The writing has been on the wall for some time, but the National Cycling League (The NCL) is officially no more.
Following a year-long hiatus, CEO Andrea Pagnanelli revealed in a LinkedIn post that the organisation has ceased operations and she’s ‘actively exploring’ new opportunities.
“We had to wind down operations for the National Cycling League (NCL) at the end of 2024. While this chapter is closing, it represents an extraordinary journey of innovation, learning, and impact,” Pagnanelli writes.
The National Cycling League debuted with much fanfare in April 2023, hoping to reignite American cycling fandom with its unique —and admittedly entertaining— spectator-friendly format.
Backed by a roster of all-star investors and featuring city-specific franchise teams, the debut season boasted a significant prize purse and even bigger ambitions. Yet, only three events were held in a season plagued by setbacks.
From cancelled events to venue changes, the firing of its race management team and the reshuffling of its C-suite, troubles started early and persisted throughout the series’ short-lived duration.
At the close of its debut year, dozens of riders from the National Cycling League’s franchise teams were left without contracts for 2024, even as the organisation continued to promise expansions and an optimistic future.
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By April 2024, however, the NCL announced an indefinite hiatus, citing ‘current economic challenges in domestic and global cycling industry’.
“While NCL will not field events or teams in 2024, the executive team and board of directors will focus on coming back stronger in 2025 by restructuring its business model within the current economic challenges facing the domestic and global cycling industry,” the NCL said at the time.
However, Cycling Weekly learned off the record that riders were transitioning to new opportunities, and teams were offloading their gear and equipment, signalling that a 2025 revival was highly unlikely. Pagnanelli’s post today confirms the league’s demise.
This was not the first time that a U.S.-based National Cycling League was started, and it was short-lived. In the late 1980s an unrelated yet identically named National Cycling League was formed, with franchises in Boston, Houston, L.A., Miami, New York, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. They later even added a few European teams from London, Milan and Amsterdam.
Made for television and the short attention span of American sports fans, the format was a blend between a criterium and a points race. Most of the participating riders belonged to traditional road cycling trade teams outside of the League, including familiar names like Chris Horner, Steve Tilford, Nelson Vails, Kurt Stockton and Alan McCormack.
While there was initial excitement around the League, it never truly took off. Neither traditional cycling media nor mainstream media devoted much ink or time to helping the League build. It soon ran into some financial troubles and folded after just five years.
Unfortunately, for race fans, the latest iteration of the National Cycling League proved to be even less successful.
More about the NCL:
– Dozens of riders left stranded as National Cycling League announces 2024 season hiatus
– Are ‘fan first’ spectator friendly crits the future for bike racing?
– Miami Nights take the win at a thrilling Denver NCL Cup.
– After a 4-month wait, the NCL continues in Denver this weekend – here’s what to expect
– Is the National Cycling League in trouble already?
– A cancelled race and new CEO – big changes at the National Cycling League after just one race
– The National Cycling League made its anticipated debut over the weekend, but were we entertained?
– Denver Disruptors dominate National Cycling League debut race
– Fan-first, gamified bike racing: the NCL readies for its debut as domestic teams get on board
– L39ION of LA and The Miami Blazers have no intention to partake in the National Cycling League
– The newly formed National Cycling League: a gimmick or the future of American bike racing?
– The National Cycling League announces its first teams, stacked with internationally known talent
– NBA All-Star Bradley Beal and NFL pros pump $7.5m into the new US cycling league
– The National Cycling League announces a $1 Million dollar prize purse
– Inaugural US National Cycling League could see fans virtually racing the pros in 2023
– Why American cycling needs a new Greg Lemond or – whisper it – Lance Armstrong
– Valentina Scandolara suspended and fined for unsportsmanlike behavior
