Justin Williams has announced the launch of the city-based team, the Austin Aviators, which made its official debut at the Redlands Bicycle Classics this past weekend.
This is the third teams under the Williams Racing Development umbrella, joining the successful L39ion of Los Angeles and the Miami Blazers.
Austin has become a cycling hub in Texas with a prominent cycling community and now a professional team. The team will be racing the largest criteriums in the country including Tulsa Tough and Elite Nationals aboard Vitus bikes.
Vitus’s global marketing manager Alex James expressed his excitement for the new partnership, stating: "We’re stoked to be kicking off our partnership with the Austin Aviators. As a global bike brand we didn’t want to go down the traditional UCI Pro Tour route and love the fast-paced action that comes with US Pro Crit racing. For us it’s not about race wins or podiums, but rather the people that make the team and the city they represent."
(Image credit: Kit Karzen)
Roster
The Aviators have an impressive roster with two national champions in Connor White of Bermuda and Gregory Vanderpool of Barbados on the men's team. They are joined by a strong mix of young developing riders and older, veteran experienced riders coming from several professional teams to help guide the teams.
The Aviators have already netted several wins this season with White taking the second stage and overall win at the Valley of the Sun stage race in the pro/1 category, and Nicole Mertz winning one of the popular Austin Driveway Series races.
The men’s roster consists of
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- Christhian Ravelo (Columbia)
- Connor Sallee (Ireland)
- Connor White (Bermuda) National Champion
- Eamon Lucas (USA)
- Gregory Vanderpool (Barbados), National Champion
- Michael Pincus (USA)
- Travis Longfellow (USA)
Henry Lord is a Cycling Weekly Intern. He grew up in southern Maine and was introduced to mountain biking by his dad. Lord grew up racing mountain bikes and cyclocross across the East Coast as well as downhill and XC skiing. He moved out west to Durango, Colorado to start college at Fort Lewis, where in the last two years he has focused on road racing in addition to studying Communication design and marketing.
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