The sponsor’s name across
the front and back of the
cycling jersey was the significant
difference between us as racing
cyclists and the mainstream team
sports in this country. It gave us,
a loose-knit group of individuals
who didn’t always work and play
well with other kids, an identity
that would fuel our passion in
the unceasing struggle for that
European connection. Money
was never the issue. With the
addition of cash sponsorships,
clubs’ access to prestigious races
around the country became more
commonplace, resulting in a higher
and faster level of competition as
elite cyclists from different regions
began to challenge each other.
This wave of regional club
sponsorship produced pressure for
better racing results and media
exposure from the bicycle industry
sponsors. Cycling publications
began to feature more racing
coverage here in the U.S. Two
publications, VeloNews and
Competitive Cycling, specialized
in bike race coverage in this
country, which helped to guide
more cycling-related sponsors to
the sport.
Regional Club Sponsorships
