7 Eleven - Miniature cyclists

Andrew Hampsten

7-Eleven, later Motorola was a cycling team founded in 1981 in the United States by Jim Ochowicz, a former American Olympic cyclist. He succeeded in obtaining sponsorship from the Southland Corporation, owner of the supermarket chain 7-Eleven and bicycle manufacturer Schwinn. He founded an amateur team. The team has existed for 16 years, sponsored by 7-Eleven until 1990. From 1989, the team rode with Eddy Merckx bikes.

Of the 7 riders in the initial team in 1981, the best known was Eric Heiden. He won gold medals in ice skating at the Olympic Winter games of 1980.

The other American cyclists were Bradley Davies, Danny Van Haute, Jeff Bradley, Roger Young, Greg Demgen and Tom Schuler. Canadian Ron Hayman was also part of the team. In 1982 Davis Phinney, Ron Kiefel and the Canadian Alex Stieda came to the team. The team still consisting of amateurs was recorded in 1985 in the moovie American Flyers, with Kevin Costner.

In the year of 1985, the team's status was changed into a professional one by Ochowitz. The team went to the European continent with team riders including Alexi Grewal and Heiden who won Olympic gold medals. The riders Kiefel and Phinney were Olympic bronze medalists. Hayman, Bradley, Stieda, Schuler and Chris Carmichael were also part of the team.

In 1985, the young team was invited to ride the Giro. The young American rider Andrew Hampsten was engaged to help the team. Hampsten and Kiefel won some nice stages during that Giro. They were the first American stage winners in a big stage race. 7-Eleven was also invited for the Tour de France of 1986. The team won several stages in Tour de France and in the Giro (Phinney, Jeff Pierce, Hampsten and Dag Otto Lauritzen).

7-Eleven has led to a general increase in interest in American cycling. In 1988 the team was near the delirium. Andrew Hampsten became winner of the GC and the mountain classification in the Tour of Italy. In 1989 Hampsten finished 3rd in the Giro d'Italia. It was the 2nd American team to ride the Tour of Italy (1985). In 1984, The team Gianni Motta was the 1st. In the Tour de France two cyclists coming from Canada  wore the yellow jersey (Alex Stieda,1986 and also Steve Bauer, 1990). The team also won a handful of American championships and the world championship.

The co-sponsors:
1981-1981 7 Eleven
1982-1982 7 Eleven-Descente and 7 Eleven-Schwinn
1983-1989 7 Eleven
1990-1990 7 Eleven-Hoonved

The most important victories:
1985: United States Championship (Eric Heiden)
1987: United States Championship (Tom Schuler)
1987: general classification Tour of Switzerland (Andrew Hampsten)
1988: Championship of the United States (Ron Kiefel)
1988: general classification Giro d'Italia (Andrew Hampsten)
1988: Mountain jersey Giro d'Italia (Andrew Hampsten)
1989: Grand Prix Eddy Merckx (Sean Yates)
1989: general classification Tour of Belgium (Sean Yates)
1989: Clasica San Sebastian (Gerhard Zadrobilek)
1992: United Kingdom Championship (Sean Yates)
1993: United States Championship (Lance Armstrong)
1993: World Championship (Lance Armstrong)
1994: United Kingdom Championship (Brian Smith)
1995: Clasica San Sebastian (Lance Armstrong)
1996: The Walloon arrow (Lance Armstrong)

The riders in the team: Alex Stieda, Alexi Grewal, Andrew Hampsten, Andy Bishop, Bob Roll, Dag Otto Lauritzen, Davis Phinney, Douglas Shapiro, Eric Heiden, Frankie Andreu, Gerhard Zadrobilek, Jeff Pierce, Jens Veggerby, John Tomac, Jonathan Boyer, Norman Alvis, Raúl Alcalá, Roger Young, Ron Kiefel, Sean Yates, Steve Bauer and Urs Zimmermann.

Discover our other miniature cyclists as well.