Bigla-Katusha launches crowdfunding initiative amid budget shortfall
The Bigla-Katusha team has launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe in an effort to stay afloat as the squad’s two title sponsors have halted funding of the team.
The long-running squad – which previously raced as the Bigla or Cervélo-Bigla team before Katusha came aboard as a sponsor this season – is seeking 170,000 swiss francs (roughly US$175,000) on the crowdfunding platform.
“We are a professional UCI women’s cycling team that have found ourselves with a shortfall in funding after both of our title partners informed us they are unable to commit their usual monthly payments during the current health crisis,” the team says on its GoFundMe page. “As such, we are facing an uncertain future.”
Bigla-Katusha recently announced that it has asked the UCI to release the funds in its bank guarantee as it tries to navigate the dire financial straits in which it finds itself with both the Bigla and Katusha brands no longer funding operations. The team is hoping that crowdfunding efforts will help cover its budget shortfall while management works to secure new partners.
“Following the overwhelming support from the international cycling community, we have launched a crowdfunding campaign to ensure our survival in 2020, as well as to secure a long-term future, and are actively seeking new sponsors for our team,” the team said on GoFundMe.
“We are fully committed to our sport when racing re-commences and are motivated to work hard to build on our previous successes. Your donation will help us to achieve this, and to continue to do what we do best, that is racing as a team that refuses to give up.”
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