| 12/19/2001 | Clif Bar Inc. today released the top-flight racing roster of its new LUNA CHIX™ all-women's professional mountain bike team, a rarity in the history of the sport. The lineup includes 2001 cross country mountain bike world champion Alison Dunlap, world class downhill specialist Marla Streb, emerging cross country specialist Kelli Emmett and veteran cross country and cyclocross racer Gina Hall. Clif Bar Inc.'s Paul McKenzie will serve as team director.
In addition, Clif Bar Inc. announced a respected list of LUNA CHIX team sponsors and two groups of female mountain bike racers, dubbed LUNA Ambassadors, who will carry out the LUNA CHIX mission of raising funding, awareness and support for women's issues, including breast cancer and The Breast Cancer Fund.
Title sponsor of the team is LUNA™, The Whole Nutrition Bar For Women™, made by Clif Bar Inc. Other sponsors include Santa Cruz Bicycles, Inc. (bike frames), Ritchey Design Inc. (components), FOX Racing Shox (suspension), Shimano American Corp. (components), Giro Sport Design (helmets), Castelli USA (race clothing), Sidi (shoes), Kelty (outer and casual wear) and Selle Italia (saddles).
The LUNA Ambassadors include The Tuesday Night Ladies Club, a respected regional group of women mountain bike athletes in Colorado, and a group of California women mountain bike riders comprised of employees at Clif Bar Inc. Both groups will host fundraisers, rides and clinics.
The LUNA CHIX racing team will compete in the World Cup international and NORBA national race circuits in 2002, as well as other selected events. But it's the team's unique makeup that motivates the riders as much as the races.
"I'm thrilled to be riding for an all-women's team," said Dunlap, a two-time Olympian. "It's a good thing for the sport. It will be a mountain bike team, but it will be a lot more than that"
"It's exciting to be on an all-women's team," added Streb, who was ranked third overall in the NORBA 2001 series. "Cycling is a great sport for women—it's not violent and it's liberating. I want our team to inspire little girls and women to get into the sport."
Clif Bar Inc.'s owner and CEO Gary Erickson conceived the idea of an all-women's LUNA mountain bike team, which he said represents a milestone for his company. "It's incredible to see this dream come true," he said. "We're so happy to be able to support and give back to the bike industry, which has supported us for so long. What's more, these women are not only inspiring athletes, but genuinely wonderful people to know."
Rob Roskopp, co-CEO of Santa Cruz Bicycles, Inc., said his firm is pleased to be associated with the entire LUNA CHIX program. "Gary Erickson and his crew have assembled a top-caliber women's mountain bike team in LUNA CHIX," said Roskopp. "The LUNA CHIX team and the Ambassador program are unique—like nothing the bike industry has ever seen."www.cliffbar.com
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