Colavita|Bianchi Bolsters Roster With Aussie Crit Champ Wells

Colavita|Bianchi p/b Vittoria is excited to announce the signing of Kimberley Wells to the team for the 2016 season.  Wells is the 2013 and 2015 Australian National Criterium champion, as well as a proven road racer in the European peloton. Many consider Wells to be one of the top sprinters in the world. Mary Zider, team Director Sportif, had this to say about Wells signing with Colavita|Bianchi:  “I am thrilled to have Kimberley joining the team.  I had the opportunity to race with her a few times back in 2013 with Colavita|EspnW (Wells’ was a guest rider on the team) and from that moment I knew she was the full-package and a proven leader.  Anyone who has competed against Wells knows she’s one of the fastest females in the world.  I’m just glad we’re supporting her and not chasing her.”   

Kimberley dominated the US crit scene back in 2013, but in recent years has focused on racing at home in Australia and in Europe.  Wells’ return to the US peloton will have an immediate impact, as Colativa|Bianchi will be looking to her for leadership as well as riding for her in a majority of the races.  “I am so excited to be racing for Colavita|Bianchi back in the US.  I love the USA road racing scene and can’t wait to be a part of the Colavita|Bianchi family”, said Wells. With a changing women’s calendar, the team will focus on the UCI domestic races, the National Racing Calendar (NRC), as well as select races on the National Criterium Calendar (NCC).

Colavita|Bianchi has signed some other top talented riders this off-season: Lauretta Hanson, another fantastic Australian sprinter who made her mark in the US crit scene this past season; Gretchen Stumhofer, arguably the top young gun in the peloton this past season; Emma Grant, a breakaway specialist from Great Britain with an enormous engine.  Grant, as a guest rider for Colavita|Bianchi, rode straight away from the field at the Boston Mayor’s Cup to snag a very impressive victory from the stacked NCC field.  According to Zider, the additions of Wells, Hanson, Stumhofer and Grant are a total game changer for Colavita|Bianchi.  Zider added: “These four riders have the ability to win any race on the calendar.  No doubt the 2016 season will prove to be exciting every time the team toes the line.”