The National Cycling League (NCL), billed as the first of its kind professional sports league – ‘built around values of diverse ownership, gender equality, technology, and sustainability’ – has announced a two-year strategic partnership with Wahoo Fitness.
The two-year partnership encompasses technology, training, competitions, and fan experience activtions.
The NCL is launching in 2023 with 10 teams (invite-only) of professional cyclists competing for a US$1 million prize purse across a series of criterium-style races in four major markets: Miami Beach, Atlanta, Denver and Washington DC. In 2024, the NCL plans to expand to eight cities across the US.
NCL’s two co-ed professional cycling teams – the Denver Disruptors and Miami Nights – will train and compete exclusively with Wahoo products and software. Additionally, Wahoo will be the presenting sponsor for the teams’ training camps in Phoenix, Arizona, from February 21 – March 2, 2023.
“We are proud to align with Wahoo Fitness, a leader in sports technology innovation, to create a top-to-bottom integration with the NCL,” said NCL Co-Founder and CEO, Paris Wallace.
“With Wahoo’s ground-breaking device ecosystem and Wahoo X software’s ability to track and monitor athlete performance, our head coaches can optimize training and racing strategies across individual athlete and team performances. Wahoo is the perfect partner to optimize our athletes and provide valuable insights for fans.”
A release from NCL added that… ‘The Wahoo RGT interactive cycling platform will also enable an immersive fan experience, powering NCL’s vision of integrating athlete performance data with an unparalleled interactive content that bridges the gap between reality and the metaverse.’
Mike Saturnia, Wahoo Fitness CEO, said “Wahoo has been driving innovation in connected cycling technology since 2009 and we are excited to see the National Cycling League take an innovative approach to professional cycling in the United States.
“In this partnership, Wahoo technology will help athletes perform at their highest level and will also play a key role supporting the NCL as they bring a fresh perspective to the professional cycling fan experience.”
Team Camp, Presented By Wahoo
Modelled after pre-season training camps from league sports like the NFL and MLB, the Denver Disruptors and Miami Nights will train independently in Arizona from February 21 – March 2, 2023. In addition to coming together as a team, the camp provides opportunities for physiological testing and learning to use Wahoo devices and software to optimize training and performance.
Camp experiences will be documented for ‘Wahoo Behind the Scenes’ content. The camp will also incorporate rides with members of the military and their families on Luke Air Force Base, west of Phoenix, Arizona.
Throughout the season, riders will train and race exclusively using Wahoo ELEMNT Roam GPS computers, TICKR X heart rate monitors, and POWRLINK Zero Dual power meter pedals. In the paddocks before and after each of the four NCL Cup Invitationals, Denver Disruptors’ and Miami Nights’ riders will use KICKR ROLLR smart bike roller trainers to warm up and cool down.
The night before the inaugural NCL Miami Beach Invitational, athletes from all 10 men’s and women’s teams will compete in a series of single-elimination sprints on a Wahoo KICKR smart trainer.
‘Modelled after the qualifiers in auto racing, sprint results determine the start order for Saturday’s professional men’s and women’s races. Each team will enter their best sprinter to compete in this high-energy, spectator-friendly series of short sprints; the fastest rider in each race moves on to the next round.’
2023 NCL Invitational Race Calendar
|
Event |
Location |
Date |
|
NCL Miami Beach |
Miami Beach, FL |
April 8, 2023 |
|
NCL Atlanta |
Atlanta, GA |
May 14, 2023 |
|
NCL Denver |
Denver, CO |
August 13, 2023 |
|
NCL Washington D.C. |
Washington DC |
September 17, 2023 |
“Our goal has been to bring the NCL’s exciting race format to the masses, our partnership with Wahoo will allow us to involve our fans in actual racing, an experience that even the NFL can’t deliver,” said NCL’s VP of Partnerships, Kelly Staley.
“Wahoo’s global community will help us spread our values of diversity, equity and inclusion, while fans race virtually against the stars of our sport.”
www.nclracing.com
www.wahoofitness.com
