Operations will stop on the finish of this season for US-based DNA Pro Cycling, which was the top-ranked UCI Continental ladies’s workforce within the Americas final 12 months. The announcement to “retire this system” after 12 years was made earlier right now by co-owners Catherine Fegan-Kim and Alex Kim, who’re additionally workforce principals with Lee Whaley.
In 2016, the home elite squad, Visit Dallas, merged with DNA Pro Cycling and moved to the Continental stage. Across the years as an expert ladies’s squad, a workforce assertion famous that greater than 70 riders have come via the programme for home and worldwide racing. Most just lately, DNA produced Colombian nationwide street and time trial champion Diana Peñuela (2022-2024), Mexican nationwide time trial champion Anet Barrera (2022), and Canadian nationwide street and criterium champion Maggie Coles-Lyster (2022).
“I’m immensely happy with what now we have completed during the last 12 years. We have at all times strived to provide riders the most effective help and alternatives to attain their objectives and develop as bike racers. This workforce has far exceeded our authentic objectives and expectations,” mentioned Catherine Fegan-Kim, workforce principal and co-owner, who raced on the workforce via 2017.
This 12 months, Sarah Van Dam (Canada) and Olivia Cummins (USA), present workforce members, be a part of a pair of alumni, Coles-Lyster (Canada) and Nicole Shields (New Zealand) in representing their nations on the monitor on the Paris Olympic Games.
“DNA has turn out to be like a second dwelling to me during the last two years. Without the fixed help from the workers and riders on the workforce, I would not have turn out to be the particular person and the athlete I’m right now. They offered me the area I wanted to chase my Olympic dream, regardless of it taking me away from some essential street races with the workforce,” Cummins instructed Cyclingnews.
“Though I’m past saddened to study of the workforce’s retirement on the finish of this 12 months, I look ahead to benefiting from my previous couple of races with the workforce following the Olympics.”
Also competing within the Team Pursuit in Paris, however for Canada, might be Van Dam. She echoed the emotions of Cummins about her commerce workforce permitting her the liberty to pursue her Olympic desires.
“Riding for DNA Pro Cycling Team has been an unimaginable expertise each professionally and personally. I’m significantly grateful for the help DNA Pro Cycling offered in pursuing each my street and monitor objectives. The workforce’s dedication to our success was evident of their tireless efforts to make sure we had the sources and help we would have liked. This unwavering dedication fostered a family-like environment inside the workforce, the place all of us had one another’s backs,” Van Dam instructed Cyclingnews.
“What actually set DNA Pro Cycling aside was our collective drive for excellence. During my time with the workforce, I had the privilege of contributing to victories, which not solely boosted my confidence but in addition bolstered my ardour for the game. The experiences I gained, the abilities I developed, and the bonds I fashioned with my teammates have been instrumental and I’m excited to hold this ahead to the following workforce I’m a part of.”
The workforce has had success in a number of disciplines via the primary half of the season. On the criterium scene within the US, DNA Pro Cycling received the workforce general and positioned 4 riders within the prime 10 of the eight-race Speed Week sequence, together with the person title for Kaitlyn Rauwerda.
At USA Crits, Harriet Owen received the lap chief competitors and completed second within the particular person standings. After three rounds of the American Criterium Cup, DNA has three riders within the prime 10, together with Rylee McMullen and Makayla Macpherson in third and fourth, respectively.
In US stage racing, DNA had podiums by a number of riders together with Nadia Gontova profitable the general at Redlands Bicycle Classic and ending second general at Tour of the Gila. On gravel, Heather Fischer rode to fifth at The Traka 200 and Rauwerda completed sixth at La Indomable.
A full roster of 16 riders will proceed to be supported via the tip of the 2024 season, with 5 races remaining within the American Criterium Cup in addition to worldwide street racing which incorporates Vuelta a Colombia Femenina and Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche.
“We will preserve going full fuel via the rest of the season with street racing in Colombia, France, and Canada and criteriums within the US comparable to these on the American Criterium Cup. While we work to have a robust end, our focus might be to assist all riders and workers discover a dwelling in 2025,” mentioned Alex Kim.
During the COVID pandemic in 2020, when racing ceased within the US, DNA Pro Cycling was one of many few groups which paid riders and prolonged all contracts for the next season.