Today Rapha today announced its partnership with Canyon//SRAM Racing, a newly formed UCI Women’s WorldTour professional cycling team. The move comes as a great boost to Women’s cycling, as the sport has been gaining momentum.
Canyon//SRAM will be led by rising stars Tiffany Cromwell (AUS) and Hannah Barnes (UK) with a total of 9 riders from 6 countries. The team, directed by Ronny Lauke and Beth Duryea, will compete in the full WorldTour calendar with emphasis on the Amgen Tour of California and Philadelphia Cycling Classic in the Unites States of America, the Aviva Women’s Tour, and La Course. Further focus will be taken to qualify athletes to attend the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Riders will wear a new kit designed by Rapha’s acclaimed design team and built on the Rapha Souplesse collection for women…. hopefully meaning new options for us amateurs soon as well.
Rapha will also be using the new partnership with Canyon//SRAM for development and testing of compelling new designs and products. Simon Mottram, Rapha founder and CEO, explained how the partnership will further elevate their product design and performance, to “help us develop the finest racing and riding products for women.”
Canyon//SRAM will host a training camp in Majorca from December 8th to 20th 2016. Here, riders will be custom fit to their racewear and kit, Ultimate CF SLX and the Speedmax team bicycles, and be presented to the media and fans. The team will begin its 2016 season with Tiffany Cromwell racing the Australian national championships road race January 6-10, and Santos Women’s Tour on January 16. The team’s first full race will be Ladies Tour of Qatar on February 2-5.
Women’s cycling has long taken a backseat to men’s cycling, so it is amazing to see a brand like Rapha step up its commitment to Women’s cycling.