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12/30/2024 Project Echelon and The Dirt Therapy Project Join Forces to Support Veterans through Mountain Biking Springdale, AR - December 30, 2024– Project Echelon, a leading Veterans community and resource organization, is proud to announce its new partnership with The Dirt Therapy Project, an initiative dedicated to promoting mental and physical well-being through mountain biking. This collaboration aims to provide Veterans with unique opportunities to engage in outdoor activities, foster camaraderie, and improve their overall health and well-being.
"We're thrilled to announce our partnership with the Dirt Therapy Project (TDTP), a program of the Veterans Future Foundation," Joshua Boguslofski, Executive Director of Veteran Affairs for Project Echelon said. "TDTP shares our commitment to supporting Veterans through the sport of cycling and endurance athletics. This collaboration will provide our Veteran community at Project Echelon with an additional resource to enhance their mountain biking experiences. By working with The Dirt Therapy Project and Veterans Future, we can offer more opportunities for Veterans to connect, grow, and heal through the power of mountain biking." The partnership between Project Echelon and The Dirt Therapy Project will offer a wide variety of opportunities, rides, and community events designed specifically for Veterans. These activities will not only help Veterans reconnect with nature but also provide a supportive environment where they can build resilience, enhance their fitness, and rediscover a sense of purpose. This partnership continues the growth and presence in NW Arkansas by Project Echelon who currently has a longstanding relationship with Bio-Tech in Fayetteville and has been a frequent participant in the Joe Martin Stage Race. By combining forces, the two organizations aim to create a robust support network for Veterans, offering them not only physical activity but also opportunities for social connection and personal growth. "Partnering with Project Echelon is significant for us," Jonathan Hagerman, Founder of The Dirt Therapy Project commented. "We believe that the synergy between our programs will greatly enhance the services we provide to Veterans. Together, we can create meaningful experiences that inspire and uplift those who have served our country." TDTP will be hosting our first ever town hall (open invite) on January 6, 1900 CST to discuss the partnership as well as events and things to look forward to in 2025. Go to their Facebook or Instagram pages for more information. About Project Echelon Project Echelon Racing is a UCI Continental Professional Cycling Team dedicated to educating, equipping, and empowering veterans and their communities through physical activity and self-discovery. Established in 2017, the team gained UCI Continental status in 2023. Project Echelon removes barriers to healing by fostering relationships between Veterans, their communities, and professional athletes through mentorship, structure, and the promotion of long-term health and well-being through endurance sports. For more information, visit Project Echelon Racing. About The Dirt Therapy Project The Dirt Therapy Project is an innovative initiative focused on supporting Veterans through the transformative power of mountain biking. Our mission is to promote mental and physical well-being by providing veterans with opportunities to connect with nature, build camaraderie, and experience the therapeutic benefits of outdoor adventure. Through guided mountain biking excursions, skills workshops, and community events, we create a supportive and inclusive environment where Veterans can rediscover their sense of purpose and resilience. The Dirt Therapy Project is committed to fostering a sense of belonging and empowering Veterans to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. Visit their website to learn more and how you can be involved. ______________________________________________________________________ For media resources and interview scheduling, please reach out to: Dave Barr Project Echelon Racing Media Specialist c: 479-387-5290 www.projectechelonracing.com 12/18/2024 Bassett, McGill, Rhim return to Project Echelon Racing's 15-rider roster to 'replicate results'  Gord Fraser, is a renowned figure in the cycling world and currently serves as an Assistant Sports Director for Project Echelon Racing. With a career spanning over two decades, Fraser brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the team. As a former professional cyclist, he specialized in sprinting and amassed over 200 career wins, including the 2004 Canadian national road race championship. His role at Project Echelon involves mentoring and guiding the team's riders, leveraging his extensive knowledge to help them achieve their best performances. Fraser's illustrious career and his commitment to fostering new talent make him an invaluable asset to Project Echelon Racing. Our team’s Dave Barr sat with Fraser to get a download on the offseason and what he is looking forward to most in 2025. DB: Gord, we are a little more than a month away from heading to Spain and competing to begin the 2025 season. Talk about Project Echelon’s offseason. GF: Most part the guys are pretty much self-contained in terms of their preparation. They