At the conclusion of the 2022 racing season the LUX Development Team will cease all operations. Well regarded over the past decade as the leading junior development team in the US, LUX has been led by Hall of Fame cyclist, Roy Knickman.
I couldn’t be any prouder of what we were able to accomplish over these past many years with numerous National and World Championships, on the track and on the road. Domestically we dominated with hundreds of podiums throughout our tenure. And this year we were able to watch 3 of our alumni race in the Tour de France. It’s all been an amazing experience for me,” said Knickman.
“We have grown to understand what was needed to aid riders through their development from a standpoint of training workload, their race schedule, gear and material needs, as well as the mentoring required to have them achieve their potential. Our efforts aided in bringing a whole new group of young athletes to the World Tour and top U23 teams. Naturally, we look forward to following them as their careers continue to unfold,” Knickman continued.
LUX is ceasing for a combination of reasons that will be no surprise for long time cycling fans: difficulty in securing continuous and adequate funding, staff shortages the result of being under resourced. It has been a yearly struggle to piece together a budget to support these young athletes, with the recent economic downturn being the final factor resulting in the end of the operation for the team.
The young men’s and women’s team riders were notified over the past several weeks and efforts are being made to ensure they continue to find team placement to facilitate their continued development journey.
As a long time cycling fan it’s been an immensely joyful experience for me to support these fine young adults. I know how much the bike has done for me and I believe it to be a perfect vehicle for developing many of the skills that will make for a successful life: teamwork, determination, consistency, grit,” Knickman went on to explain.
The team has been supported by a host of companies inside and outside of the cycling industry, but none played a more crucial role than Specialized. The California bike company was instrumental in the team’s success, providing bikes, components, and the use of their WIN tunnel.
The LUX organization will be working to pass on the knowledge, connections and relationships they’ve developed so there can be a continuation of this new influx of young US talent into the European peloton. The organization continues to hope that there will be continued support for the teams who are working to support athletes at the International development level as economic conditions improve.
Knickman concluded, “LUX would like to thank everyone who has been involved in working with us and supporting the LUX program. It has been a great run with a lot to be proud of, none of which was possible without those who stepped up for us.”
