Cannondale

Inspired in part by St. Augustine’s cyclists (see facing page and page 51), Cannondale has teamed up with EF Pro Cycling and USA Cycling to sponsor co-ed teams at multiple Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges & Universities (TCUs) for at least three years. After a raffle headlined by a Giro d’Italia collab SystemSix road bike raised nearly $100,000, the program expanded from two schools to three — with plans to get rolling and racing this fall. Cannondale will provide bikes and gear, EF Pro Cycling will supply coaching support and input from pro riders, both will kick in some financial aid — and the sky’s the limit.

“Everybody grows up riding a bicycle, but somewhere along the way, cycling is not seen as a path for BIPOC athletes,” says Dennis Kim, VP of marketing for Cycling Sports Group, Cannondale’s parent company. “If these programs can live on for years and years, and if people out of these groups can go on to influence others in their communities, or even pursue professional track cycling, that would be an amazing win.”