Felt Bicycles continue as a headlining equipment sponsor of the Mafia Racing off-road team in 2010.
New Mafia team members include former US under-23 national champion Sam Jurekovic of Colorado and three-time Utah state cross-country champion Kathy Sherwin. Tristan Schouten, a versatile road and cross-country rider and cyclo-cross racer, rounds out the new signings. He won the 2010 Wisconsin state 'cross championship and placed top-10 at the US Grand Prix of Cyclo-cross Planet Bike Cup.
The Colorado-based Mafia Racing programme started in 2007 and has grown each year to extend its reach to the national level while remaining focused on its grassroots community-based mission.
Returning members include Becca Blay, who finishing fourth in the Mountain States Cup series and in the top-20 at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Nationals in Granby, Colorado.
Jake Wells had breakthrough finishes in national level cyclo-cross races during the 2009 season. He finished 12th at CrossVegas, which is arguably the biggest 'cross race in the US, and ended the season with 12th place at the national championships in Bend, Oregon.
Seth Wealing continues as Mafia’s XTERRA off-road triathlon racer. Wealing is a former national champion in the off-road multisport competition series.
“We’re excited to be continuing our support of the Mafia Racing programme in 2010,” said Jim Felt, the company namesake of Felt Bicycles. “It’s a unique programme that accomplishes a lot with both its racing results and its community outreach efforts. Felt share those same values, and this continues to be a great partnership.”
Mafia Racing athletes will compete on a variety of Felt mountain and cyclo-cross bikes in 2010: Nine series cross-country bikes, Virtue full-suspension bikes and FX 'cross bikes.
“The goal of the Mafia Racing programme is to inspire individuals to become more active in their communities,” said team director David Janowiec. “To reach out to people wherever we go and inspire them to incorporate health, the arts, culture, sustainability and creativity into their lives.”
Other Mafia Racing team partners include Pabst Blue Ribbon, Shimano, DT Swiss, Pearl Izumi, Skull Candy, Silverback Music, Nooka, GoFast, GU Sports, Nuun, Squirt Lube, Rudy Project, The TopShelf Lab and Human Movement Management.
2010 MAFIA RACING PRO ROSTER
- Andy Rigel (Seattle, WA), cross-country
- Becca Blay (Boulder, CO), cross-country, cyclo-cross
- Bradford Perley (Banner Elk, NC), cross-country, cyclo-cross
- Dylan Stucki (Gunnison, CO), cross-country
- Jake Wells (Avon, CO), cross-country, cyclo-cross
- Jan Koles (Winter Park, CO), road, cross-country, cyclo-cross
- Jared Berg (Louisville, CO), cross-country
- Kari Studley (Bothell, WA), cross-country, cyclo-cross
- Kate Scheider (Boulder, CO), road, cross-country, cyclo-cross
- Kathy Sherwin (Heber City, UT), cross-country
- Lindsey Bishop (Boulder, CO), road, cross-country, cyclo-cross
- Meghan Korol (Madison, WI), cross-country, super-d, cyclo-cross
- Sam Jurekovic (Jackson Hole, WY), cross-country
- Seth Wealing (Boulder, CO), Xterra triathlon, cross-country
- Spencer Powlison (Boulder, CO), cross-country, super-d, cyclo-cross
- Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, WA), cross-country
- Trevor Downing (Durango, CO), cross-country
- Tristan Schouten (Plymouth, WI), road, cross-country, cyclo-cross
