Team Sky and Sponsor 21CF Donate Bikes, Gear and More to Los Angeles Boys & Girls Clubs
21st Century Fox Social Impact
As Team Sky returned to the U.S. for the 2016 Amgen Tour of California, the team and its sponsor 21st Century Fox donated bikes, helmets, Team Sky shirts and more to the young members of the South Bay Boys & Girls Clubs in Los Angeles. The pro cyclists also spent the afternoon of May 11 guiding the kids from South Bay through a cycling confidence course, helping them get comfortable riding and giving them the tools they need to stay active and healthy. Team Sky has a long history of engaging fans on the issues of health and exercise, and 21CF has spearheaded those efforts during the team's visits to America.
The Boys & Girls Clubs provide after-school programs for young people in many of America's most underserved communities, and for many of the kids at South Bay, the bikes they received at the event were their first. Team Sky riders Andy Fenn, Peter Kennaugh, Lars Petter Nordhaug, Alex Peter and Danny Van Poppel, along with Fox volunteers, helped guide the kids through a cycling course, teaching them how to have a safe and enjoyable ride. Afterwards, the pros signed autographs and posed for pictures with Club members.
"We strive to help our youth reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens," said Viridiana Yahuaca, who directs the South Bay Club. "With any program that we run, we keep one thing in mind: our kids continue to be the future."
The event built upon previous partnerships among 21CF, Team Sky and Boys & Girls Clubs, including last year's SoulCycle | Team Sky Pro Challenge. Team Sky members Ian Boswell and Danny Pate, as well as FOX Sports reporter Jenny Taft, led a high energy spin class at SoulCycle Beverly Hills to raise money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. 21CF also donated bikes, equipment and Team Sky gear to several Los Angeles area clubs.
This emphasis on teamwork and inclusivity has long been characteristic of both Team Sky's athletic training and its outreach efforts. Its popular SkyRide events, for example, inspire Team Sky supporters to live healthier, more active lifestyles.
SkyRide began in 2009 to encourage fans to introduce regular exercise to their daily routines. The first event offered fans the chance to participate in a special traffic-free bike ride on a 15-kilometer route through London, and more than 65,000 people attended. The events have only grown in popularity since, and they now include dozens of partner rides in cities throughout the UK every year. Team Sky estimates that programs like these have inspired more than 1 million people in the UK to take up regular cycling.
