Ina Yoko Teutenberg extends with HTC-Highroad
Ina Yoko Teutenberg, 36-year-old women’s cycling veteran, proved this season that she is still at the top of the sport and the top of her form. She announced on Friday that her approaching retirement would have to wait at least two more years, which should
be spent with her current team, HTC-Highroad.
“I still have fun and I'm doing well in lots of bike races, so why would I want to stop?” said Teutenberg in a team press release. “And I've got a great relationship with the team, so there was no reason to look elsewhere. At the same time, it's very satisfying
to be in a position to help out the team's younger riders, giving them advice and guidance and seeing them develop.”
This was Teutenberg’s second consecutive year with the highest number of race wins in the women’s road cycling peloton. Her 24 victories in 2010 included four stages of the Giro d’Italia, three of the Tour de l’Aude and overall victories in the Redlands
Classic and the Tour of Chongming Island.
“Next year I'll be aiming to do well in the Spring Classics, and then re-boot later in the season so I can build up again for the World Championships: I think the Danish course will suit me very well,” she said.
As a sprinter, the typically hilly World Championships have not been ideal for her, but she plans to win the World Championships road race title before she retires. She has the speed and drive of a much younger rider. HTC-Highroad sports directory Ronny
Lauke says that is because she is continually setting goals.
“She's also continuing to develop in all sorts of ways, steadily improving her climbing while maintaining her sprinting and winning top Classics like the Tour of Flanders in 2009,” said Lauke. “The reason why she wants to keep going is simple: she likes
riding her bike and once she is riding her bike she wants to beat the others.”
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