Page receives title sponsorship for US 'cross nationals

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American cyclo-cross stalwart Jonathan Page, who's faced a rocky 2012-2013 season with the absence of a title sponsor, received a welcome boost today as Vermont-based engineering firm ENGVT announced that it would step in as title sponsor for the US elite men's 'cross championship, taking place January 13 in Madison, Wisconsin. The sponsorship agreement is limited to the weekend of Nationals and will give Page the support he needs to contend for his fourth elite men's title.

"We're proud to bring Jonathan into the ENGVT family," said ENGVT president Jerry Chabot. "He embodies the same values that drive us every day: hard work, integrity, commitment and dedication."

Chabot further said that he'd long been weighing the benefits of professional level sponsorship, but Page's compelling and consistently improving 2012-2013 campaign gave the company the push it needed to get into the game. "It's been a pleasure to cheer for Jonathan for so many years, but to see him come into such strong form, we felt the time was right to show our support on a whole new level. While Jonathan is still seeking a long-term title sponsor, we jumped at the opportunity to be in his corner for Madison."

"Jerry has been in my corner for 25 years and it's great to have his company behind me," said Page. "We're like family and I'm proud to wear the ENGVT name on my chest in Madison and hope to bring home the Stars and Stripes."

Page won three consecutive US elite men's titles from 2002 through 2004. He's since placed on the podium in all but one national championship race from 2005 to 2012 but a fourth title has proved elusive.

Page announced in September 2012 that he'd be without title sponsor Planet Bike for the current season, but nonetheless contested his usual early season races in the US followed by a European campaign from his base in Belgium with the help of secondary sponsors. He's winless thus far this season, but had numerous podium and top-10 finishes on US soil before embarking for Europe. He's faced several health problems while overseas and has suffered through a spate of lacklustre results, but the historic event of the cyclo-cross world championships taking place on US soil for the first time in history provided motivation to persevere.

While Page is the only US elite 'crosser ever to stand on the podium at Worlds, which he accomplished with a silver-medal performance in 2007, the 36-year-old's place on the US team for this February's 'cross Worlds in Louisville, Kentucky was still tenuous until he earned an automatic bid through a 15th place finish at the World Cup round in Namur, Belgium on December 23.

Page has recently arrived home in the United States where he will compete today at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup New Year's Resolution, providing a snowy tune-up one week in advance of nationals in Wisconsin.