TX Active-Bianchi’s Stephane Tempier clinched a high-up solo win at his seasonal debut in Penafiel (Portugal) on Sunday, February 19th. On Bianchi Methanol SL2 bike’s saddle, French rider won the Internacional de Rans (Class 2-XCO race) after seven laps on a 4,6-km course, 2 minutes and 25 seconds ahead of Portugal’s national champion David Rosa.

“I felt good and I attacked during the first lap. I got ahead on my opponents on the first climb, then I went on keeping my pace and I kept at bay Rosa and other chasers” Tempier commented after the race.

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Androni Giocattoli's Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez placed second at Trofeo Laigueglia in Liguria region, North-East Italy, on Saturday, February 18th. Colombian rider on Bianchi Oltre bike won the bunch sprint, ahead of Italian Matteo Montaguti. The race-winner was neo-pro Moreno Moser, nephew of Francesco Moser.

Rubiano’s team-mate Giairo Ermeti – Italian champion on track with Bianchi PICO Crono Carbon bike (D2 family) in the Omnium Open Race last September - was in the forefront for the most part of the race, taking part to a five-rider escape.

Rubian Chavez had already been in the spotlights at recent Tour de San Luis in Argentina (January 23rd to 29th) being race’s king of mountains. Thanks to his good results too (with José Serpa's taking sixth overall), Team Androni Giocattoli clinched a prestigious victory in Tour de San Luis’ Team Classification.

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TX Active-Bianchi's Stephane Tempier will open his MTB season in Penafiel (Portugal) on Sunday, February 19th. Eleven day before the team's official presentation, scheduled on March 1st in Bergamo, French rider will take part at Internacional de Rans, Class 2-XCO race.

Team TX Active-Bianchi is equipped by Bianchi with Methanol SL2 e Methanol 29SL models.

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I.lab Italcementi – Scientific and technological park in Bergamo will host the TX Active-Bianchi 2012 team's official vernissage, on Thursday, March 1st at 11 am. In the unusual and attractive location linked to the main sponsor, TX Active by Italcementi, team’s president Felice Gimondi will present riders, staff and goals of an Olympic year Bianchi has great ambitions for.
 
As in last season, the team sponsored by Bianchi will again have an Elite-Under23 team and a Junior team, respectively managed by former professional rider Massimo Ghirotto and Andrea Ferrero. The Elite-Under23 team will consist of four strong bikers: French Stephane Tempier, Italian Tony Longo and Colombian Leonardo Paez, among élites, and U23 Gerhard Kerschbaumer, Italian and European champion and World Cup XCO winner in 2011.
 
Junior team’s roster is made up by six young riders: Federico Barri, Cristian Boffelli, Giorgio Rossi, Chiara Teocchi, Oscar Vairetti and new entry Katia Moro.
 
Bianchi will supply the Elite-Under23 team with Methanol SL 2 and Methanol 29 SL, top of MTB range. The Junior team will ride Methanol SX model.

TX Active-Bianchi team will make its seasonal debut in Orvieto (Central Italy), on Sunday, March 4th. The Team’s international race calendar will be unveiled during the press conference.

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F.I.V. Edoardo Bianchi Spa made an important investment in the Australian market on Wednesday February 15th, with the acquisition of a significant minority stake in Sport Outdoor Leisure Australia Pty Ltd (SOLA).

With the market share in the Pacific area growing, Bianchi sealed a strategic deal with its current Australian distributor SOLA to strengthen Bianchi's presence in Australia and New Zealand. The combination of Bianchi's Italian design and technology with Sola's experience and existing infrastructures will strengthen Bianchi's market share and relationship with the final consumer.

Salvatore Grimaldi, the Founder and CEO of the Grimaldi Industri AB (“Grimaldi Group”) and Chairman of Bianchi, is currently visiting Sydney to sign the agreement. He commented that his group has for some time been looking for a partner in the Asia Pacific region. He is confident that SOLA is the right fit and, with the combined experience and existing infrastructure, the business has an excellent future and will strengthen its commitment to its customers and principals.

