Meet the 2022 Primal – Audi Denver Men’s Team
By: Andy Schmit
The 2022 Primal – Audi Denver Men’s Team. Photo: Time Baker, PRIMAL.
Earlier this week, despite the snow and frigid temperatures, the Primal – Audi Denver Men’s Cycling Team announced their 2022 lineup and revealed their new kit and team car.
Team Director, Neil Phippen emceed the evening, hosted by Audi Denver, at their Littleton, CO facility. The team gathered to celebrate their 2021 successes, welcome new team members, make plans for 2022 and thank their valued sponsors.
“For more than 12 years, Primal – Audi Denver has been the largest and most successful men’s cycling team in Colorado; both in races won, and money raised for our partner charities,” Phippen said. “I am honored to serve as Team Director for another year as we continue our legacy of racing excellence and community involvement.”
The evening progressed to celebrating last year’s team accomplishments, including two State Champions: Luke Elphingstone, JM17-18, 2021 Colorado Road Race Champion and Kevin Druis-Merenda, SM4, 2021 Colorado Hill Climb Champion.
Like many other elite men’s and women’s teams in the United States, the collapse of the USA CRITS Race Series in 2021 has forced changes in team’s 2022 race plans. The Primal – Audi Denver elite racers will be focusing on 9 races throughout the United States, including: Races in Oklahoma, Idaho and in their home state of Colorado.
Some of these races are part of USA Cycling’s 2022 National Criterium Series created in partnership with the newly formed not-for-profit, National Association of Cycling Teams (NACT). NACT is open to all domestic elite and professional teams registered with the UCI.
Later in the program, the team thanked their sponsors including their name sponsors: Audi Denver, PRIMAL and 1st Bank.
From left: Michael Welker, Steve Powers, Dave Edwards, and Neil Phippen.
“When Mike Welker came to me about sponsoring a cycling team, I didn’t really know what to think,” said Steve Powers, General Manager of Audi Denver. “Now, 11 or 12 years later, I couldn’t be more proud of our partnership and what the team has grown into.”
After Powers shared his thoughts, and revealed the new team car, a 2022 Audi Q7, he turned the mic over to Dave Edwards, owner of PRIMAL, the team’s other named sponsor.
“At PRIMAL our goal is to create technically advanced cycling and lifestyle apparel, and promote the sport that is our passion. Our mission,” he said. “I can’t think of a better group of ambassadors for our company and our sport than this team.”
PRIMAL – Audi Denver Men’s Team will be racing throughout the summer including the cyclocross race they host, Primalpalooza, and the Littleton Twilight Criterium, sponsored by Audi Denver.
HART!