The Colavita/espnW Women’s Pro Cycling Team will line up for its first race of the season at the 2012 SRAM Tour of the Gila in Silver City, NM.  The squad will compete in the new colors representing Colavita’s partnership with espnW, under the leadership of six-time US National Criterium Champion Tina Pic and former Olympian Iona Wynter Parks.
 
“The riders have all been showing great form at international events with their National Teams and the early California races,” said Wynter Parks. “Tina Pic and I expect strong results at the SRAM Tour of the Gila where these talented athletes will work together as a squad for the first time this season.”
 
The Colavita/espnW roster for the SRAM Tour of the Gila includes Joanie Caron, on the podium in the opening stage of the Redlands Bicycle Classic and Leah Guloien, who finished in the top 10; Kathryn Bertine, three-time national champion of St. Kitts and Nevis; and strong all-arounders Moriah Jo "MoJo" MacGregor, Jamie Dinkins Bookwalter, and Mary Zider.  Olympic track hopeful Jasmin Glaesser of Canada will join the Colavita/espnW squad for the Tour of the Gila.
 
After the SRAM Tour of the Gila, the Colavita/espnW team will race the Gatineau Grand Prix in Canada and the inaugural Exergy Tour in Idaho.  For results and information, visit www.TeamColavita.com and follow the team at www.Facebook.com/TeamColavita.
 
About the Colavita/espnW Women’s Pro Cycling Team
Colavita, marketers of the #1 brand of Italian extra virgin olive oil, is nearing its 10th anniversary in the pro peloton.  Since 2003, women’s teams powered by Colavita olive oil and pasta have consistently ranked in the top 10 in the NRC, with #1 rankings in 2010 and 2011.
 
To mark this important milestone, Colavita has recruited a team of inspiring athletes and partnered with espnW to raise the profile of women’s cycling. Former Colavita pros Tina Pic, the six-time US National Criterium Champion, and Olympian Iona Wynter Parks are leading this new generation of pro riders.
 
At the same time, Colavita continues to cultivate talent at the grassroots level.  Team Colavita is the largest recreational cycling organization in the US, with 14 regional teams representing over 600 amateur women, men, and youth cyclists in more than 20 states from coast to coast.  Follow Team Colavita at www.Facebook.com/TeamColavita; results, news, and information are available at www.TeamColavita.com.
 
About Colavita USA
Family-owned Colavita USA LLC, headquartered in Edison, NJ, has been importing and distributing Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil for over 30 years. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil is recognized as the #1 Italian brand in the US and has earned awards from renowned cooking publications such as Fine Cooking and Cook’s Illustrated and general-interest magazines like Men’s Health.
 
Colavita authentic Italian specialty products, including durum wheat semolina pasta, a full selection of balsamic and wine vinegars, traditional and organic pasta sauces, and olive-canola blended oils are the ingredients of choice for chefs in home, restaurant, and professional kitchens.
 
In addition, Colavita USA markets other fine food products under the Dal Raccolto label and through partnership agreements with leading retailers, chefs, and cookbook author and TV host Rachael Ray to thousands of grocery and specialty stores and direct to many restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Colavita is also the sole importer and distributor of Perugina food and confectionery products, including the iconic Baci line, in the US.
 
Recognizing the company’s contribution to developing the North American market for genuine Italian extra virgin olive oil, Colavita Founder and Chairman Emeritus John J. Profaci was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s Hall of Fame in 2009. Colavita also supports The Colavita Center for Italian Food and Wine at the Culinary Institute of America’s Hyde Park Campus, committed to improving the quality and authenticity of Italian food in the US. For more information about Colavita USA, please visit www.Colavita.com.

Photo: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us