Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24 has announced its intention to return to the pros, applying for a UCI Continental team license in 2023. [The team, led by general director Nicola Cranmer and director Shelley Olds, will maintain its commitment to track, mountain biking, gravel, ultra, eSport, and paracycling, while competing in the highest level of road racing in the United States, and possibly South America and Europe. The team aims to.

"I don't need a UCI license at the moment because there are only two UCI races to race in North America. I think being UCI, as opposed to being national elite, will make the media pay a little more attention to the team," said Cranmer, who is in the process of finalizing the 2023 roster.

"There is also the possibility of racing outside the U.S., in South America or Europe. There are a lot of exciting young riders out there, and the goal is to give the riders some experience."

Two partners signed on with the team this year, Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge and the Virginia Tourism Corporation, support high-performance cycling and youth development as a cycling destination and athlete development raising awareness of Virginia's Blue Ridge as a unique training destination and athlete development venue.

"Over the past year, TWENTY24's long-term partnership with Virginia's Blue Ridge has supported the team with a strong focus on Zwift eSports, while allowing room to explore all cycling disciplines, and has brought notable and positive economic development," Cranmer said.

"Our nearly two decades of growth has provided more opportunities for talent ID, both in high performance, particularly in time trials, and in connecting young women to college scholarships. UCI races, track, gravel/MTB, Zwift With a mixed season of racing, it is time to return to the UCI designation, competing in a mixed season of UCI racing and track, gravel/MTB, and Zwift racing.

Cranmer's development program began in 2006 as the Pro Manhit Squad Pro Cycling Team, and three-time Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong became affiliated with the team in 2010.

The team became Peanut Butter & Co-Twenty12 at the beginning of the four-year cycle leading up to the London Olympics and then changed its name to match the corresponding Olympic cycle: Exergy-Twenty16 ahead of the Rio Olympics, Tokyo Twenty20-Sho Air ahead of the Olympics, and now Blue Ridge TWENTY24 in Virginia ahead of the Paris Olympics.

The team has decided not to renew its UCI Continental team license for the 2020 season, partly due to the cancellation of the women's World Tour event, the Tour of California, and coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, Races were cancelled not only in the U.S., but worldwide.

"I'm motivated again. Just before the pandemic hit, we decided not to race with our UCI licenses. During this time, it was a great opportunity for me personally to think about what I wanted to do in the sport. I started gravel racing, had some adventures, and saw what else was out there. It was great and I had fun, but I missed the high performance aspect of it.

The Twenty24 program, in all versions of its title sponsor, included Colin Rivera, Ruth Winder, Marla Abbott, Chloe Dygert, and Jennifer Valente, the current world and Olympic champion on the track, Riders are growing and excelling in road racing and track cycling.

"TWENTY24 is a cornerstone program of American cycling. Brandon Quirk, CEO and President of USA Cycling, said, "This team does a heroic job of identifying future international talent, providing them with unique development opportunities, and supporting them in their quest for world titles and Olympic medals.

"USA Cycling's belief is that the US National Women's Team will soon return to the #1 world ranking, and that is due to the tireless efforts of Nicola Cranmer and her team. We could not be more pleased with the team's return to the UCI ranks and look forward to a fruitful partnership together for many years to come." 3 Virginia's Blue Ridge, Anthem GO Outside Festival, and Virginia's Blue Ridge Go Cross Cyclocross Race

"A case study in strategically targeted destination marketing "It should be a case study in strategically targeted destination marketing," says Kristin Armstrong. It's a group of organizations that are focusing on their competitive advantage and getting it right," says Kristin Armstrong.