Our friends at Giro have sponsored a new collective of athletes and brands that stand united in a common goal to introduce new audiences to cycling. Read the full press-release on this group below!
From Giro:
Flashpoint MVMNT includes four riders: Kathy Pruitt, Andrew Jackson, Nehemiah Brown, and Amanda Schaper, who is also Team Manager. These riders each have very different backgrounds and ride bikes for different reasons, but all come together with their desire to break down the barriers that prevent people from enjoying riding bikes. “We are committed to proving that riders don’t need a specific look or uniform to feel welcome in cycling,” said Amanda Schaper. “We want every rider to feel like they belong, no matter their skin color, gender, body type, cultural background, household income, or equipment preferences. We are focused on the fun that unites us all and making the changes that we want to see in our sport.”
Flashpoint MVMNT was founded by Giro Sport Design and is supported by Canyon Bicycles, SRAM/Zipp/RockShox, Wahoo Fitness, Thule, and Wilderness Trail Bikes. “The Flashpoint MVMNT crew came together naturally because we all see the same thing,” said Dain Zaffke, Giro Marketing Director. “Cycling is no longer solely defined by what happens at commercial events like the Tour de France, the UCI World Cup and Red Bull Rampage… it’s being shaped by the masses and the grassroots riders. After a year of turmoil, bikes have never been more popular as a means of exploration, exercise, and adventure. But this boom illustrates the divide between cycling media/marketing and the folks actually buying the equipment. Why should newcomers be influenced by the traditional reference points? Flashpoint MVMNT riders are all motivated to challenge the status quo and change the image of cycling.”
Beyond race results and podium placings, Flashpoint MVMNT plans to lead this change by creating content that showcases faces and personalities that a broader group of people can identify with. The riders value fun over suffering and believe that making positive changes is a bigger achievement than winning races. These are elite racers, but they have a grassroots mindset, believing that there is more power in community than the individual. Flashpoint MVMNT does not support elitism, and they are committed to being kind and welcoming to everybody.
Flashpoint MVMNT isn’t a traditional race team. The riders don’t wear uniforms, they set their own schedules, and pursue their own goals. They may aspire to win races throughout the season, but they understand that victory is fleeting and are working toward a larger goal of making a lasting impact and changing the face of cycling.
Meet the Flashpoint MVMNT riders:
Kathy Pruitt | Racing Hard and Spreading the Stoke
Kathy Pruitt is a lifelong California resident and an incredible rider no matter what type of bike she’s on. She has an impressive race resume, including Junior Downhill World Champion (2000). Kathy has always been a racer, even when juggling bike industry day jobs. This year, she is back to being a fulltime athlete and is fully committed to racing gravel at the highest level. As an elite athlete, Kathy stands out by bringing an undeniably positive attitude everywhere she goes. She is determined to show that racing is about having fun, with the goal of encouraging new people to toe the line.
“I take riding seriously and train hard so I can compete with the best, but that doesn’t mean I’m not having a good time. Cycling and suffering have always been synonymous, but I want to show that smiling and being a little silly actually makes you faster.” – Kathy Pruitt
Andrew Jackson | Giving Bikes a Creative New Style
Andrew Jackson hails from downtown Los Angeles, California, and has an impressive history as a BMX street-riding legend. He recently discovered the joy of drop bar bikes, trading rail slides and wall rides for gravel events and road races. He brings a new, creative style to gravel and road riding, inspired by his BMX skills and his professional career as a filmmaker. Andrew is motivated to give cycling a fresh new look that appeals to a new type of rider.
“I want to show people that you don’t need to live in the mountains to ride gravel. I love riding from my house in downtown LA. There are gravel spots all over, and sometimes it just takes a little creativity to find them.” – Andrew Jackson
Nehemiah Brown | Achieving More Diversity in Cycling
Nehemiah Brown leads a busy life in San Rafael, California, balancing his day job at a technology start-up with dawn patrol rides and weekend road trips. He loves all types of riding, as long as it includes a healthy dose of dirt and adventure. Nehemiah’s commitment to promoting racial equity is at the center of everything he does. He is constantly working towards achieving more diversity in cycling by advising brands on how to be more inclusive, and how to break down barriers by creating experiences so members of underprivileged communities can enjoy cycling.
“I’m an activist, and I love riding bikes. Cyclists know the power of working together, and we can all take part in making the sport more accessible and inclusive to all participants. I want to uplift marginalized communities, and that starts by making sure they can join the fun.” – Nehemiah Brown
Amanda Schaper | Welcoming Everybody to the Bike Community
Amanda Schaper lives in Santa Cruz, California, and feels most at home on the trails and dirt roads amongst the redwoods and along the coast. She started riding and racing nearly 15 years ago, always mixing it up between mountain bike, cyclocross, and gravel events. Bikes quickly changed Amanda’s life, even leading to a new career. Since 2010, she has managed the marketing efforts for some of the bike industry’s most reputable brands, and now has her own independent consulting business. Amanda has consistently used her position in the bike industry to create new opportunities for women and promote gender inclusivity.
“Throughout my career in the bike industry, I’ve always been asked how to get more women on bikes. When you consider and represent all types of experiences, you won’t just get more women, but more people of all genders, colors, sizes, ages, and abilities. I want to make the cycling community a fun and welcoming space for everybody.” – Amanda Schaper
Flashpoint MVMNT has a busy year planned, with events including the Belgian Waffle Ride, SBT GRVL, Grinduro Wales, Grinduro California, and more. They will be sharing stories along the way, and they are inviting you to join the movement at @flashpointmvmnt and #flashpointmvmnt.
