The star-studded German and Russian national cycling teams bound for the Olympics are to use the Nortas Tour of Tasmania starting next week as their last major test before Sydney.
The reigning world champion pursuit German team includes Robert Barko, who is also the reigning individual world pursuit champion.
The Russians include three silver medallists from Atlanta and also bronze medallists from the last world championships in Berlin.
The Nortas Tour of Tasmania has been able to lure these Olympic qualified teams to use the five-day race as a prelude to the Sydney Games, said race director John Trevorrow.
The Germans and Russians are undoubtedly the best teams ever to race in the State. Many individual champions have raced in Tasmania over the years, but the team strength of both nations will give Australian riders as well as the New Zealand national squad the toughest competition possible.” Trevorrow said the Nortas sponsorship of the Tour of Tasmania had helped lift the event to a new level of international recognition, allowing Tasmania to get such class riders.
Nortas, which has been listed in the Price Waterhouse Business Review Weekly” 100 fastest growing private companies for four years in a row, is now one of the largest producers of salmon and trout in Australia. The company employs more than 150 Tasmanians, and has a turnover of almost $30 million, is the major sponsor of the event for the first time. The company owned by Hobart businessman Richard Doedens is using the Nortas Tour of Tasmania to assist in gaining national and international branding recognition for its products. The German, Russian and New Zealand competitors in the event will give international focus to the race, especially now that it is a lead-up event for the international Olympic cyclists.
The Nortas Tour of Tasmania is the final of the three-event Skilled International Series, which started in Victoria earlier this year with the Skilled Bay Cycling Classic and the Skilled Melbourne-Sorrento Cup.
Full coverage of racing commences on Wednesday the 30th August when updated daily reports/photos/results from Tasmania will be available onsite