Robert Gavshon, Chairman of SOLA, said: “SOLA is excited to be associated with Bianchi, a world-leader in its segment and a brand enjoying a large and rich Italian heritage. The company’s balance sheet will also be strengthened, which will enable SOLA to grow organically and seize new opportunities”.

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"Bianchi University" is the two-day educational event focused on commercial strategies, technologies and products, held at the Bianchi's head-quarter in Bergamo (Italy) on February 15th-16th and dedicated to Bianchi international sales units (including Denmark, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Belgium and Germany).
 
"Teach the teachers" is the meeting’s mission as Bianchi's goal is to strengthen the expertise and knowledge of its sales network by giving strategic directions.
 
The program of the meeting included:
• Bianchi technology and products presentation (with a focus on carbon frames)
• 2013 Road and MTB range preview
• graphics and colors introduction
• marketing strategies and tools
• professional road racing teams and events connected with races
• factory tour (Bianchi R&D department, production, Lab and test area, museum)

All the guests have been awarded a certificate of participation.

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Team Colombia Coldeportes, equipped with Bianchi Sempre bikes, was in the spotlight at the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria's stage 1, in Southern Italy.

After the European debut race in Donoratico (Tuscany), Claudio Corti's riders were among the protagonists even on Saturday, February 11th. Team’s veteran and road captain Victor Hugo Pena was a big protagonist at the early stage of the race, getting into one of the first breakaway attempts and gaining over two minutes on the pack along with Ratti (Team Idea) and Bazzana (Team Type 1). The peloton, guided by Liquigas for most of the day, managed to reel the trio after the first intermediate sprint, before giving way to another 5-man attempt.

With 50 km to go, with the frontrunners still holding a two-minute lead, Robinson Chalapud tried his way with Elia Favilli (Farnese) to get back on the leading group. After several kilometres outside the bunch, the very high pace denied Robinson and his breakaway companion before reaching the leaders – but “Chala” showed condition and determination in his difficult attempt.

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TX Active-Bianchi’s élite Tony Longo and U23 Gerhard Kerschbaumer were capped by XCO Italian team’s coach Hubert Pallhuber for the training camp in Tenerife (Spain), from February 6th to 27th. On the Spanish island, Longo and Kerschbaumer will prepare the London Olympics’ season alongside further eight “azzurri” riders.

Team TX Active-Bianchi will debut at Gp d’Inverno MTB – Città di Orvieto, on March 4th. The first international appointment for Kerschbaumer and Longo will be the XCO World Cup’s stage 1 in Pietermaritzburg (South Africa), on March 17th. The riders directed by Massimo Ghirotto will race on Bianchi Methanol SL2 and Bianchi Methanol 29SL bikes.

“In Tenerife Longo and Kerschbaumer have the opportunity to work with better weather conditions than in Italy and to prepare at best in view of both our team’s seasonal debut in Orvieto and World Cup’s round one” TX Active-Bianchi’s team manager Massimo Ghirotto stated.

Kerschaummer and Longo was already selected for the XCO Italian team’s winter training camp in Trapani (Sicily), on January 10th-27th

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Vacansoleil-DCM's Marco Marcato clinched the first victory of 2012 season on Saturday, February 4th. On saddle of Bianchi Oltre bike, Italian rider won the Etoile de Bessèges' stage 4, 150 km from St Genies de Comolas a Bagnols Sur Ceze (France) reduced to a shortened stage of 66 km because of sub-zero temperatures and high winds. Marcato preceded on the finish line after a commanding sprint Belgian Nico Eeckout (An Post-Sean Kelly) and French Julien El Farès (Team Type 1-Sanofi).

Marcato and Oltre clinched the first seasonal podium on Sunday, January 29th: Italian rider was second at Gp Ouverture La Marsellaise, in Marseille (France).

(Photo L'Equipe)

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Team TX Active-Bianchi is proud to present the new official uniform for 2012 MTB season. One month ahead of the start of a year which looks really intense, Felice Gimondi’s team unveiled graphics and colors of its new technical wear. Conceived by Bianchi designers, 2012 line makes a strong impact, aggressive and elegant, characterized by the mix of black, Bianchi’s celeste shades on both sides of the outfit and the “white and orange” of the main sponsor's writing and logo in upper part.

