He wondered if a different model could work for his racing ambitions. L39ION of Los Angeles (USA) This new team (pronounced: legion) comprised of criterium specialists, including US Amateur National Road Champion Justin Williams, promotes speed and diversity. Nontraditional cycling brands are now seeking individual deals within the sport. I didn’t want to compromise.”. For instance, of London’s 750,000 daily cyclists only seven per cent are from ethnic minorities. The deal required him to race the Red Hook races, and to then ride a Specialized bike at his road events. It’s a hustle.”. It was part of a business.”. In a hectic sprint to the line, Williams claimed the U.S. amateur road national title in Hagerstown, Maryland. Trophies View more ROKA Le Défi 100: The Sequel Sep 2020 Phil's Cookie Fondo: Potrero Hill Climb Oct 2018 67 / 1,428. “So if I can have a brand that can extend my reach and help me interact and engage with more people, that’s crazy valuable. Trophies View more ROKA Le Défi 100: The Sequel Sep 2020 Phil's Cookie Fondo: Potrero Hill Climb Oct 2018 67 / 1,428. “Management expects you to be a robot,” Williams says. Subscribe to stay motivated with custom progress, segment and power goals. It’s a moon shot of a vision, but one with major upside—not just for him and L39ion, and not just for young Black aspiring bike racers. Sponsorship talks with Cylance’s bike sponsor, Cannondale, eventually fizzled, and Williams inked a personal deal with Specialized instead. “I like telling the story of how I got to where I am,” he says. The brand looks for cyclists who are atop their respective sports and have the results to boost their credibility. His father had a passion for racing bicycles, and Justin took up the sport as a teenager. The model has brought Williams enough financial security to race full-time without the side gig that most elite American riders must maintain. Justin Williams is doing it, on his own terms. Justin Williams talks Armstrong, Bruyneel and Team Ineos in new podcast By Cyclingnews 11 June 2020 American launches From The Gun With Legion podcast on Instagram Dynamics within pro cycling have shifted. It’s fantastic. Justin Williams from L39ION of Los Angeles joins the team to break down his career, sprint tactics, and more in Episode 263 of The Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast. I just want to make the sport better.”, Raised in South Central L.A., the son of Belizean immigrants and the second of four brothers, Williams was a prodigy on a bike. Please, pack it in and pack it out. black on the bike Home The Story The Cyclists The Filmmakers News Blog Donate It was people from my neighborhood in Central L.A. — the scene was so attractive to me,” Williams says. He says he did not start the CNCPT team or launch his performance camps with the long-term plan of personal sponsorship. I had been in cycling my whole life and I had nobody to relate to. Cory Williams’s spot on the KHS-Elevate professional team prevented him from inking an individual deal, but Justin’s privateer setup meant he had no obligation to other brands. Justin Williams and Legion of LA: redefining cycling in America True entrepreneurs and goal-oriented people make the most of every situation no matter how uncertain the future may be. After longtime road racer Alison Tetrick won the Dirty Kanza 200 gravel race in 2017, she created a gravel-centric racing program in 2018 with sponsors Specialized, Lezyne, and 100% sunglasses, among other brands. “I was just like, ‘that is a statement.’ That gave me goosebumps,” she says. Training in Europe, he felt isolated, a young Black man in an unfamiliar environment with seemingly no one willing to mentor him. Teams will be tied to cities instead of sponsors, and there will be fierce, storied rivalries, like the New York Wolfpack versus L39ion of Los Angeles. Early in 2018, Williams and his brother also reached out to the Southern California-based energy drink manufacturer Monster Energy. “There was already such a stigma to the [energy drink] category that our strategy is to stay away from sports that carry a lot of baggage,” says Jenner Richard, a marketing manager at Red Bull. For instance, of London’s 750,000 daily cyclists only seven per cent are from ethnic minorities. Leave it better, even. Justin Williams co-founded L39ION with his brother Cory and counts Rapha as one of their sponsors. When the pain did not subside, Johnson reached out to his Red Bull network for help. “I felt alone a lot. By the age of 20, he owned four national titles. Justin Williams Says L.A. ... and I’ve been cycling in L.A. ever since. Justin Williams has been knocked down so many times that he’s damn near indestructible now. “I understood that this was all about getting people stoked on cyclocross. The relationship gave him other perks as well. And perhaps beating a group of Category 1 riders is the only accolade Williams needs to accomplish in his new role in cycling. By Cyclingnews June 11, 2020 American launches From The Gun With Legion podcast on Instagram Justin Williams and the Legion of Los Angeles team (Image credit: Justin Williams) Rather than commit himself to one team and one discipline, Williams instead competes in whichever races bring him the most exposure and the most amount of fun. He’s not only one of the fastest cyclists in the country—he’s also one of the sport’s most outspoken champions for diversity. “I’ve done it other people’s ways for so long, I’d rather do it on my own.”