Earlier this year, Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru announced Gage Hecht and Katie Clouse would be departing the development program for new teams in 2019/20. In June, Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld announced the signing of Clouse, and today, Hecht’s new team was unveiled.
Hecht will be joining Lance Haidet on the Donnelly – Aevolo Cyclocross Team. Both Hecht and Haidet race on the road for Aevolo, and Haidet has been with the Donnelly cyclocross team for a number of years.
Gage Hecht and Lance Haidet will be racing for the Donnelly – Aevolo Cyclocross Team in 2019/20. photo: Donnelly
“Since the inception of the company and throughout my many years involved in competition and coaching I’ve championed developmental racing,” Donnelly owner Donn Kellogg said in a release. “Helping racers realize their potential has long been my passion and has been part of Donnelly’s mission.”
Aevolo owner Steven van der Zwan commented on the partnership. “The foundation is built from a group of donors, sponsors and partners who are passionate about supporting cycling and youth development in general. This is precisely what Donn Kellogg has been doing throughout his career, particularly with cyclocross. There isn’t a better partner to help us enable these talented young riders to reach their highest possible level of success.”
Hecht and Haidet will start their cyclocross seasons at the Rochester Cyclocross weekend September 7 and 8 in New York. They will ride the Donnelly C//C cyclocross bike and not surprisingly, Donnelly tubular tires.
Donnelly and Aevolo are sponsoring a cyclocross team in 2019/20. photo: Donnelly
Hecht and Haidet bring records of success with Aevolo to the new program. Hecht won the U23 Time Trial and Criterium National Championships in 2018, and Haidet won the U23 Road Race National Championship in June. The duo also raced the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 for the program.
The two team riders likely need little accounting of their cyclocross success. Hecht is a 6-time Junior national champion, he finished 4th in the Junior race at the 2015 World Championships, and last December, he finished 3rd in the Elite race at Louisville Nationals.
Haidet won the 2017 U23 National Championship in Hartford and won RenoCross last September. He has raced for the Raleigh/Clement and Donnelly program since 2015.
