After a several year hiatus, the sponsor that most recently supported riders such as, Van Garderen, Haga, Abbot, Powers and Krughoff is returning to the elite level of team sponsorship. Today, the Scout Cycling Team announced that the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant is taking over as the team’s title sponsor. On a personal note, as a former member of the Rio and strong supporter of Fort Collins cycling, I was very excited to learn that Rio was coming back and with a Fort Collins line up. Team Rio Grande Racing is a Fort Collins based Elite team, with Fort Collins based riders and sponsors.
Read the full press release below.
January 16, 2017
NoCo Sports Management, LLC
Media Contact: Logan VonBokel
Logan@UncommonCommunications.net
FORT COLLINS, Colorado — NoCo Sports Management, the managing entity behind
Colorado’s premier elite amateur cycling team, is pleased to announce that the Rio
Grande Mexican Restaurant will be taking over as the title sponsor for what was the
Scout Cycling Team.
Effective immediately, through the 2018 season, the Rio Grande will hold sole naming
rights of the Rio Grande Elite Cycling team. Scout App is staying on as a supporting
sponsor — a sure sign of local cohesiveness. With a strong focus on developing young
talent, as well as giving back to community through volunteer outreach and speaking
with local youth groups, Rio Grande Elite Cycling will continue to carry on the standard
set in the team’s previous two years.
“With all that the Rio Grande has achieved with its past elite teams, graduating riders
like Chad Haga, Tejay van Garderen, Allison Powers, and Mara Abbott to the pro ranks,
continuing that precedent with this team was a no-brainer,” offered Rio Grande
Restaurant owner Pat McGraughran. “Nate Taggatz and the team have already
accomplished a lot, but the family here at The Rio are excited to help take the team to
new levels.”
In 2016 the now Rio Grande Elite Cycling rider, Owen Hatcher, won the season-long
Rocky Mountain Road Cup overall title. Rio Grande Elite Cycling took dozens of
podiums along with a fourth place in the team classification for the Rocky Mountain
Road Cup.
“We are beyond excited to announce that a long-time supporter of Colorado cycling, like
Pat McGraughran and the Rio Grande restaurant,” said Rio Grande team manager Nate
Taggatz. “With this change in title sponsors, we turn over a new leaf for the team, but
we will continue to achieve greater success in the competitive landscape of domestic
elite racing.”
Now in its 17th season, the Rio Grande will continue to support its successful Masters
team and grass-roots club program, in addition to the separately-managed Rio Grande
Elite team.
The Fort Collins-based elite amateur program will focus on Rocky Mountain Road Cup
events here in Colorado, as well as select USA Cycling Pro Road Tour events like Joe
Martin Stage Race (Fayetteville, AR), Tulsa Tough (Tulsa, OK), and the Cascade
Classic (Bend, OR).
The Rio Grande Fort Collins will be hosting a team presentation night at its Agave
Room on February 8th at 6pm. The Rio Grande Restaurant and Elite Team would like to
invite the local cycling community and friends of the team to celebrate the new
partnership with the riders and sponsors.
Rio Grande Elite roster: Owen Hatcher (25, Fort Collins), Nate Taggatz (30, Fort
Collins), Nate Prewitt (27, Fort Collins), Kevin Tempel (29, Fort Collins), Logan
VonBokel (28, Fort Collins), Brett Rindt (35, Fort Collins), Dean Haas (23, Lakewood),
Tony Olson (27, Boulder), Kip Taylor (31, Fort Collins), Fred Shattell (27, Arvada)
Rio Grande Elite sponsors: Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, Scout App, ProTech, Suck
it Up, Spex Vision Care, First City Mortgage Group, Source Endurance, Hagman
Homes, Castelli, Veloforma, Praxis, Velofix, Peritus Coffee Roasters, Your Group Ride,
and Lazer Sport.
