With a “wrestle to get the cash”, REIGN Storm Racing administration confirmed to Cyclingnews on Friday that the US males’s crew, so dominant in North America final season, would “pause” operations this yr and have a look at relaunching in 2026.
“With REIGN Storm, I anticipated that being a for much longer deal than it was. We had one other main participant that was actually interested by being a title sponsor, they usually got here in with good cash and program, however to start out constructing in direction of being a title sponsor, sadly, simply did not work. We’re on pause,” Thomas Craven, crew director, informed Cyclingnews Friday morning.
“I assumed I used to be gonna be capable to pull it collectively final Monday. The fellows with the cash behind the crew determined to not re-up. To run [the team] as a bare-bones factor might have been doable, however we began including all of it up and attempting to attain what we love to do, it simply did not work. It wanted to be a replication of the yr earlier than.”
The shock affirmation got here on the heels of the 2025 USA Crits calendar announcement, a sequence dominated final yr by REIGN Storm Racing with a podium sweep of the elite males’s particular person standings, the general going to Alfredo Rodriguez, and crew class.
The crew replicated success on the American Criterium Cup circuit as properly, Jordan Parra profitable the general, Danny Summerhill profitable the dash title and all the squad contributing to the crew title.
The present web site for the home elite squad, which fashioned final yr from a metamorphosis of Craven-led groups competing as Finest Buddies Racing and American Biking, touts the crew’s domination on the high two one-day race sequence, saying ‘See you subsequent yr!’ However that promise is now a plea for a comeback in 2026.
“All the biking trade companions that we had have been all holding their breath and crossing their fingers we might pull all of it off. However ultimately, it was simply unlucky that we needed to pull the plug. I imply, going into October [2024], I used to be 95% certain that we have been transferring on. Then issues simply saved getting pushed,” Craven famous.
“It is not my crew, I work for the organisation. I liked with the ability to have that a lot enter within the crew. We have been the dominant crew on the market within the States. It was a fantastic, nice time. It simply sucks for this yr.”
REIGN Storm Racing competed at a USA Biking-registered home elite crew, with a give attention to one-day races in North America in addition to the few stage races nonetheless remaining on the home calendar. Rodriguez took signature wins at Sunny King Criterium and Greenville Biking Basic whereas Parra had 12 podiums, together with 4 victories.
Summerhill was on the rostrum at 5 main one-day races, together with second at Athens Twilight Criterium, and Bryan Gómez, the 2023 Athens Twilight champion, had eight podiums, two of them wins. Colombian Jamie Alberto Castañeda was prolifically profitable with 5 race wins in Puerto Rico final summer time.
“We had a fantastic formulation for beating different opponents. I believe all people desires to win. It is loopy how profitable it was.”
Craven stated the group checked out a base funds of near $500,000 to fulfill operational prices for the crew, with journey, insurance coverage, entry charges and salaries outlined as the main bills. Host housing relieved the funds in previous years for his groups, however that was by no means a assure. Craven stated it was a precedence to pay salaries for his or her riders, which isn’t at all times the case for different home groups.
“It prices loads to get throughout the nation. You add in paying riders and supply all of the meals, housing… We had some nice companions so far as host housing goes. That was an enormous saving, and I did all of the cooking on the street.
“One rider texted me and stated ‘I will journey free of charge’. That was an choice, however the determination was made that it was not going to be a barebones try at a crew. It was a freaking blast. I will miss it this yr,” Craven concluded.
There have been 12 riders on the roster in 2024. Gómez was rumoured to have a brand new residence with one of many Williams Racing Growth groups, which operated L39ION of Los Angeles, Miami Blazers and Austin Outlaws final yr, whereas Parra was seeking to be part of a brand new crew in Florida.
