The Colavita/espnW Pro Cycling Team has signed Canadian Olympic hopeful Jasmin Glaesser for the 2012 season.  Directors Tina Pic and Iona Wynter Parks made the announcement.
 
Glaesser made headlines in April when she captured two medals in her debut at the Track Cycling World Championships.  Racing with the Canadian National Team, Glaesser shared the bronze medal in the women’s Team Pursuit and took home the individual silver medal in the women’s Points race.  She is currently on the final Olympic long team for the Team Pursuit event.
 
Riding with the Colavita/espnW squad at the Tour of the Gila, Glaesser again captured the attention of the worldwide peloton as the leader of the under-26 competition for two of the five stages.  Glaesser raced to top 10 finishes in the stage two road race and time trial and finished in the top 20 overall.  
 
“We’re honored that Jasmin has chosen to make her road debut with the Colavita/espnW Pro Cycling Team,” said Wynter Parks.  “Jasmin is racing in fine form and we are highly optimistic that she will be named to the Canadian Olympic team.”
 
For her first race in Colavita/espnW colors, Glaesser will return to Canada to compete in the Gatineau Grand Prix.  The event, which runs from May 18-21, is expected to attract the top women’s cyclists in the world as it is one of the last opportunities to earn points to qualify for the Olympic Games in London.
 
“Jasmin will be a powerful addition to Colavita/espnW’s roster for Gatineau,” said Pic.  “She will be racing in the road race and the time trial.”
 
In addition to Glaesser, Colavita/espnW will be represented at the Gatineau Grand Prix by Joanie Caron, Leah Guloien, Moriah MacGregor, Jamie Bookwalter, and guest rider Kathryn Donovan.   
 
For more information, visit www.TeamColavita.com and follow the team on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TeamColavita.
 
About the Colavita/espnW Pro Cycling Team (USA)
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.
 
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.