Athlonsport Cycling 2014 Race season

Aim

The Athlonsport cycling team is part of the Athlonsport Triathlon store in Chelmsford, Essex. We have managed to obtain the services of a seasoned professional (Russell Hampton) to start our cycling team. He is a former GB medal winner with a huge passion and hunger following stints with Sigma sport and Rayleigh. We can offer sponsors a platform for advertising in TV and magazine media channels and with the Tour De France coming through our home town of Chelmsford in 2014 we believe the interest in cycling will be far and above the levels it currently acheives

Athlonsport Racing Team.

So first a quick background on who I am. My name is Jeffrey Collins (Jeff) and I am the Director of the new Athlonsport triathlon store based in Chelmsford Essex. We are very much a family affair with 2 of my brothers and myself starting the business just over a year ago and we have done what many others advise you not to (make our passion our business). Over the last year we have come a long way, learnt a lot of lessons and continue to have the desire to expand and promote cycling in the community.

We have been given the opportunity to become part of the British Pro Cycling national and elite series events with the signing of the former GB youth rider (Russell Hampton). We have also had Boardman bikes commit to supply frames for the season.

 Athlonsports main focus for our first full year’s participation in the racing calendar is to concentrate on one full time professional rider only. Russell will be competing in all Premier calendar, Elite Crit series and National A & B events. A large portion of these events are broadcast on ITV, Channel 4 and Eurosport, and with the Tour De France not only coming to the UK for the first 3 days of 2014 but also going through our shop based city (Chelmsford), cycling has never been more current, exposed and an exciting time to be involved in.

Russell's credentials speak for themselves, riding for Team Raleigh last year and Sigma Sport previously he is now ready for a very different and new challenge.

 He's previous achievements include:

• Hillingdon Grand Prox Winner 2012
• ECCA Championship Winner 2012
• Spent 4 days in the Skoda KOM jersey at the Tour of Britain 2011
• World cup winner Los Angeles Scratch race
• Former GB Academy rider

The media and audience exposure during the 2014  cycling season highlights the opportunities for potential sponsors / investors, at least 25 races / events will be shown on Eurosport / ITV and channel 4. This gives a combined television audience in excess of 32 million viewers. Publication circulation will also generate a healthy exposure with many cycling publications having in excess of 30-50,000 readers.

Cycling is the new Golf!

As you may already be aware there is a rapidly growing business community with a passion for cycling. Cycling in the UK has undergone a renaissance over the past five years, with an increasing number of people taking to the streets instead of the golf course to conduct business.

A growing number of corporate-sponsored charity bike rides and city cycle clubs are providing an ideal opportunity to talk shop with like-minded colleagues and clients while discussing different bike frames and tricky headwinds. Many believe cycling is better than golf for building lasting working relationships, or landing a new job, because it is less competitive. When you play golf with somebody you have to decide if you’re going to beat them, or let them beat you, There is an easy rhythm about conversations on a bike. The adrenaline rushes, the serotonin pulses and the surges of endorphin create a kind of high, a sense of euphoria. People feel open, honest and generous to others and you often find people saying things on a bike which they wouldn’t normally say.

Essentially you are always attracted to people that have similar interests and a similar outlook. Only certain types of people are willing to get on a bike and cycle 100km. You have a natural affiliation to people who share the same life experiences.

Cycling is for all ages (young, old and even bizarre) with the young riding for a different reason to previous years and from a younger age. Kids now ride and want to emulate their heros, the likes of Mark Cavendish, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome are household names. 

Athlonsport will continue to promote the sport locally, within the community and nationally via Athlonsport racing team and want investors to partner us in this exciting opportunity. We hope you have the same passion for cycling that we do and see this as an avenue to express your passion and be involved from the very start.

Match-funding:

We have already had great offers from three sponsors below. WaterHouse Volvo from Chelmsford Essex, SovereignGuards UK from Loughton and Peloton Consulting from Chelmsford Essex have committed to sponsoring us to a combined value of £6000 as long as we reach our £20,000 target. A massive thank you from Athlonsport for this commitment. Now we just need your help to get to the target.

 Many thanks for your time.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 20th December 2013