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Team Type 1

Founded in 2004, Team Type 1 fulfilled the dream of two collegiate cyclists living with Type 1 diabetes. Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge initially had a standing bet: the rider with the highest blood sugar would buy the pos-tride burrito. Now, they aim to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes through Team Type 1’s professional, amateur and triathlon teams.

Southerland was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at only seven months of age. His earliest days with diabetes meant urine and ketone testing, rather than the blood-sugar measurements available today. Better tools came along over the years (improved insulin, blood-glucose monitoring and wireless pumps), providing safer management of his diabetes. He excelled as a natural athlete, pursuing racquetball, baseball, football and soccer before settling on cycling that led him to race for the University of Georgia.

There, he met Eldridge, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10. The first juvenile diabetic in his family’s history, he played soccer and football before getting hooked on competitive cycling at Auburn University. He met Southerland at an Auburn -University of Georgia cycling race. The pair soon discovered a shared goal: Show the world that people with Type 1 diabetes not only can manage their condition and excel physically, but they can also achieve their goals, dreams, and potential.

In 2009, Team Type 1 expanded significantly – to include a triathlon team, a development team, a women’s professional squad and a second team for RAAM: “Team Type 2.” The Type 1 athletes in these programs strive to instill hope and inspiration for people around the world affected by diabetes.

Ultimately, Southerland and Eldridge aim to take Team Type 1 to professional cycling’s greatest race, the Tour de France, by the year 2012. Already, the squad is poised to compete in some of sport’s biggest races around the globe in 2009.

Since 2008, Marco Quezada has served as the team’s official photographer. His pictures of the team have been published worldwide, which has helped to significantly spread the team’s message. Particularly impressive was a nine-page photo spread by Quezada in the October 2008 issue of Bicycling Magazine that accompanied an article by Jeremy Katz.

The Team and Staff

_. Director Sportif: Vassili Davidenko (RUS)
_. Assistant Director, Gord Fraser (CAN)
_. Head Soigneur: Bill Haelsen (USA)
_. Assistant Soigneur/ Logistics: Sergey Davidenko (RUS)
_. Soigneurs: Avery May (USA), Paula Marzella (USA)
_. Head Mechanic: Doug Berner (USA)
_. Mechanics: Chris Davidson(USA), Alex Banyay (USA)
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_. ALDAPE CHAVEZ, Moises, (MEX)
_. ANTHONY, Jesse, (USA)
_. *CALABRIA, Fabio, (AUS)
_. *ELDRIDGE, Joe,(USA)
_. ESCUELA, Ricardo, (ARG)
_. HANSON, Ken,(USA)
_. HOLT, Dan, 27, (USA)
_. ILESIC, Aldo Ino, (SLO)
_. JONES, Chris, 29,(USA)
_. KOBZARENKO, Valeriy, 31, (UKR)
_. LILL, Darren, (SAF)
_. MACGREGOR, Ian, 25, (USA)
_. MILNE, Shawn, 27, (USA)
_. *SOUTHERLAND, Phil, 26,(USA)
_. *VAN den EYNDE, Willem, (BEL)
_. WILSON, Matt, 31, (AUS)
* indicates riders with Type 1 diabetes