PEARL iZUMi Announces 2023 Athlete Roster

February 8, 2023

Louisville, Colorado (February 7, 2023) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – PEARL iZUMi, the Colorado-based global leader in cycling apparel and footwear, proudly announces its 2023 athlete roster–consisting of six returning riders and two fresh faces. PEARL iZUMi is thrilled to have Whitney and Zack Allison join the athlete team while welcoming back veterans Alexey Vermeulen, Hannah Shell, Jake Magee, Brooke Goudy, Mark Mathews, and Marley Blonsky. These eight athletes have ambitious goals for 2023, both on and off the podium; PEARL iZUMi is thrilled to support all of their endeavors.

“We’re extremely proud of our group of athletes this year and excited to share their accomplishments in the year ahead,” said Rebecca Brough, Marketing Manager at PEARL iZUMi. “Our riders come from wildly diverse backgrounds and have equally varied plans and goals for the upcoming season. Their common thread is the way in which they engage with their respective communities and give back to the cycling community at large. We’re proud of our riders–both when they stand on podiums and how they conduct themselves as stewards of the sport of cycling.”

Whitney and Zack Allison are best known as the gravel-riding husband and wife duo behind Fort Collins’ notorious gravel race, the FoCo Fondo. They are also the founders of Bike Sports–comprising a racing program, bike fit studio, gravel camps, a free route website, and Bike Sports TV. Beyond their business accomplishments, their professional cycling careers are just as impressive. Both have placed consistently in events like BWR, Unbound Gravel, and SBT GRVL.

For over a decade, Mark Matthews has progressed the sport of mountain biking with mind-blowing freeride lines and truly visionary trail builds–filming content for a dedicated fan base along the way. In addition to pushing the limit of what gravity will allow, Mark is dedicated to improving and expanding the trail network around his hometown on Vancouver Island, BC.

Brooke Goudy’s love of cycling has transcended her role as an athlete. As an advocate, Brooke co-leads an impact committee to eliminate barriers to make mountain biking a more inclusive, equitable and diverse space for all. Spreading her motto “Representation Matters,” Brooke is a co-leader of Black Girls Do Bike dedicated to introducing cycling to women of color.

As the Co-Founder of All Bodies on Bikes, Marley Blonsky is working to make the bike industry more welcoming and inclusive for people of all sizes, shapes, and abilities. Marley believes anyone should be empowered to experience joyful movement on a bike, and has developed resources to promote body-size inclusion in the cycling industry.

Jake Magee was a flat track motorcycle national champion in Australia before he switched to pedaling bikes in 2009. Since then, he has continued to find success on gravel – setting the course record at Gravel Worlds 75 mile, and standing on the podium at several big events: 2nd at Rad Dirt, 2nd at OKC Gravel Grinder, 2nd at BWR Kansas Wafer, and 2nd BWR Utah Wafer.

WorldTour racer turned accomplished gravel rider Alexey Vermeulen brings equal parts tenacity and gratitude to the table. In addition to delivering commanding wins on the race circuit, Alexey co-founded From the Ground Up, a cycling scholarship program inspiring cyclists of all ability levels to step outside of their comfort zones to complete the infamous Leadville 100.

Hannah Shell is a reformed roadie who will be taking a second crack at the Lifetime Grand Prix in 2023. Her resume includes wins at both Miami Gravel & Foco Fondo, 3rd at Rad Dirt, 4th at Gravel Worlds 2021, 5th at Gravel Worlds 2022, 5th at BWR Lawrence & BWR Utah, and 12th at Unbound 200 in 2021 & 2022.

About PEARL iZUMi

PEARL iZUMi was founded on two things: the love of cycling and more
importantly, love for future generations. The brand originated more than 60 years ago in Japan, when the founder created a special jersey out of technical fabric for his son, an aspiring bike racer. Since then, the company has been progressing the design and manufacture of performance apparel and footwear for cyclists of all levels. PEARL iZUMi believes that how we live today shapes how future generations ride, and is committed to using its business practices, products and community advocacy to create a positive impact through cycling. PEARL iZUMi’s world headquarters are located in the Colorado Front Range, where it embraces strong influence, both culturally and structurally, from its Japanese heritage.