Cycling team receives big boon from surprising $10,000 sponsorship deal

It isn't often that someone decides to give you money without your even having to ask for it.

What is even less common is getting over $10,000.

However, this is the situation that the cycling club recently found itself in.

Two weeks ago, the team received an e-mail from Bill Michaud, who is the owner of the Lincoln Mercury dealer in Princeton. He said that the Tri-State Mercury Dealers Association wanted the opportunity to be Princeton's sponsor. The sponsorship includes $10,000, top-of-the-line frames and forks for new bikes, and an appearance with the Mercury Pro-Cycling Team at the First Union U.S. Pro Championships Race in Philadelphia.

The club is also going to be featured in Philadelphia Magazine and Velonews, one of the biggest cycling magazines in the United States. To top it off, there might be chances for photo-shoots and even commercials.

And the Tigers didn't even have to ask.

"When I read the e-mail, I was really psyched," sophomore co-captain Tyler Wren said. "My first thought was, 'We have more money than I even know what to do with.' "

Though the club previously sent a brief letter to Michaud with a proposed budget for the year, the offer it received in response more than doubled its estimates. The reason is that Mercury was looking to increase its cycling presence at the collegiate level.

"They already sponsor teams at the pro, amateur and junior levels," Wren said, "and they wanted to create a collegiate feeder for their system."

Princeton cycling is the first team to benefit from this expansion. The deal with Mercury is the largest sponsorship that the club has ever had.

It also marks one of the biggest subsidies that any Princeton club team has received. With the exception of the sailing club, no other team at the club level has been given such a large grant. Senior co-captain Pat Zahn hopes that other club teams will look to this achievement and realize that such opportunities are also available for them.

"This definitely advances the attention of the cycling team, but it is an advance for all of club sports too. It's an awesome opportunity for the whole system and we hope to capitalize on it."

Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Although some could be wary of the added pressure that such a deal places on the team, Zahn remains unconcerned.

"Most of all, this has given us motivation — and not a lot of pressure," Zahn said.

He stresses the fact that the sponsorship is not based on future performances.

"Unlike professional sponsorships, which usually go from week to week, this [deal] is pretty much guaranteed for the year," Zahn added.

If the club continues to work as hard as it has, its success for the upcoming spring season may be guaranteed as well.

Though the team competes in 15 races from March through May, it trains all year. During the fall, the Tigers challenge themselves on courses in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Some of these pathways are so notorious they have earned special nicknames, such as "Zion" and "The Crusher."

During the winter, workouts consist mainly of stair-running two times a week and cross-training and weightlifting on the remaining days. However, even the coldest winters do not keep Princeton cycling off of the courses completely. Many of the members still go for rides two or three times a week.

"As long as you have the right clothes," Zahn said, "winter isn't really a problem. You can ride anytime and anywhere."

Staying motivated throughout this winter's training session certainly should not be a problem. The impressive sponsorship from Mercury should be encouragement enough to keep the Tigers going strong into the spring.

"The day after I announced [the deal] to the team, the numbers on the training route definitely went up," Zahn said. "Everyone is really excited and revved up for the spring."

Who knows, maybe if the club's performance is as impressive as team members are expecting it to be, its sponsorship will be increased again.

And the Tigers might not even have to ask.