Amaury Sport Organization (A.S.O.), organisers of international sporting events including the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, have entered into a multi-year, strategic agreement with US-based Arlington Sports to strengthen the international reach of pro races and amateur events that are part of Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic.
Arlington Sports has organised a weekend of cycling events in the Washington D.C region for 28 years, known today as the Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic (AFCC). This year's pro races return on Memorial Day weekend - Capitol Cup on May 30 in Washington, DC and Clarendon Cup on May 31 in Arlington, Virginia. The Challenge Ride for amateurs will be held on May 30.
"We haven't sat down to break down what needs to be done, but together we see a whole lot of upside and potential, and growth opportunity," Rob Laybourn, president of Arlington Sports, told Cyclingnews.
"I think the overall mission here is that they recognize that there's a very well-established, successful event in the sport of cycling, that has demonstrated its value to sponsors, to the community, to the jurisdictions, and fits within their mission. They want to be caretakers for the sport."
Laybourn founded the Clarendon Cup bike race in 1998, and then added a second day of racing, Crystal Cup (now the Capitol Cup) to create the Amazon Armed Forces Cycling Classic. There are also amateur and mass participation events as well as charitable initiatives.
"Creating the Armed Forces Cycling Classic has been very rewarding for me: it has allowed me to contribute to the development of a sport that has meant a great deal in my life and to share it with as many people as possible. Working with A.S.O., a global reference in cycling, is both a source of pride and a real source of enthusiasm for the future of this event,” Laybourn said in a press statement.
Laybourn confirmed he would remain as the race director this year and that A.S.O. would collaborate to elevate the event for future years. The press release noted that the agreement aimed "to strengthen the international reach of the event, enhance the experience for all stakeholders, and position Washington D.C. as a particularly attractive destination for the elite of cycling".
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This year's two venues for all pro races and the Challenge Ride, which offers a car-free, 12-mile closed course for up to three hours, remain unchanged. Both pro races are sanctioned by USA Cycling and offer a $17,000 prize purse each day, split evenly between men and women, plus a $5,000 Omnium prize list for top 10s in each category.
“We are proud to begin this collaboration alongside Arlington Sports on an event that has been developed with consistency and rigor for more than two decades. What stands out to us is the strength of its foundations; the event is deeply rooted in the local community and has grown in a sustainable way. Our role will be to support this momentum and contribute to its development, while preserving its identity," Yann Le Moenner, chief executive officer of A.S.O., said in a press statement.
The statement also noted that both A.S.O. and Arlington Sports shared a vision to have a positive impact by encouraging everyone to incorporate more cycling into their daily lives.
Based in France, A.S.O. is a subsidiary of the media company Amaury Group, which owns newspaper L'Equipe. The sport group organises 100 events in 36 countries, including two Grand Tours - men's and women's Tour de France, La Vuelta España, la Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es. They also operate events in motor sports, golf, sailing and mass events, such as the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris.
“The arrival of A.S.O. on the American market is a major step for the development of cycling in the country. This agreement marks a promising new stage for American sport," added Brian J. Morra, chairman of the Advisory Board of the Armed Forces Cycling Classic.
Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
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Fonte original: Cyclingnews