June 23, 2014 (Ottawa, ON) – Global Relay and Cycling Canada have joined forces to grow cycling in Canada, and help the country become one of the world’s top cycling nations by 2020.

The multi-year partnership between Cycling Canada and Global Relay will cover two specific areas: sponsorship of the Canadian National Teams and the Canadian Road Cycling Championships. The annual road championships will now be called the Global Relay Canadian Road Cycling Championships.

In addition to its new partnership with Cycling Canada, Global Relay is also the Title Sponsor and Operator behind the resurgent Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix and the Global Relay Bridge the Gap Fund.  This fund provides training support to upcoming athletes, including fifteen athletes last year and has assisted five in joining professional cycling teams for this season.

“Business and cycling both share key qualities in achieving success on all fronts. We find lots of attributes in common, such as hard work, continuous training, technical skills and tenacity,” said Warren Roy, CEO and Founder of Global Relay. “Whether you’re in sport or business, getting to the point where you can compete globally is a huge undertaking. We feel that the Bridge the Gap program is a stepping stone for youth cycling, all the way to the Olympic podium. The Gastown Grand Prix also serves as an extension of that principle.”

Global Relay has a multi-national staff of about 325 currently, with 97% of its revenues coming from outside Canada representing a truly global service provider.

“Partnering with Cycling Canada is a great opportunity for us to be part of something national. Hopefully, we both can help each other compete better globally. Team effort is as important in winning a cycling race as it is in business success,” concluded Roy.

Cycling Canada’s President John Tolkamp is thrilled about the new relationship. “In 2012 we established a vision to become a leading cycling nation by 2020. This new partnership with Global Relay, a leader in the global business sector, is a critical step in attaining the ambitious objectives we set ourselves.”

Added Tolkamp: “This relationship with a corporate group that truly believes in the values and benefits of sport, through their commitment to cycling, will bring valuable support and financial resources to Canada’s National Cycling Team for the next four years.  As we prepare to host the Americas in Toronto in 2015 with the Pan-Am & Parapan Am Games and then take on the world in Rio at the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, having Global Relay as part of our team is a significant boost.”