Bahati to form new team

Former U.S. Criterium champion Rahsaan Bahati will leave Rock Racing at season’s end to form his own team.

The 27-year-old sprinter will headline the roster for the newly formed Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team, which will operate with a UCI continental team license.

“I’m blessed to have a talented group of individuals who can deliver the message for the Bahati Foundation while winning races at a professional level,” Bahati said in a release issued Tuesday. “I’m truly excited to know my future is in the hands of people who are dedicated to the sport and want to give back to the communities that are lacking structure and resources.”

Bahati, who owns the team, will also assume a role in the management of the team, whose express mission is to “inspire and empowers underprivileged youth to rise above their circumstances.”

“The problem of persistent poverty is a complex one that includes communities and individuals, who through no fault of their own, find themselves unable to make ends meet in this globalizing information-intensive world,” the team’s release noted. “In many families today, children cannot say they expect to be better off than their parents. This is perhaps the greatest challenge now facing our society. Our goal is to work with our partners in helping today’s underprivileged youth overcome poverty. We provide the resources, support and inspiration to help young people succeed in life.”

Bahati said the team will rely on a combination of established riders and up-and-coming talent “that will make the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team an immediate presence on the domestic pro racing scene.”

2010 Pro Team Roster

• Rahsaan Bahati
• Nathan O’Neil
• Hilton Clarke
• Jason Donald
• Matt Rice
• Cesar Grajales
• Ryan Baumann
• Corey Collier
• Bobby Lea
• Alex Hagman
• Peter Carey
• Phillip Mann
• Evan Hyde
• Ian Burnett
• Lanell Rockmore