Transcend Sports, a partnership between Colorado Premier Training and RAHA Sports Management, has registered a UCI Continental team that will compete in the NRC series and international races. The team has just signed Australian sprinter Hilton Clarke from the Fuji-Servetto (now Footon-Servetto) team, and is in negotiations with two other riders from the ProTour ranks.
Rahsaan Bahati headlines the roster for the newly formed Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team. In a press release from the team Bahati said, “I'm blessed to have a talented group of individuals who can deliver the message for the Bahati Foundation while winning races at a professional level. I’m truly excited to know my future is in the hands of people who are dedicated to the sport and want to give back to the communities that are lacking structure and resources.”
Bahati will also contribute as part of the management staff and ,as part of RAHA Sports Management, is also an owner.
The team is built with established riders along with up-and-coming talent that will make the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team an immediate presence on the domestic pro racing scene.
The Bahati Foundation is a non-profit organization that inspires and empowers underprivileged youth to rise above their circumstances. Statistically, those at greatest risk for poverty today are inner city families and single parent families. Their goal is to work with their partners in helping today’s underprivileged youth overcome poverty. They plan to provide the resources, support and inspiration to help young people succeed in life.
Bahati, founder and spokesperson explained, “this is a step in the right direction for cycling, the riders, our partners and most importantly, the hard hit underprivileged areas that need the support from organizations like the Bahati Foundation.
"I'm thrilled and humbled at the same time to know I can be the difference in someone’s life by supporting this cycling team and I look forward to seeing the team in action."
Growing up in Compton, CA, Bahati was an unlikely cyclist, but when his parents gave him a choice between golf or biking to occupy his after school time, he chose the bike. He hooked up with the Major Motion cycling club, named for Marshall "Major" Taylor, an often times forgotten hero that was the second African-American athlete to become a World Champion. Taylor achieved that back in 1899 overcoming racial discrimination. The club took Bahati under their wing, and just six months later he was competing in the Junior Nationals where he brought home four medals. He went on to earn more than 80 victories as a junior.
In 2000, Bahati's undeniable talent was announced when he won the the U.S. Elite Criterium National Championship as a junior. The win launched his career putting him on several top teams including Mercury, Saturn, and TIAA-CREF the predecessor to Garmin-Slipstream.
2010 Pro Team Roster:
Rahsaan Bahati
Nathan O’Neill
Hilton Clarke
Jason Donald
Matt Rice
Cesar Grajales
Ryan Baumann
Corey Collier
Bobby Lea
Alex Hagman
Peter Carey
Phillip Mann
Evan Hyde
Ian Burnett
Lanell Rockmore