2015: From Red to Green: Taco Time NW
As 2015 comes to a close, and we start training for the 2016 seasons, there are exciting changes coming for the team. After many years of support, we bid farewell to Cucina Fresca as our title sponsor, and welcome Taco Time NW aboard.
2013: Reload
The past 5 years have seen some changes at S3 as people have come and gone. A team of over 100 people in 2009 was reduced to 55 by the end of 2012. In addition, the Board of Directors for team S3 were completely retooled as former Directors passed the torch to new team leaders. Throughout all of this change two things kept constant: The complete support from our Title Sponsor – Cucina Fresca and the belief of the team that we must race… race… race! This is a race team after all, not a bike club. The team was refocused to include a roster of cyclists who are committed to racing, willing to work and support each other, and downright cool people.
Enter 2013… Team Cucina Fresca enters the 2013 race season with a successful recruiting season attracting some of the strongest racers in the area bringing our roster up to 66 racers. The team also unveiled a new kit design that will definitely stand out in the local peloton. In 2013 Team Cucina Fresca has reloaded, and is ready to make some noise in the local race scene.
2008: New Sponsor, New Frontiers
In 2008, Seattle Super Squadra started with a new main sponsor: Cucina Fresca Pasta. With the top notch support, the team gained a new look and began to expand its dominance beyond road racing into track, mountain, and cyclocross racing as well. As Team Cucina Fresca members continue to gain success on the local cycling scene, the team’s core values of fun, participation, and teamwork haven’t changed a bit.
2006: A Renaissance
In the fall of 2005, Travis Dykstra arranged a sponsorship deal with CycleU, and some of our riders who signed up with Craig Undem made the jump from “strong” to “winning”. Travis himself, along with two riders who started the season as Cat 5s (Jason Williams and Paul Boivin) were Cat 3s before July was over. And within a couple of weeks of being a Cat 3, Jason had the points to upgrade to Cat 2. There were more wins and podium placings than you could shake two sticks at for 2006.
2005: Rebuilding… Now With Zoka as Title Sponsor!
Though 2004 ended on a sad note with Ian Tubbs moving on to Broadmark, we wished him the best, and the remainder of our elite team stayed around. Zoka Coffee Roasters & Tea Company signed on as a title sponsor, and thus the new and distinctive brown and blue uniforms were born. We hit the roads with a splash in March, and the uniforms were everywhere. By the end of 2005, we were quite visible in everything from road racing to triathlons to mountain bike racing to cyclocross. Zoka renewed enthusiastically for 2006, and the fall recruiting season was very good to us.
2004: Enter Seattle Velo… But STILL No Title Sponsor
Still carrying a few Cat 1 and 2 riders, most notably Ian Tubbs, S3 entered into discussions with Seattle Velo (formerly Armondo’s) to possibly merge. It was a nearly unanimous decision, and for 2004, after Erik Olson and Jim Teague shook hands, the ranks of Seattle Super Squadra swelled considerably with nearly the entire membership of Seattle Velo team. By the end of the season, all agreed that it had been a good mix, and folks were quite happy with the situation. Still no title sponsor, though!
2003: Powerful Force in NW Cycling, But No Title Sponsor
Seattle Super Squadra went into 2003 with a great recruiting season, but no title sponsor! No problem, they were a powerful presence in northwest cycling anyway, with riders such as Ian Tubbs, Steve Higgins, Andrew McDermid, Doug Davis, Matthew Hill, Michael Emde, and Troy Critchlow. Unfortunately, this strong mix of Cat 1 and 2 riders didn’t quite gel, and by the next season, most of them were long gone.
2001 and 2002: Torrefazione Italia / Jerry’s Kids
At the turn of the millenneum Exodus had informed the S3 team that sponsorship will cease for the 1998 racing season and the team’s board quickly brought on board the Torrefazione Italia Coffee, Cinnabon, and GT Bicycles. The team was still flying high and things were looking great. The team had a fully matured roster of cat II, cat III, and strong women’s team. It was 2001 when Jim Teague came over to S3, moving on from Seattle Velo. Later in the year a talented spokesperson and organizer, Jerry Cutright formed the S3 junior team. Jerry was completely focused on the development of junior riders and threw everything he had at developing the kids racing program. Jerry hosted winter training camps, meetings, and bike advice which helped to shape some riders such as Matt Sheeks, Dan Wiggins, and Tony Blagrove. The junior program was a big success and Jerry intruduced dozens of kids to racing bicycles and even promoted bicycle races targeted only for kids which solidified the future of cycling. Look out Lance Armstrong!
Exodus Era
With the tireless development of the cat II team and new sponsors, the team brought on more new riders including a rider from North Carolina. Pablo Espinosa, an excellent cat II brought in new sponsorship with the Exodus Communications company and the team colors went from pleasant green to a horrid orange. After one year, that error was adjusted back to the team’s trademark green. The Exodus Team was at an all time high as new ranks were filled out at the cat II level with the addition of superstar riders such as Michael Emde, Pablo Espinosa, Cody Hall, and new sponsors including DeFeet, Exodus Communication, Carnac, and Cannondale.
Il Vicino and the Doug Reid Band
As time went by, some of the riders dropped out of the racing scene due to pursuits of professional careers and families. Just as the team seemed destined to fall to pieces, a new rider from Alberquerque, NM moved to Seattle and joined the team. Doug Reid, a long time racer in the South West, moved to Seattle and inspired the team to new heights. He powered the team with inspirational chatter, fun outings to his cabin in Winthrop, WA and motivated the team to grow and succeed. Doug inspired philisophical conversations such as “what is a nougat in a candy bar?” He named the team (much to the dismay of the other riders) Seattle Super Squadra after the Seattle Super Sonics.
Doug was a key factor in growing the team into a cat II squad and bringing in new talent to the team such as Johnny Kettman, super model and bike racer Alan Martinez. Doug was tireless and relentless on his onslaught as he brought in new sponsors such as Cinnabon and Il Vicino.
North Sound Velo / Bicycle Centres of Everett
Way back when in the beginning, there was a group of cat IIIs who enjoyed each other’s company and rode together out of the north end. North end, meaning Everett, WA. The team was formed under the name North Sound Velo, comprised of riders Jeff Aken, Dave Anana, Randy Belles, Darryl Han, Derek Neumann, and TJ Langley. Not only were these guys racing together, but they were and still are good friends.