Team Columbia-HTC (UCI team code:THR) is a professional cycling team competing in international road bicycle races. In June 2009, the team announced a three year sponsorship of the team with HTC. Starting with the 2009 Tour de France, the team will bear the name Team Columbia-HTC. Prior to this, beginning with the 2008 Tour de France, the team raced under the name Team Columbia-High Road following a three year sponsorship with Columbia Sportswear that was announced in June 2008. Prior to this they were without a name sponsor, and therefore chose the name of the company owning the team (Team High Road). The team participates in many editions of the annual Grand Tours of cycling, such as the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia. Since 2005, the team has been one of the teams that compete in the new UCI ProTour.
The team was founded in 1991 as Team Telekom, sponsored by Deutsche Telekom. In 2004 their name changed to the T-Mobile-Team. It contains a total of 29 riders, 9 physiotherapists or nurses, 9 mechanics and service persons, and has 22 partners. The team is under the management of Bob Stapleton and Rolf Aldag. Former leaders include Olaf Ludwig, Walter Godefroot and Eddy Vandenhecke (managers), Luuc Eisenga (spokesperson) and Brian Holm, Valerio Piva (sports directors). [source]
