The Spike team was very successful at the 2006 National Track Championships (Image credit: Mark Legg)
In an open letter sent to media outlets, Cody Racing Team director Bill Ramsay has announced that on November 30, Biotest Laboratories (Spike) pulled their three-year sponsorship commitment from the Spike Professional Track Cycling Team. After only one year of team existence, some of the best sprint athletes in America will therefore be left without a sponsor.
"I have been involved in cycling for 27 years as an athlete and team director," Ramsay wrote. "I love and believe in US Track Cycling, our athletes, and have built a team/support structure specifically for the sprint elite of our sport. This new track professional team structure is the future of track cycling worldwide. The UCI has made this new structure possible, and USA Cycling believes in it and supports it. To see the first US/UCI Professional Track Team struck down in its first year is not acceptable to my staff or me."
The team's director therefore called for support in achieving the goals the past and future Olympians have set for themselves. "Cody Racing Team, Inc. the company that owns the contracts with the athletes and the equipment sponsors of this team cannot financially continue this team without help. The infrastructure is ready to go through Beijing in 2008, the secondary sponsors are signed and ready, the athletes and staff are in place to start the 2007 with the World Cup in Los Angeles during January. Please help these great athletes in their dream of athletic excellence."
Ben Barczewski (19) - 11 x Jr. National Champion, 1, 2006 Worlds Team Member Michael Blatchford (20) - 3 x Senior National Champion, 2 x Worlds Team Member Katie Compton (29) - 2 x Senior National Champion, 3 x UCI / IPC World Champion Ryan Luttrell (21) - 2 x Jr. National Champion, 1 x Jr. Worlds Team Member Giddeon Massie (25) - 6 x Jr. National Champion, 3 x Senior National Champion, 5 x Worlds Team Member, 2004 Olympic Team Member Jennie Reed (28) - 1 x World Cup Gold Medalist, 1 x World Cup Overall Champion, 13 x World Cup Medalist, 10 x Senior National Champion, 2004 Olympic Team Member Kevin Selker (21) - 1 x Senior National Champion, in his first year of world cup travel Jackie Simes - New to the team for 2007 Kevin Suhr (22) - Competed in the Amateur Gent 6 day last month
Bill Ramsay can be contacted at codyracing@aol.com or on Tel. +1 719 287-0130.
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