Oakland, CA - Just three days before what was to be his return to racing at the Tour de Georgia, Phil Zajicek of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis learned from team physician Michael Roshon that the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the sports governing body, had yet to approve the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) applications for the medications he must take to control his recently diagnosed Crohn’s disease, a chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

The medications that Zajicek is taking to help control his Crohn’s are approved for use outside of competition. However, they require TUEs for in-competition use. In accordance with UCI rules, which state that a rider cannot race while taking these medications unless he has received TUEs, the team made the decision to keep Zajicek at home. His roster spot for the Tour de Georgia will be taken by veteran Kirk O’Bee.

“We fully expect the UCI to approve the TUE applications for his medications,” said Dr. Roshon. “However, the process has taken a bit longer than we expected.”

“It’s unfortunate that Phil has this illness and has to deal with it,” added team directeur sportif Mike Tamayo. “It’s also unfortunate that he can’t race until the TUEs are approved. But we have to follow UCI rules. But Phil’s health is good, his training has been going very well and we would’ve liked to have him back for this race.”

Zajicek was diagnosed with Crohn’s on March 20th. Crohn’s is an auto-immune disease that causes areas of inflammation throughout the GI tract. The condition is exacerbated by the stress of training and competition. At present, there is no cure for the disease, but proper treatment with diet and medications can help control symptoms and achieve long-term remission.

“It’s unfortunate that I can’t race in Georgia this week,” Zajicek said. “I feel good, my fitness is good. I want to race and feel ready to race. I think I could’ve helped the team this week, but that’s just the way it is right now.”

O’Bee’s addition to the roster gives the team another veteran strong man with the potential to win stages out of breaks and provide strong lead-out duties for sprint finishes. He was part of the five-man roster for Health Net Presented by Maxxis at the Sea Otter Circuit Race on Saturday, and flew along with Tamayo and Rory Sutherland from California Saturday night and arrived in Georgia Sunday morning.

John Murphy of Health Net Presented by Maxxis finished fifth at Sea Otter Saturday after making a solo attempt to bridge to a four-man break that decided the race’s winner. Murphy rode for two laps on his own in pursuit of the break before rejoining the main chase group and winning the sprint out of the main bunch.

Kirk O’Bee

Date of Birth/Location: 4.9.77; Grand Rapids, MI
Height: 5’9”/154lbs 175cm/70kilos
Weight:
Current Residence: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Years Pro: 9
Previous Teams/Years:
Health Net pb Maxxis, 2006-07
Navigators Insurance, 2001-05
U.S. Postal Service, 2000
Mapei Stagiare, 1999
Strengths on the bike:
Classics/One-day races

Kirk won the USPro Criterium Championship for the second time in his career in 2007. He also posted impressive stage wins in the Cascade Classic and the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The sprinter and classics specialist can get over the climbs and still have enough left in the tank after 200 km to finish it off with a sprint win.