This weekend the culmination of the Jelly Belly Cycling Team’s entire season will be tested at the USA Cycling National Criterium Championships, Sunday August 16 in Downers Grove, Ill. Jelly Belly will have a full squad at this year’s event; Brad Huff, Nick Reistad, Jeremy Powers, Matty Rice, Matt Crane, Bernard van Ulden and Bryce Mead.
“We believe we are sending the best team to compete in Downers Grove since we won the nationals a few years back with Jonas Carney,” said Team Director Danny van Haute.
He explains that this has been the team’s goal from the beginning of the season, they’ve all been looking forward to the figure eight circuit in Downers Grove.
“When the JBC is together with a full contingent of riders, we know we are the best in the business.”
In other news, on Friday the Jelly Belly Cycling Team will be signing autographs at the Northbrook Velodrome from 7 to 8 p.m. and talking to the kids who ride every Friday night in the stock bike program. “Who knows,” van Haute said, “there might even be a rider that I can use next year.”
Also, two JBC riders will be visiting the children at the Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, in Downers Grove, signing autographs and giving out special 10th Anniversary team water bottles filled with Jelly Belly beans from 4 tp 5 p.m.
-Molly Saunders
Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team Community Relations
This is the year that Jelly Belly wins Downers Grove…it would be great to see the whole team on the podium! Good Luck Brad & Matty!
Good Luck Guys!! Wish I was there!
I know there has to be some real disappointment with the end results of this years National Criterium Championship race, but if it hadn’t been for that crash in Turn #7 with a few laps to go, Jelly Belly was in the thick of things to surely win the race. I was really saddened to see several of the Jelly Belly riders injured from that crash (Matty, Nick & Bryce), but overall this team is tough and I know all the men will be back in the peloton riding strongly in the weeks ahead. Downers Grove may not have produced the win you had planned for, but as you well know, tomorrow is another day, and I know the Jelly Belly Professional Cycling Team will come back stronger and better than ever! Thanks guys for one great TEAM effort year at Downers!