Performance Bicycle, the specialty bike retailer, said it plans to sponsor its first women’s professional cycling team.
Performance Bicycle Racing is an elite women’s cycling team composed of women who have reached USA cycling category 1 or 2 status, the same category as professional women in USA cycling.
“Performance cant wait to be part of the professional circuit,” said Jim Thompson, chief executive officer of Performance, Inc. “The Performance Bicycle Racing team has put in an intense winter of training and is coming out of camp strong. This is an accomplished team of women with whom we share a common goal – getting more women to discover the enjoyment of cycling.”
The 2010 Performance Bicycle Racing team is made up of cyclists Cara Applegate, Evie Boswell-Vilt, Kirsten Davis, Kathryn Okenatez-Mahoney, Chris Tommerdahl, Dana Treiber Martin, Nicole Vincent-Jordan, Gina Voci and Bergen Watterson. The team is supported by professional mentors and development team leaders Annie Lux, Ainhoa Perez-Diez and Hadley Trotter. Primarily focused on road bike racing, the team also includes top and professional level mountain bike, triathlete and cyclocross riders as well.
“The biggest asset of the Performance Bicycle sponsorship is the support and enthusiasm they provide for women who love to race bicycles,” said Laura Seay, co-founder and president of the SpokesWomen Syndicate. “The best female cyclists have full time jobs and families to support. Having Performance as our title sponsor enables our elite members to focus more on their training, their professional lives and their families, while giving them a national support system to encourage and promote their dedication to the sport.”
The Performance team will race in national events and regional events all over the country, and is currently scheduled for the following races for 2010: Sunny King Criterium, Speed Week, Wilmington Grand Prix, Kelly Cup, Tour of Summerville, Nature Valley, Fitchburg, Presbyterian Hospital Hanes Park and the US 10K.
“Performance Bicycle Racing features individuals who are committed to making a name for themselves on the bike and off as medical doctors, professional researchers, full-time students, a professional triathlete and business professionals,” said Thompson. “We are proud to support their dreams and to be associated with the Spokes Women Syndicate.”