. 6h 43m. Williams wants to sell crit racing as an aspirational lifestyle. “It was people I could relate to. Topics. Johnson says his deal doubled his annual salary from his road racing team. None of them had access to coaching, sponsors, or gear. While part of the team’s mission is to promote diversity and inclusion in cycling, its coed roster includes white riders, too. He’s diplomatic when describing the situation to me. Stream Justin Williams - Special Guest – Ask a Cycling Coach 263 by TrainerRoad from desktop or your mobile device. To inspire active participation in the world outside through award-winning coverage of the sports, people, places, adventure, discoveries, health and fitness, gear and apparel, trends and events that make up an active lifestyle. Looking for something else? “You’re going to these cities on this tour, and there might be 10,000 people surrounding a crit course, and you’re the star of that show. Williams beams as he discusses the deal with Monster. 12h 16m. ), Despite the early promise, Williams never made it to the big time. “I never felt like people really wanted to take the time to put me on game,” he says. “I’m trying to change cycling for everyone, period,” Williams says. Outlets from the New York Times to the BBC have sung the catchy, memorable verses of Williams’s journey from athlete to activist. A company representative booked him a same-day MRI, which revealed that Johnson had suffered a broken ankle. The rise of social media has given a platform to riders like Strickland, Tetrick, and Williams to reach fans directly. Williams was hesitant to get back into professional racing, but saw it as a good opportunity to support his brother. Williams is pursuing this unorthodox life after a decade of frustration in the American professional road cycling scene, which saw him bounce from team to team. Again, Williams felt constant friction and often quarreled with teammates and managers and balked at their direction. It was time to do things his way. Tetrick has now switched from road racing to gravel cycling full-time, in part due to the racing freedom the new model allows. Get the latest race news, results, commentary, and tech, delivered to your inbox. He was inspired. A decade ago, individual sponsorships in road racing were rare. Total 12h 16m. Noble is unquestionably fast, however she is not yet the outright fastest American woman in cyclocross. In his particular case, Justin Williams is taking advantage of this period by establishing the bases of his project, which is already disrupting the American scene and aims to redefine criterium racing. He launches into it without hesitation. Williams felt like an outcast as the only black rider in the upper-class, predominantly white U.S. peloton. Justin Williams leads a revolution in cycling sponsorship After years of setbacks, Justin Williams has created his own racing program without a professional road … The people in Justin Williams’s inner circle always knew he was a tenacious champion. They were prohibited from interacting with sponsors without permission or supervision and weren’t allowed to develop noncompeting sponsor relationships. Red Bull wants athletes who know how to promote themselves via traditional media, social media, or a combination of the two. I ask Williams to paint me a picture of his fantasy for American pro cycling in 20 years. “I love watching it. “It felt like I had been doing all of this stuff for so long and nobody had ever taken notice, and then all of a sudden these pieces are coming together in front of me,” Williams says. Justin Williams signs with Red ... inspiring or witty to say but today I’m just grateful," Williams wrote in an Instagram post announcing the ... of discussions about diversity in cycling. Cory has published the following Durianrider reply to one of his posts. Outside Podcast: Play this episode. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. “This isn’t just a fun activity, it’s a job. Check out our entire suite of free newsletters here. His own days of making $12,000 a year are over, too. 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