Wheeler and BiXS present 2011 team squad

The new signings of the Intercycle brand teams Wheeler and BiXS point to the different objectives. While Wheeler, with Esther Süss, Marcel Bartholet and the two newcomers Jane Nüssli and Jolanda Neff, will continue to focus on cross-country and long-distance races, BiXS is focusing on marathons. In addition to Lukas Buchli, Thomas Stoll, Silvio Büsser, Stefan Roffler, Urs Baumann and Norbert Wyss, Philipp Gerber is a new signing.

It is striking that intercycle has kept all its top performers such as marathon world champion Esther Süss, iXS-classic series winner Erika Dicht and EKZ Cup overall winner Marcel Bartholet in the WHEELER team. WHEELER riders formed the most successful Swiss group in 2010 - whether on the Olympic or marathon distance. This points to an increase in the budget, especially as the team is receiving a notable addition in the form of junior cross-country World Cup winner and Swiss champion Jolanda Neff, with the aim of WHEELER riders making an even greater impact in cross-country in 2011. After her outstanding results in the past year, winning all the marathon and cross-country Swiss championship titles and being the best-ranked Swiss woman in the cross-country World Cup, Süss has a real chance of taking part in the 2012 Olympics in London.

The BiXS team, on the other hand, is fully focused on the long-distance races. In addition to its top performers and iXS-classic winners Lukas Buchli and Thomas Stoll, another well-known long-distance rider, Philipp Gerber, has joined the team, who is aiming for top classifications alongside Norbert Wyss, Silvio Büsser and Stefan Roffler.

The hierarchy is also changing in the intercycle team: bike pro Lukas Buchli is replacing senior Urs Baumann as team boss. Buchli wants to take the young riders of both teams under his wing and pass on his vast racing and life experience to them. According to the expiring three-year plan, however, the connection between Buchli and Stoll will become looser. Buchli has announced that he will no longer compete in stage races, which are ridden in teams of two. In 2009, the Buchli/Stoll duo won the prestigious Bike-Transalp. This year, an accident in the hunt to defend their title forced Buchli to give up, which led to this decision.

Susanne Litscher, a well-known middle-distance long-distance rider who has achieved four victories and 13 other podium places within the iXS-classic since 2005, has left the WHEELER team. However, Litscher will continue to be supported by Wheeler as a Gigathlon individual athlete.

WHEELER - iXS Pro Team 2011: Esther Süss, Erika Dicht
WHEELER - iXS Swiss Team: Marcel Bartholet, Jörg Egli, Hansueli Stauffer, Sämi Jud, Jane Nüssli, Jolanda Neff

BiXS - iXS Pro Team: Lukas Buchli, Thomas Stoll
BiXS - iXS Swiss Team: Silvio Büsser, Stefan Roffler, Norbert Wyss, Urs Baumann, Philipp Gerber

Source: Press release, www.intercycle.com