The National Cycling League (NCL) announces the team line-up for Miami Beach Invitational
The National Cycling League, the first of its kind, revolutionary professional sports league, built around 21st century values of diversity, gender equity, sustainability, and community, has announced the complete team line-up ahead of the inaugural NCL cup race, the Miami Beach Invitational on April 8.
The NCL will be the only American Criterium race series broadcast globally to over 30 countries through its partnership with the Global Cycling Network, GCN+.
“With over 50 million cyclists in the U.S. and 10 million riding in virtual races, now is an incredible time to reinvent the sport of professional cycling,” said Paris Wallace, NCL Founder and CEO. “We are changing the rules to make the sport more spectator and broadcast friendly for a younger generation, and establishing a record-breaking prize purse structured intentionally to allow more teams to participate in the earnings. We think these changes will unleash the potential of professional cycling. Furthermore, we believe that developing a more inclusive culture, especially our foundational pillar of creating equal access and opportunity for female athletes to compete and fans to participate, will be instrumental in this transformation.”
Reed McCalvin, NCL co-founder and VP of Teams, added: “We are thrilled with the calibre of the teams that have accepted our invitation to compete in the NCL Cup’s inaugural race. The field of ten teams represents some of the top teams in criterium racing today. What is even more gratifying to me as a veteran of the sport is teams that do not have women’s or men’s squads as part of their structure, understood our vision and partnered to create new combined teams to compete under NCL rules requirements. This will take us closer to a long overdue, equitable future where professional cycling teams are made up equally of men and women.”
