Meet the Specialized-lululemon Women's Team

Team Specialized-lululemon

Specialized-lululemon includes some of the most highly decorated women in the sport: 2008 world time trial champion Amber Neben, 2010 U.S. national champion Evelyn Stevens, Olympic gold medalist speedskater Clara Hughes, and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, who has won nearly 100 races and finished third in the 2012 World Road Championship.

The team was built from the now-dissolved HTC-Highroad team, carrying over the top-ranked team’s leadership and core group of riders. Newcomers such as Hughes, Trixi Worrack, 2010 German national champion Charlotte Becker, and Lisa Brennauer bring additional strength to the roster, which numbers 13 women.

Key staff members from the 2011 HTC-Highroad team, including sports directors Ronny Lauke and Jens Zemke, have signed on with the new program. Former HTC press officer Kristy Scrymgeour is the Specialized-lululemon team owner and manager. Co-sponsor lululemon athletica, is a yoga clothing company.

The team will ride the 2012 Specialized S-Works Amira SL4. Introduced in the past year at the top end of the Specialized product line, it offers a lighter and stiffer frameset than the previous SL3 model. Specialized has given their bikes the same striped graphic look as the team kits. For training, the women ride HED Ardennes SL alloy clincher wheelsets.

The headtube of the Amira has a rounded hourglass-like shape. Specialized claims this shaping gives the frameset a stiffer front end for better handing during out-of-the-saddle efforts. Team rider and U.S. national time trial champion Evelyn Stevens credits the bike for giving her added confidence while descending, a skill she’s made a big effort to improve over the past two seasons.

We will be building up a S-Works Amira for Bike n Bean co-owner Nicola in the next couple of months, so will post some pictures and her review when done.