all source their own coaches. I know Isaiah's been coaching a few of the guys, and occasionally, Ethan Craine had some questions, and I was giving him advice on what direction he needed to focus on in the offseason, and I'm there for any of the guys that seek that alternative viewpoint. But no, we trust the riders are on their own getting the work done. Obviously, most of them have come off probably their biggest year in terms of race days, difficulty of races, that type of thing. Surely, they needed a fairly long adaptation period to recover and to set the course for their preparation. So, I'm sure they're all in a deep phase of preparation. And then of course as the season gets closer, a bit more specialization before Mallorca. DB: Last season, guys like Tyler Stites, Scott McGill and Sam Boardman to name a few, got a lot of the press because of winning stages, winning races, all those things lend themselves to being successful. But as a team, it takes more than one to win a race. Last season, this team really matured and really came together for that one push every single time out. GF: In the States, we’re a big team and the favorites in many of the races. Tyler kind cleaned up on the usual races, the Redlands and the Gila and those type of races, that's kind of to be expected and a lot of the resources from the guys have to go into that to effort. In Europe it's a little different because we're the smaller team and we're looking for more opportunities. I think the one thing that I think everybody can agree on is the level is quite high and everyone needs to up their game and to be very competitive in more selective races. What the team did really well last year was maximizing opportunities. We were probably in every day long break, and that's where the guys saw opportunity and for some it paid off like Hugo's (Scala) win in Portugal. DB: How does last season’s success translate to 2025? So many learnings from a historically successful campaign. GF: Absolutely. Not only just knowing the courses (in North America and Europe), the physical demands, but knowing the competition, the other teams and also understanding the demands off the bike, the type of travel, those kind of obscure kind of demands that we don't often think about. They're already prepared for that mentally. So yeah, I think there's a lot of things pointing in the direction of progression for us, but ultimately, it's up to the guys. We can provide them the opportunity, but they're the ones that have to put in the work and progress and seize more opportunities in the races themselves. DB: One of the really interesting storylines going into the 2025 cycling season is rider's weights and the speed in which cyclists are navigating the circuits, whether it's Europe or here domestically in the United States. It's really interesting how supermen have really developed and they're probably lighter in the saddle than they ever have been. GF: I think with the data and what's available online – there aren’t a lot of secrets anymore. I think everyone knows after five hours of racing they need to do X amount of watts per kilo to make selection in a hilly race. So, they have that advantage. It's right there in black and white and they just have to work hard until they approach that or even reach it and surpass it in their training. So, there's not that many excuses. I mean, it's literally the work that has to be done, and of course it needs a little bit of talent and a little bit of luck as well. So hopefully the guys have buckled down, they've charted a good pathway with their coaches, and we will show up ready to go. We expect them to make pretty big strides for next year. DB: You have raced at the highest levels that the sport gives. You have managed and coached and worked with equally as talented riders. Talk about your input and how you can positively affect a race. Is it in strategy? In advice? Is it mental counseling, physical counseling? There are a lot of things that go into what you do. GF: Oh, I don't know. I mean, I like to think that I'm super organized on the field of play, not only with the riders, but the staff with the mechanics and the therapists being orderly and having a good plan, both schedule and tactics-wise. Both are very important. Having high expectations and putting the right amount of pressure on the riders to perform and giving that along with accountability is essential. Then also giving them confidence and believe in them and having them want to perform. That's really, I think the keys of my style of directing and being passionate. I love what I do, and I remind the guys from time to time that I would do anything to turn back the clock 20 or 30 years and be in their shoes again and just how lucky they are to embark on a potential career in cycling. So yeah, I really enjoy the sport and I'm passionate about it and hopefully that rubs off on the riders. DB: The amazing part about Project Echelon and everything that they do, whether it's the veterans’ programs which are just as important as winning races, helping our veterans to either transition out of the military or physical fitness, mental fitness and health, all those of things - there's not one person from Eric Hill and Eric Beach (co-founders) all the way down to a guy like me that isn't passionate about everything. It's a really special