The Cyprus Sunshine Cup is a tried and tested season start among XC pros. Many World Cup drivers are preparing for the coming season on the sunny island of Cyprus and are using the series to stay in racing mode. So did Olympic champion Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized). The fast Czech is preparing for his year of competition for the eighth time as part of the Cyprus Sunshine Cup. This year he will encounter new opponents. The Multivan-Merida MTB team also competes in the series and is a hot favorite to win with José Hermida and Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesja. Both are among the most important ambassadors of cross-country sport. Between 2002 and 2013, Dahle-Flesja alone won nine world championships in XC and marathons.
“This is fantastic news for all mountain bikers on the island, and also an honor for the organizers ,” commented event manager Mike Hadjioannou on the team's participation. The rest of the Multivan-Merida team, including Ondrej Cink, Thomas Litscher, Julian Schelb, and Rudi van Houts, will also be competing in Cyprus. With varying degrees of experience on the beautiful Mediterranean island, the team is sure to spring a surprise or two.