wins, culminating with Marie-Helene Premont’s win of the UCI World Cup in 2008.

For 2009, the team take a different direction, and will be dedicated to non-World Cup events, with the riders attending epic stage races, all-mountain events, festivals and enduros.

On the lineup is Alison Sydor, Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member, three time World Champion, and Olympic Silver Medallist, making her return to Rocky Mountain Bicycles for 2009. She’ll be looking to defend her win of the TransAlp stage race last year, as well as adding CapeEpic and TransGermany to her list of race wins.

Andreas Hestler aka ‘Dre’, a Canadian Olympian and three time winner of the Trans Rockies, also joins the team. A successful 2008 season including a stage win at both the BC Bike Race and the Trans Rockies, 2009 will include attempts at various other races and epic single day events, such as the Downieville Classic and the Fruita Fat Tire Festival.

New to the factory team are Stefan Widmer and Marty Lazarski, formerly of the Rocky Mountain-Different Bikes squad. Both have several Canada Cup podium finishes to their credit and together finished 3rd overall in the 2008 TransRockies stage race. Rounding out the team is Evan Guthrie, the 2008 Canadian Junior XC and cyclo-cross Champion. Still with a year left in the junior category, Evan is poised for another stellar season.

More information at www.bikes.com, surely the very best URL in the industry…