During the Olympic year, team TX Active-Bianchi will count on four riders: élites Tony Longo and Stephane Tempier, U23 European champion and World Cup XCO’s winner Gerhard Kerschbaumer (confirmed) and Leonardo Paez, coming back to Italy after one year in Colombia.
 
The riders directed by Massimo Ghirotto will race on Bianchi Methanol SL2 and Bianchi Methanol 29SL (Carbon frame with 3 different type of fibers Toray; Triple Wall Tube - Tecnlology; Ti-NET Protection; 29" reactive XC geometry) bikes.
 
Youngsters are warming up too. Junior Team’s manager, Andrea Ferrero, will direct a six-rider roster: Juniors Federico Barri and Cristian Boffelli, Cadets Giorgio Rossi, Oscar  Vairetti and Chiara Teocchi, new CX Italian champion, and rookie Katia Moro. Junior Team is equipe with Bianchi Methanol SX 2 bikes.
 
Team TX Active-Bianchi’s official vernissage is scheduled on March 1st. Three days later TX Active-Bianchi will debut at Gp d’Inverno MTB in Orvieto (Central Italy). The vernissage’s location will be unveiled next week.

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Team Androni Giocattoli, equipped with Bianchi Oltre Bikes, won the Team classification and the Mountains classification at Tour de San Luis, 7-stage race run in Argentina on January 23rd to 29th. Colombian Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez was the king of the climbers, while his team-mate Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez placed sixth overall.

Androni Giocattoli took the lead of Team classification after stage-5, 160 km from La Toma to Merlo (Mirador del Sol) and keep it through the two further stages, winning with a 52-second advantage on Team Movistar.

Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez achieved the king of mountain's jersey in the stage 3, when he was second at Mountain 2 in Nogoli and third on the finish line in Mirador del Potrero, both Cat. 1, on saddle of Bianchi Oltre. Colombian climber took back the aimed jersey from Spaniard Alberto Contador after stage 6, 201 km from Lujan to Quines, leading the race at Mountain 1 in El Embalse and Mountain 2 in El Amago and going up to 30 points.

Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez was sixth overall and placed eighth in the stage 3 and fourth in the stage 5. Rubiano gathered two Top 10 position instead.

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Team Vacansoleil-DCM and Bianchi Oltre bikes were in the showcase at 5th Velofollies, the exhibition of bicyle hosted by the Kortrijk Xpo in Flanders, Belgium, and visited by 30.000 visitors even in 2012 edition, three days from January 20th to 22nd.

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Team Vacansoleil-DCM, equipped with Bianchi Oltre bikes, took the first seasonal podium in France. Marco Marcato placed second at Gp Ouverture La Marsellaise on Sunday, January 29th. Italian rider sprinted for victory, crossing the finish line behind French Samuel Dumoulin.

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Bianchi Oltre and Androni Giocattoli took the first podium in 2012 at Tour de San Luis in Argentina. Colombian Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez clinched third position in stage 3, 168,2 km from Estancia Grande to Mirador del Potrero, on Wednesday January 25th. Rubiano crossed the finish-line only 5 seconds behind stage-winner, Spaniard Alberto Contador, while runner-up was American Levi Leipheimer.

Rubiano's team-mate and countryman Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez was eighth on the line with a 26-second gap and went up to sixth Overall.

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Along with some Vacansoleil-DCM's athletes and staff members, a Bianchi delegation is involved in accurate wind tunnel tests in Magny Cours (France), to optimize the riders' time-trial position on Bianchi Pico Crono Carbon bikes, on January 25th-26th.

The riders involved in wind tunnel tests are Lieuve Westra, Wout Poels, Thomas de Gendt and Swedish Gustav Larsson, silver medal in ITT Olympic race in Beijing.

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The website of Team Colombia Coldeportes, led by Claudio Corti and equipped by Bianchi with Sempre model, is now online. In the "Media" area you can see the first images of the riders training on new Bianchi Sempre bikes.

Team Colombia Coldeportes will be in Trentino, Northern Italy, to carry out a training camp from January 27th to February 3rd, 2012. The seasonal debut is scheduled on February 4th in Donoratico (Italy), at GP Costa degli Etruschi.