culture, let's use that word, a special culture, a family culture that Project Echelon has developed. GF: It's easy as a professional athlete to recluse themselves into their own little silo, so to speak. It's nice just to be reminded from time to time that the team does have a greater mission statement, and that's to empower the vets and military members to try something new or to use cycling or sport to achieve a healthy lifestyle. It's just a good reminder for the guys that the world doesn't revolve around bike racing. Yes, it's what they're concentrating on and they're trying to further their career in the sport, but in the big picture, it's really just a drop in the ocean and we should be thankful for a lot of things. The guys really appreciate having an outside mission statement of why Project Echelon does what it does as an organization. It is not lost on them.  The Partnership Between Bio-Tech and Project Echelon Racing: A Winning Collaboration
In the world of competitive cycling, partnerships between companies and racing teams can make a significant impact on performance and community engagement. One such successful collaboration is between Bio-Tech Pharmacal and Project Echelon Racing. This partnership not only enhances the performance of cyclists but also supports veteran communities, creating a win-win situation for all involved. Supporting Cyclists with High-Quality Products Bio Tech provides a range of products that are highly valued by the cycling community and outdoor enthusiasts. Among these are tri-salts, vitamin D supplements, and melatonin. These products are designed to fill nutritional gaps and enhance performance:
Collaborative Efforts and Community Engagement “The partnership extends beyond just product support,” Lee Autrey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Bio-Tech said. “We have attended medical conferences together, such as the Mayo Clinic sports athlete function in Orlando. These events provide opportunities for interaction with practitioners and showcase the benefits of Bio-Tech's products.” The cyclists from Project Echelon Racing have reported significant improvements in their performance, attributing to the high-quality supplements provided by Bio-Tech. The focus on health and nutrition has led to faster times and better overall performance, even surpassing the speeds of the Armstrong steroid era. “Bio-Tech is a partner that holds a special place within our organization,” Project Echelon General Manager Eric Hill said about a partnership going into its sixth season with the team. “As one of our longest standing Gold Sponsors, Bio-Tech has shown its belief in and commitment to our mission. As a veteran owned company, they understand the importance of this work and with headquarters in Fayetteville, AR they see the impact and community that cycling has the power to create.” Commitment to Quality and Purity One of the reasons Bio-Tech's products resonate so well with the cycling community is their commitment to quality and purity. The company was founded on the principle of providing supplements without binders, dyes, toxins, or fillers. This ensures that even those with high sensitivity or specific health conditions can safely use their products. “Bio-Tech's dedication to maintaining these standards has earned us the trust of prestigious research affiliates like the Mayo Clinic and Sloan Kettering Hospital,” Autrey continued. “This trust is further reinforced by Bio-Tech’s refusal to compromise on our principles, even when it comes to product formats like gummies, which we avoid due to the inability to meet their purity standards.” Supporting Veterans and Veteran-Owned Businesses The partnership between Bio-Tech and Project Echelon Racing also highlights the importance of supporting veteran organizations and veteran-owned companies. Bio-Tech, a veteran-owned company itself, understands the value of veterans helping veterans. “Our owner Dale Benedict is a 93-year-old veteran. We continue to be dedicated to our work and support of veteran causes. The partnership between Bio-Tech and Project Echelon Racing is a testament to the positive impact that collaboration can have on both performance and community support.” By providing high-quality supplements, engaging in collaborative efforts, and supporting veteran initiatives, Bio-Tech and Project Echelon Racing are setting a standard for how businesses and sports teams can work together for mutual benefit and greater good. This partnership not only enhances the performance of cyclists but also makes a meaningful difference in the lives of veterans, proving that when companies and communities come together, everyone wins. “We just believe if we really want to help our veterans, you can say it, but you also have to take action and do it. The sponsorship level that we support is not easy for a small, veteran owned company, but we went ahead and said it's the right thing to do. Things will work out, and they have, and it's been a great relationship. I would recommend to all companies to understand the value and loyalty of the veteran community and get involved. You'll be happy with what comes from it. Just knowing that every time they (Project Echelon cyclists) get on a bike, a veteran is benefiting in some way. That means everything to us and them.” |
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