SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Champion
cyclist, Chris Horner, winner of the
2013 Vuleta a Espana, will join the U.S. registered Airgas-Safeway
Cycling Team for the 2015 season. Previously, Horner has finished
in the top 10 overall in the 2010 Tour de France, captained the
2012 U.S. Olympic team in Beijing
and won the Tour of California in
2011.
"I am very excited to be joining Airgas-Safeway for 2015," said
Horner. "I have achieved a huge amount of success in my career and
I'm incredibly proud of that. For me, the next chapter isn't
just about what I can do as an individual, but what I can give back
to cycling as a sport. I had a number of options for this year and
what really struck me about Airgas-Safeway was their utter
commitment to giving the next generation of young riders the
opportunity for success."
The 43-year-old Horner brings a vast amount of experience,
leadership, and skill to the Airgas-Safeway team. Horner turned
professional in 1995 and has won nearly every major U.S. race
during his career, including the overall National Racing Calendar
series in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
"Chris Horner has done it all.
This is not only a huge development for our program, but also for
cycling fans in the United
States," said Airgas-Safeway team principle Chris Johnson. "To be able to give a group of
young riders the chance to race with a champion like Horner is a
dream come true on so many levels."
Horner was equally enthused about his participation in the
program and to be back racing in the U.S. "Racing with excited
young athletes fits well with my love of the sport, and it will be
a great partnership to build for the future. I look forward to
sharing my racing and tactical experience to help the team race for
the win at Tour of California,
Tour of Utah, and many other races
throughout the season."
Airgas, one of the nation's leading suppliers of industrial,
medical and specialty gases, and hardgoods, has sponsored the team
since its inception and is excited about the continued growth of
the program.
"It has been thrilling to see how its riders have developed and
excelled throughout the last two years," said Airgas President and
Chief Executive Officer Michael
Molinini. "We are excited to partner with co-sponsor Safeway
to continue to support these young athletes and look forward to
next season with champion cyclist Chris
Horner."
Grocery retailer Safeway, the team's co-sponsor, shared their
enthusiasm and underlined the value that Horner brings to the
team.
"We are very proud that the Airgas-Safeway team is focused on
developing young riders. The addition of a rider of Chris Horner's caliber will provide the team
with not only leadership but also the mentorship that is critical
to success in both business and cycling," said Safeway president of
marketing Mike Minasi.
"2015 is shaping up to be a fun year with great racing and more
time at home with my family, including the new baby we have on the
way in January," Horner concluded. "I can't wait to race with a
group of excited young pros -- their enthusiasm will make the
season fun and exciting."
The Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team consists of 16 riders from
the United States, Canada and Mexico and will start the season in January
with a training camp in California.
About Airgas - Safeway Cycling
Airgas - Safeway is a U.S. registered UCI continental cycling team. Managed by
D3Devo, the team consists of 16 riders from the United States, Canada and Mexico. http://d3devo.com
About Airgas Inc.
Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG), through its subsidiaries, is one of
the nation's leading suppliers of industrial, medical and specialty
gases, and hardgoods, such as welding equipment and related
products. Airgas is a leading U.S. producer of atmospheric gases
with 16 air separation plants, a leading producer of carbon
dioxide, dry ice, and nitrous oxide, one of the largest U.S.
suppliers of safety products, and a leading U.S. supplier of
refrigerants, ammonia products, and process chemicals. More than
16,000 associates work in approximately 1,100 locations, including
branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs,
production facilities and distribution centers. Airgas also markets
its products and services through e-Business, catalog and telesales
channels. Its national scale and strong local presence offer a
competitive edge to its diversified customer base. For more
information, please visit www.airgas.com.
About Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest
food and drug retailers in North
America based on sales. Safeway operates 1,331 stores in
the United States and had annual
sales of $35.1 billion in 2013.
Press Contact:
Chris Johnson
267.307.6704
chris@d3devo.com
@d3devo
Contact:
D3Devo, LLC.
info@d3devo.com
Photo(s):
http://www.prlog.org/12401077
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SOURCE D3Devo, LLC.