With a “wrestle to get the cash”, REIGN Storm Racing administration confirmed to Cyclingnews on Friday that the US males’s workforce, so dominant in North America final season, would “pause” operations this 12 months and have a look at relaunching in 2026.
“With REIGN Storm, I anticipated that being a for much longer deal than it was. We had one other main participant that was actually fascinated about being a title sponsor, and so they got here in with good cash and program, however to begin constructing in direction of being a title sponsor, sadly, simply did not work. We’re on pause,” Thomas Craven, workforce director, advised Cyclingnews Friday morning.
“I assumed I used to be gonna be capable to pull it collectively final Monday. The guys with the cash behind the workforce determined to not re-up. To run [the team] as a bare-bones factor may have been potential, however we began including all of it up and attempting to attain what we love to do, it simply did not work. It wanted to be a replication of the 12 months earlier than.”
The shock affirmation got here on the heels of the 2025 USA Crits calendar announcement, a collection dominated final 12 months by REIGN Storm Racing with a podium sweep of the elite males’s particular person standings, the general going to Alfredo Rodriguez, and workforce class.
The workforce replicated success on the American Criterium Cup circuit as nicely, Jordan Parra successful the general, Danny Summerhill successful the dash title and the complete squad contributing to the workforce title.
The present web site for the home elite squad, which fashioned final 12 months from a metamorphosis of Craven-led groups competing as Best Buddies Racing and American Cycling, touts the workforce’s domination on the prime two one-day race collection, saying ‘See you subsequent 12 months!’ But that promise is now a plea for a comeback in 2026.
“All of the biking trade companions that we had have been all holding their breath and crossing their fingers we may pull all of it off. But in the long run, it was simply unlucky that we needed to pull the plug. I imply, going into October [2024], I used to be 95% certain that we have been shifting on. Then issues simply saved getting pushed,” Craven famous.
“It’s not my workforce, I work for the organisation. I liked having the ability to have that a lot enter within the workforce. We have been the dominant workforce on the market within the States. It was a fantastic, nice time. It simply sucks for this 12 months.”
REIGN Storm Racing competed at a USA Cycling-registered home elite workforce, with a deal with one-day races in North America in addition to the few stage races nonetheless remaining on the home calendar. Rodriguez took signature wins at Sunny King Criterium and Greenville Cycling Classic whereas Parra had 12 podiums, together with 4 victories.
Summerhill was on the rostrum at 5 main one-day races, together with second at Athens Twilight Criterium, and Bryan Gómez, the 2023 Athens Twilight champion, had eight podiums, two of them wins. Colombian Jamie Alberto Castañeda was prolifically profitable with 5 race wins in Puerto Rico final summer season.
“We had a fantastic system for beating different rivals. I believe everyone desires to win. It’s loopy how profitable it was.”
Craven mentioned the group checked out a base finances of near $500,000 to satisfy operational prices for the workforce, with journey, insurance coverage, entry charges and salaries outlined as the most important bills. Host housing relieved the finances in previous years for his groups, however that was by no means a assure. Craven mentioned it was a precedence to pay salaries for his or her riders, which isn’t at all times the case for different home groups.
“It prices rather a lot to get throughout the nation. You add in paying riders and supply all of the meals, housing… We had some nice companions so far as host housing goes. That was an enormous saving, and I did all of the cooking on the street.
“One rider texted me and mentioned ‘I’ll journey at no cost’. That was an possibility, however the determination was made that it was not going to be a barebones try at a workforce. It was a freaking blast. I’m going to overlook it this 12 months,” Craven concluded.
There have been 12 riders on the roster in 2024. Gómez was rumoured to have a brand new residence with one of many Williams Racing Development groups, which operated L39ION of Los Angeles, Miami Blazers and Austin Outlaws final 12 months, whereas Parra was seeking to be part of a brand new workforce in Florida.
