Press Release - Johan joins World Bicycle Relief Board
CHICAGO (May 29, 2008) - Johan Bruyneel, the most winning Sports Director in cycling history, has joined the Board of Directors of World Bicycle Relief.
Bruyneel is the mastermind behind eight of the past nine Tour de France victories, including Lance Armstrong's record-setting seven straight yellow jerseys (1999-2005), and Alberto Contador's heroic ride to his first Tour de France win (2007). Bruyneel is currently General Manager of the Astana Cycling Team.
"Serving on the World Bicycle Relief Board is an opportunity to give back to the world through something that has given me so much in life" Bruyneel said. "To the world's poor, time lost to walking destroys much of their productive day. A bicycle represents a leap in efficiency that magnifies everything they do. We often forget that the bike is used for more than sport; for many people it's an invaluable part of everyday life."
According to F.K. Day, president of World Bicycle Relief, "Johan's proven leadership and management at the highest levels of competitive cycling will help us accomplish our mission of serving the transportation needs of the poor."
Bruyneel is a Tour stage winner himself, and has documented his winning formula in the forthcoming book We Might as Well Win. He currently resides in Madrid, Spain, with his wife Eva and daughter Victoria.
World Bicycle Relief was founded by SRAM Corporation in 2005 and is supported by many leaders in the bicycle industry. World Bicycle Relief specializes in large-scale, comprehensive bicycle programs by providing supply chain management, technical knowledge and logistics expertise to poverty relief and disaster assistance initiatives. To date, nearly 50,000 new bicycles have been provided as part of a completed program in Sri Lanka and several major current projects in Africa. More information is available at www.worldbicyclerelief.org