Mt. Borah, a maker of high-end custom cycling apparel, is proud to announce its partnership with Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies for the 2014 season.
Comprised of twenty-five athletes, the Minneapolis based orange and black team will race an international schedule in both road and cyclo-cross disciplines. The athletes will be outfitted in Mt. Borah’s top-tier cycling apparel, which is designed and manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Coon Valley, Wisconsin.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be back in the saddle with the Optum p/b KBS team,” said Chris Jackson, owner of Mt. Borah. “As a founding supplier for years one and two, back when the team was originally formed, it will be personally rewarding to be back in the fold, getting rider feedback, and working alongside this first class organization. It has been fun to see the team grow from one of America’s smallest continental teams seven years ago, to arguably its best.”
Mt. Borah will also unveil its new company logo, Borah Team Wear, with the 2014 Optum kit design.
“We couldn’t be more excited for our renewed partnership with Borah,” said Charles Aaron, Optum’s team owner. “Chris and I have a long-standing relationship and share a passion for the sport of cycling that made this a natural fit for both parties. It is a great representation of our continued support and development of North American cycling to have our riders using apparel made right here in Wisconsin.”
The team kept the distinct orange and black color scheme it has developed since Optum took over the title sponsorship role. Creative Director Sam Wiebe noticed an overwhelmingly positive response to the team’s look since the title sponsor change, and continued the tradition.
“It was fantastic working with the design team at Borah on the new clothing,” said Wiebe. “On the road last year, we heard a lot of comments about how our kit really stood out in the peloton. From our orange Lazer helmets and yellow Mavic shoes to Optum’s unique and bold color scheme, it helps fans easily identify our team in a crowd. Something about our design clicked with the fans last year, so we wanted to continue the tradition in 2014. It definitely helps designing on the top-notch fabrics and cuts that we see coming from Borah.”
Optum p/b KBS men’s and women’s teams are widely regarded as America’s top domestic continental programs. In 2013, the teams combined for 76 victories and 196 podiums. There are eight current national champions on the 2014 roster, and two former Olympians on the women’s team. The men won the National Racing Calendar in 2013, and finished second in the UCI America Tour team standings.
Ron Callahan is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.