The Novo Nordisk team is the first professional team of the world integrated exclusively by cyclists with diabetes, and participated since January 19 for the second time in the Tour of San Luis in Argentina, the most important competition in Latin America for this discipline.
The Novo Nordisk athlete team is composed of people who, in addition to living with diabetes, have talent and a strong desire to prevent disease frustrating their dreams and their desire to do high competition sports.
The male group of professional cyclists is the most prominent group of the Novo Nordisk team, which is made up of cyclists, and also by triathlon athletes and marathoners with diabetes.The team has the mission of inspiring, raising awareness, educating and giving visibility to the global problem that this disease represents.
"Each race is an opportunity to grow, be stronger, and show the world that one can follow their dreams even having diabetes," said Phil Southerland, co -founder and director of the Novo Nordisk team.“This is our third year as a team integrated by cyclists with diabetes and we had high expectations;We hope to perform a good performance and inspire more people with diabetes to take control of their condition and pursue their dreams, ”he added.
This is the 9th edition of the San Luis Tour, a seven -day competition that has been disputed annually since 2007 during January in Puntana province;It is part of the races of the International Cycling Union (ICU) and holds one of the highest categories between the competitions of the continent, the largest in Latin America.The race consisted of seven stages and represented a total route of 948.2 kilometers.It included three arrivals high, three stages for sprinters and a time trial.
On this occasion, 26 teams participated, of which 6 are category ‘World Tour’, reflecting the high level of competition.About 200 cyclists from more than 15 countries, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, the United States, Japan, Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Israel, among many others.
In 2014, the Novo Nordisk team was very successful.On 21 occasions, the members finished races among the first ten positions, and reached eight podiums.In addition, 1 million fans follow the news of the team on Facebook, practically double any other professional cyclist team.In the 2015 season, they will participate in the main competitions in South America, the United States, Europe and Asia.
They make up the team: Andrea Peron (Italy), Ben Dilley (USA), Charles Planet (France), Chris Williams (Australia), Corentin Cherhal (France), David Lozano (Spain), gerd de Keijzer (Netherlands), James Glaspol (Australia), Javier Megias (Spain), Joonas Henttala (Finland), Kevin de Mesmaeker (Belgium), Martijn Verschoor (Netherlands), Nicolas Lefrancois (France), Ruud Cremers (Netherlands), Scott Ambrose (NewZealand), Simon Strobel (Germany), Stephen Clancy (Ireland), Thomas Raeymaekers (Belgium).
Life history
David Lozano, a 26 -year -old Spanish, was considered the best mountain cyclist when at age 22 he received the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, the same condition his father had.When communicating it to his coach, he was immediately rescinded by his professional contract, but he got in touch with a short time with Phil Southerland and joined the Novo Nordisk team.When his father saw everything David did to continue competing professionally, he began to carry much more strict control of his illness.For David, see someone as close as his dad the impact of the messages that this team of cyclists disseminates, motivated him to want to take that message to people fromeveryone.“I always wanted to be a professional cyclist.Living with diabetes does not mean that you have to give up it. ”
When he is not competing, David spends free time with his girlfriend and his pet.In the future, he imagines directing a bicycle sales place in Spain.