More info: www.colombiacoldeportes.com

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Androni Giocattoli, equipped with Bianchi Oltre, opened the 2012 season in Argentina at the Tour de San Luis, one of the most important races in the American calendar, scheduled from January 23 to 29.

Gianni Savio’s team returned on the Argentinian roads, after last year’s successful debut on Oltre bike: in 2011 Androni Giocattoli took three stage wins (two with Roberto Ferrari and one with Josè Serpa) and a second place overall (with Josè Serpa).

Team Androni Giocattoli, recently awarded Wild Card status from RCS Sport to compete at Giro d’Italia, is now focused on the Argentinian race to seek new victories with a strong team both in the sprint and in the mountains.

In Argentina, Androni team line-up is composed by Josè Serpa, Miguel Angel Rubiano, Jackson Rodriguez, Emanuele Sella, Roberto Ferrari and Giairo Ermeti. The team’s debut on Italian roads will come off on February 4th in Donoratico, where the GP Costa degli Etruschi will take place.
 
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Team Vacansoleil-DCM and Bianchi Oltre bikes were already in the spotlight at Tour Down Under, the first race of World Tour calendar, scheduled on January 15th-22nd in Australia. Marcello Pavarin was among the four riders attacking after 15 kilometers. On saddle of his Oltre bike, Italian rider took the first king of mountain jersey.

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Twenty Bianchi dealers are special guests of the "Educational and Training camp", organized by the Italian company in Australia from January 15th to 22nd, in cooperation with Team Vacansoleil-DCM and Sola Sport, Bianchi distributor. The event was contemporary to the Tour Down Under, the first 2012 World Tour race for the Vacansoleil-DCM's riders and their Oltre bikes.

On January 16th, Australian dealers spent a whole day with the Dutch team's riders in Adelaide, having the opportunity to have a 70 km ride with the athletes and Bianchi staff, and to learn more about Bianchi Oltre’s technical and technological features after sharing lunch together. Bianchi’s guests even had the opportunity to take some pictures with Vacansoleil-DCM’ athletes and were given the team's jerseys and a participation certificate.

Until the end of the Tour Down Under, 5 dealers per day will be guests in the start area, while one of them will sit aboard a team car on Friday January 20th – a chance another one of his colleagues enjoyed on Tuesday 17th.

The Bianchi Oltre bike – showing in the Team Vacansoleil-DCM model the traditional “celeste” color mixed with the blue&white of the Dutch team's outfit – is a bike thought up for race in extreme conditions and represents of the best racing machines ever made in Treviglio. X-Tex carbon technology and Bianchi optimized aerodynamic shape give it an incredibly efficient power transmission and stiffness to weight ratio.

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Bianchi opened the starting phase of 2012 season with a series of marketing events, in cooperation with the Vacansoleil-DCM - the World Tour team equipped with Bianchi Oltre bikes – to promote his top-range model bike with dealers and final customers.

After successful  Montecatini's meeting before Christmas, Bianchi planned a tour of “Educational and training camp”, giving its guests the opportunity to ride alongside athletes of Dutch team, dressing Bianchi's sportswear provided by Italian company and eventually receiving a certificate of participation. During the camp, guests had even the opportunity to deepen Bianchi's technologies in carbon processing and acknowkledge of the Celeste company's full range.

The first appointment was scheduled in Benidorm (Spain), on January 13th-15th, during the Team Vacansoleil-DCM's training camp, attended by 11 special guests from six countries (Norway, Belgium, France, UK, Holland and Spain), who recently bought a Oltre model bike (included the brand-new Oltre black edition with Campagnolo Super Record EPS 11-speed). During the Dutch team'camp, guests met the Vacansoleil-DCM's riders and went out with them on saddle of their Oltre bikes.

The Bianchi Oltre bike – showing in the Team Vacansoleil-DCM model the traditional “celeste” color mixed with the blue&white of the Dutch team's outfit – is a bike thought up for race in extreme conditions and represents of the best racing machines ever made in Treviglio. X-Tex carbon technology and Bianchi optimized aerodynamic shape give it an incredibly efficient power transmission and stiffness to weight ratio.

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