Felt Extends Sponsorship of Mafia Racing Team

PRESS RELEASE: Felt Bicycles is proud to announce it is continuing its sponsorship of the Mafia Racing off-road team in 2010. The Colorado-based Mafia Racing program started in 2007 and has grown each year to extend its reach to the national level while still remaining true to its grassroots community-based focus.

Joining the Mafia team this year are former Under-23 National Champion Sam Jurekovic of Colorado and three-time Utah State Cross-country champion Kathy Sherwin. Also new to the team this year is Tristan Schouten, a versatile road and cross-country rider and also a standout cyclocross racer, winning the 2010 Wisconsin state cyclo-cross champion and placing top-10 at the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross’ Planet Bike Cup.

Returning to Mafia Racing in 2010 is Becca Blay, who had a strong 2009 season, finishing fourth in the Mountain States Cup and finishing in the top-20 at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Nationals in Granby, Colorado, last summer. Also back with the team is Jake Wells, whose strong 2009 cyclo-cross season culminated with a 12th place finish at the U.S. National Championships in Bend, Oregon. And finally, Seth Wealing will continue representing Mafia at XTERRA competitions. Wealing is a perennial favorite and former national champion in the off-road multisport competition series.

“We’re excited to be continuing our support of the Mafia Racing program in 2010,” said Jim Felt, the company namesake of Felt Bicycles. “It’s a unique program that accomplishes a lot with both its racing results and its community outreach efforts. Felt shares those same values, and this continues to be a great partnership.”

Mafia Racing athletes will compete on a variety of Felt mountain bikes and cyclo-cross bikes in 2010, including Nine series cross-country bikes, which set the standard in competitive 29-inch-wheel hardtails. They’ll also race the Virtue series full-suspension bikes, featuring Felt’s award-winning Equilink rear suspension, and the FX series cyclo-cross bikes.

“The goal of the Mafia Racing program 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, cyclocross
Bradford Perley (Banner Elk, NC), cross-country, cyclocross
Dylan Stucki (Gunnison, CO), cross-country
Jake Wells (Avon, CO), cross-country, cyclocross
Jan Koles (Winter Park, CO), road, cross-country, cyclocross
Jared Berg (Louisville, CO), cross-country
Kari Studley (Bothell, WA), cross-country, cyclocross
Kate Scheider (Boulder, CO), road, cross-country, cyclocross
Kathy Sherwin (Heber City, UT), cross-country
Lindsey Bishop (Boulder, CO), road, cross-country, cyclocross
Meghan Korol (Madison, WI), cross-country, super-d, cyclocross
Sam Jurekovic (Jackson Hole, WY), cross-country
Seth Wealing (Boulder, CO), Xterra triathlon, cross-country
Spencer Powlison (Boulder, CO), cross-country, super-d, cyclocross
Stephen Ettinger (Cashmere, WA), cross-country
Trevor Downing (Durango, CO), cross-country
Tristan Schouten (Plymouth, WI), road, cross-country, cyclocross