Nicolas Roche has secured sponsorship for his new gravel team, NR GRVL, which will race all over the world in 2023 after the former World Tour road pro got his first taste of the gravel racing scene last year.
The four-time OIympian and his brother, Alexis, represented Ireland at the inaugural UCI World Gravel Championships in Italy last year. Both will form part of the new gravel team, along with several other riders. They are now backed by a consultancy company, which also has interests in cycling.
The new backer, Straightline Consulting, is a sister firm of Cuckmere Cycle Company, which owns a bike shop based in the South Downs National Park between Seaford and Eastbourne and runs cycling tours in the area.
Straightline Consulting provides consulting and management services to a range of clients in the corporate world, with interests in Britain and Continental Europe. It is based in Eastbourne and is owned by Scottish businessman Craig Eadie.
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"Straightline Consulting are delighted to announce our support for Nicolas Roche and his new team, NR GRVL, for the 2023 gravel racing season," the team said in a statement confirming the new sponsorship arrangement.
"The team will race across the globe providing exposure for our brand in regions where we are currently delivering projects and in regions that are part of our expansion plans. We wish Nico and the team every success for the season and look forward to attending many races along the way."
Roche recently told stickybottle he was in the process of recruiting a number of other riders into the team so it could race in a large number of events. He also plans to start a YouTube channel to document the team’s experiences and provide a platform for sponsor value.
“What people want to see is how you got there or how you didn’t get there,” he said of cycling media that offer an alternative to written reports and results.
