let's make it official

2009 is going to be a big year for keirinculture.com and Kazane. The big news is that the Premier Sports Partners UCI pro road team will be riding Kazane frames and wheels. Last year the team was known as Time Pro Cycling. Highlights of their '08 season include wins at the Harlem Skyscraper and San Francisco Twilight crits. They also made a strong showing at races like USPRO and the Tour of PA.
This is the best team in the US for me to get behind. The goal of the team is to develop young racers. They do this by having a core of U25 racers with a few experienced mentors to help them along. Along with the pro team is a developmental team that will work as a feeder to the pro squad. Also important to me is the fact that they are based in the region and are planning to have their spring training camp in the mountains of the Roanoke area. This will create a good opportunity to help build the region's reputation as one of the best areas for cycling on the East Coast.
I started Kazane as a track bike only company and this team will help the brand grow on the track as well as the road. I had a choice to make in my marketing for next year - either get involved one of the most positive programs in pro racing or, like most of the other track bike brands and shops, focus purely on street and trick riding. Keirin Culture was born out of friendships that started at a road race in Taiwan, and the original goal was to help my friends who are pro keirin racers - a career that is just not as lucrative as it was in the past. Now that the company has grown to include a new brand of frames and parts I think that the best way continue the mission is to help young racers who are making the same sacrifices for the sport here in the US.
Check back for more updates on the team and their equipment.