Phonak Wishes its Cycling Team 'Bonne Chance' for the Tour de France - Leader Floyd Landis and Team to Spread the Message of Better Hearing Across the Country - and Beyond

STÄFA, Switzerland, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 1, the Phonak Cycling Team will set out to win the 3653.6 kilometre-long Tour de France, the world's most prestigious and difficult cycling race. From the tip of Strasbourg to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Phonak Cycling Team will spread the message of better hearing across the country and - through its worldwide audience - well beyond national borders. Phonak has its attention particularly focused on previous Paris-Nice winner Floyd Landis to demonstrate his abilities as Team Leader during the race. The 30-year-old recently finished the Dauphiné Libéré, an important training run for the Tour de France due to its similarity to the Grande Boucle and achieved a second place in the time trial.



"In preparation for the Tour de France, Floyd Landis kept a highly regimented cycling schedule with selective races and rigorous training in the US over the past year," said General Team Manager John Lelangue. "After obtaining three victories in four tours, Floyd Landis is well positioned to win the competition."

"Together with thousands of fans around the globe, we look forward to following the race results of the Phonak Cycling Team," said Valentin Chapero, CEO of the Phonak Group. "During each stage of the Tour de France, our ambassadors will deliver the important message of better hearing worldwide. We wish them all the best."

Through its advanced hearing solutions, Phonak Hearing Systems improves the hearing and communications abilities of millions, thereby making a substantial improvement in their quality of life. The international sport of cycling is a significant venue for raising awareness of better hearing, since both cycling and hearing connect people across borders.

More than 22 per cent of the European adult population is hearing impaired, yet only one in six people who would benefit from using a hearing aid actually wear one. It is estimated that there are 28 million hearing impaired people in the USA, or one person out of ten. In the developed world alone, the number of hearing-impaired people will reach 215 million in 2015, whereas in developing countries the number is twice as large.

About Phonak

The Phonak Group (SWX: PHBN), headquartered in Stäfa, Switzerland, specializes in the design, development, production and global distribution of technologically advanced wireless and hearing systems. As one of the top technology companies in the industry worldwide and with a global staff of over 3,400 employees, Phonak is a major player in the hearing health care market. By combining its expertise in hearing technology with a strong distribution network in over 70 countries, Phonak, along with its customers and business partners, contributes significantly to the quality of life of many people worldwide.

For more information, please visit www.phonak.com.