Team Novo Nordisk (UCI team code:TNN) is an all-diabetic professional cycling team[1] founded by CEO Phil Southerland and led by general managerVassili Davidenko. It is headquartered inAtlanta, Georgia.
The team's principal sponsor is the Danish global healthcare company,Novo Nordisk.[2] The team is also sponsored by the Canadian bicycle manufacturerArgon18.
Team Novo Nordisk is the first professional cycling team to be comprised completely of riders who havetype 1 diabetes.[3] All riders and several of the team's staff, including CEO and Co-founder Phil Southerland, are living with diabetes.[4][5]
Team Novo Nordisk is home to a Development Team racing as aUCI Continental team and an Ambassador program formed by elite and former professional athletes living with diabetes.[6]
In 2005, Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge founded the team, then known as Team Type 1.[7]
2006–07
In 2006, the team was in the 3,000-mile Race Across America to raise diabetes awareness. The team went on to win the event in 2007, 2009 and 2010.[8][9]
2008
Team Novo Nordisk turned professional in 2008 after success in amateur races.[10] In 2010 it had a UCI Continental licence but became a Professional Continental team in 2011, with a view to competing in theGiro d'Italia in 2011 and theTour de France in 2012.[11] The team had originally aimed to achieve the Professional Continental level for the 2010 season but decided against applying for an upgraded licence because of fears that it might preclude the team from competing in events outside the responsibility of theInternational Cycling Union and a lack of knowledge by the team's management of the scale of investment that would be required to compete at the higher level.[10][11]
Team Novo Nordisk has competed in a number of major professional events, such as the Tour of California and the Tour de Langkawi, and picked up two stage wins in the 2010 Tour du Maroc. In 2010, the team's calendar featured a number of international races, including theTour de Bretagne Cycliste, theTour de Taiwan, theTour of Ireland, and theTour of Japan.[11] The team's main goal for the 2010 season was the Tour of California,[11] an eight-stage race held in May in which Thomas Rabou won the King of the Mountains competition.[1][15]
In 2013, Team Novo Nordisk became the first-ever professional cycling team to feature an all-diabetes roster.[1] The team continued to race on the International Cycling Union (UCI) Professional Continental tour and competed in major professional races, including the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, Tour de Beauce, Post Danmark Rundt (Tour of Denmark), and USA Pro Cycling Challenge.[18]
2014
In January 2014, the Pro Men's team began its second season as Team Novo Nordisk in Argentina'sTour de San Luis and raced over 150 days throughout the year.[19] The team showed marked improvement in its second season, earning top-ten finishes at the Amgen Tour of California[20] and USA Pro Challenge.[21]
2015
In February 2015, Team Novo Nordisk earned its first-ever win with New ZealanderScott Ambrose taking stage 2 of Le Tour de Filipinas,[22] and the team made its debut at Dubai Tour, earning two top tens at the race.[23]
2021
The team's season is the subject of film directorPeter Alsted [da]'s documentary, Ride for Your L1fe, available on the Outside network. Ride for Your L1fe follows the Team Novo Nordisk athletes behind the scenes throughout the 2021 season, filming them privately at home and experiencing what a diagnosis has meant to their families and their possibilities with type 1 diabetes.
Current season.jpg)
Finland Road Race Championships,Joonas Henttala
Finnish Road RaceJoonas Henttala
