NCL partners with Wahoo, changes date of Washington DC Invitational
This article originally appeared on Velo News
The National Cycling League has announced a two-year strategic partnership with the athlete fitness technology company Wahoo Fitness.
The NCL's two co-ed professional cycling teams - the Denver Disruptors and Miami Nights - will train and compete exclusively with Wahoo products and software. Additionally, Wahoo will be the presenting sponsor for their training camps in Phoenix, Arizona, from February 21 - March 2, 2023.
"We are proud to align with Wahoo Fitness, a leader in sports technology innovation, to create a top-to-bottom integration with the NCL," said NCL co-founder and CEO, Paris Wallace.
"With Wahoo's groundbreaking device ecosystem and Wahoo X software's ability to track and monitor athlete performance, our Head Coaches can optimize training and racing strategies across individual athlete and team performances. Wahoo is the perfect partner to optimize our athletes and provide valuable insights for fans."
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The Wahoo RGT interactive cycling platform will also enable an immersive fan experience, powering NCL's vision of integrating athlete performance data with interactive content that bridges the gap between reality and the metaverse.
"Wahoo has been driving innovation in connected cycling technology since 2009 and we are excited to see the National Cycling League take an innovative approach to professional cycling in the United States,” said Wahoo’s CEO Mike Saturnia.
“In this partnership, Wahoo technology will help athletes perform at their highest level and will also play a key role supporting the NCL as they bring a fresh perspective to the professional cycling fan experience."
Modeled after pre-season training camps from sports leagues like the NFL and MLB, the Denver Disruptors and Miami Nights will train independently in Phoenix from February 21 - March 2, 2023, and compete in scheduled scrimmages.
In addition to coming together as a team, the camp provides opportunities for physiological testing and learning to use Wahoo devices and software to optimize training and performance. Camp experiences will be documented for 'Wahoo Behind the Scenes' content. The camp will also incorporate rides with members of the military and their families on Luke Air Force Base, west of Phoenix, Arizona.
Throughout the season, riders will train and race exclusively using Wahoo ELEMNT Roam GPS computers, TICKR X heart rate monitors, and POWRLINK Zero Dual power meter pedals. In the paddocks before and after each of the four NCL Cup Invitationals, Denver Disruptors' and Miami Nights' riders will use KICKR ROLLR smart bike roller trainers to warm up and cool down.
The night before the inaugural NCL Miami Beach Invitational on April 8, 2023, athletes from all 10 men's and women's teams will compete in a series of single-elimination sprints on a Wahoo KICKR smart trainer.
Modeled after the qualifiers in auto racing, sprint results will determine the start order for Saturday's professional men's and women's races. Each team will enter its best sprinter to compete in this high-energy, spectator-friendly series of short sprints; the fastest rider in each race moves on to the next round.
Throughout the season, by leveraging interactive indoor cycling technologies, NCL fans will have the opportunity to see how they stack up against the sport's top athletes.
"Our goal has been to bring the NCL's exciting race format to the masses, our partnership with Wahoo will allow us to involve our fans in actual racing, an experience that even the NFL can't deliver," said NCL's VP of partnerships, Kelly Staley. "Wahoo's global community will help us spread our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, while fans race virtually against the stars of our sport."
2023 NCL Invitational race calendar
NCL Miami Beach
Miami Beach, FL
April 8, 2023
NCL Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
May 14, 2023
NCL Denver
Denver, CO
August 13, 2023
NCL Washington D.C.
Washington D.C.
September 17, 2023
NOTE: Due to a schedule conflict in the City of Washington D.C., the NCL Washington D.C. Invitational will now take place on September 17, 2023.
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