Team Bianchi
The Team Coast is a former German cycling team that was sponsored by the clothing company of the same name. It was founded in 1999 under the name Leonardo Coast and disbanded in 2003 for financial reasons. The rapporteurs by the wheel of the team, FIV Edoardo Bianchi SpA, supported succession Formation Team Bianchi was also dissolved at the end of 2003.
Team Coast
The Team Coast was founded in 1999 and in 2001 grew up in the group of the world's best teams, then Groupe Sportif I ( GS I) called. At that time they undertook Alex Zülle and Fernando Escartín, both drivers, who were already at the Tour de France on the podium, their careers, however, have tended to an end. In its first year as a GS -I team succeeded except for a stage win in the spring ride Paris-Nice by Zülle not a single another victory. 2002 did with Ángel Casero the Vuelta winner from 2001 to the team. In that year came the sporting breakthrough. Even in late winter have been won at a stage race in Dubai, Alex Zülle won the Tour de Suisse, Aitor Garmendia was second in the Tour of Germany and the Tour of Catalonia and Ángel Casero was sixth in the Vuelta a Espana.
For the 2003 season, the winner of the 1997 Tour de France, Jan Ullrich was obliged to notify the Team Telekom left after his doping suspension. He was followed by Rudy Pevenage as sports director. Ullrich scored his first victory for the team at Coast Around Cologne after a long trip alone.
However, the sponsor Coast had obviously with the obligation of the Tour winner in 1997 and had problems to pay the salaries of professional cyclists. In early March, the team was therefore blocked by the world cycling federation UCI early March. Episode left several drivers, including Alex Zülle the team. In May 2003, the UCI locked the team again because of unpaid salaries. The sponsor Coast came as a result in insolvency and the team was disbanded Coast.
Team Bianchi
The team structure of the Team Coast was acquired from the bankruptcy estate by the former Dutch professional cyclist Jacques Hanegraaff about his company Cycle BV. 19 of 22 Coast driver and a part of other staff switched to this succession team. Sports Director Rudy remained Pevenage. The team was called after the previous wheel Statter and nunmehrigen main sponsor Team Bianchi. The UCI issued a license to the new team and the ASO invited the team to the Tour de France 2003.
The Tour de France was for the team successful: Ullrich won the first individual time trial and provided with the Americans Lance Armstrong a thrilling battle for the Tour victory. Trying to find the team on the basis of this success, other sponsors and thus ensure the survival of the team were difficult. After Ullrich announced his return to the T- Mobile team in October 2003, Hanegraaff said though, that the team should continue to edit then again in 2004; However, the team was disbanded.
Success (selection)
- Tour de Suisse 2002 stage win by Alex Zülle
- Around Cologne 2003 by Jan Ullrich
- 2nd place 2003 Tour de France and one stage victory by Jan Ullrich
- 6th place Vuelta a Espana 2002 by Ángel Casero
- 2nd place Germany Tour 2001 and 2002 by Aitor Garmendia
- 2nd Tour of Catalonia 2002 by Aitor Garmendia
- A stage win Paris - Nice in 2001 by Alex Zülle
Well-known former driver
- Germany Malte Urban (2000-2003)
- Germany Christoph von Kleinsorgen (2000-2003)
- Spain Fernando Escartín (2001-2002)
- Mauro Gianetti Switzerland (2001-2002)
- Frank Høj Denmark (2001-2002)
- Sweden Stefan Adamsson (2001-2003)
- Alex Zülle Switzerland (2001-2003)
- Germany Daniel Becke (2001-2003)
- Spain Luis Pérez Rodríguez (2001-2003)
- Spain Manuel Beltrán (2002-2003)
- Italy Fabrizio Guidi (2002-2003)
- Spain Ángel Casero (2002-2003)
- Germany André Korff (2002-2003)
- Spain Francisco José Lara (2002-2003)
- Germany Steffen Radochla (2002-2003)
- Germany Sven Teutenberg (2003)
- Germany Thomas Liese ( 2003)
- Germany Jan Ullrich (2003)