The American rider Evelyn Stevens of Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team took the victory yesterday at the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Invitational Time Trial, and before the race, she had said she would donate any prize money she won to World Bicycle Relief, a non-profit group founded by SRAM that helps people through the power of bicycles.

World Bicycle Relief provide specially-designed, locally assembled bicycles to entrepreneurs, healthcare workers and students across rural Africa through sustainable work-to-own and study-to-own programs. They also train field mechanics to ensure access to maintenance and spare parts.

Stevens’ win came against a top field of time trial specialists that included two-time Olympic time trial champ Kristin Armstrong (Twenty16 p/b SHO-AIR), world time trial champ Lisa Brennauer (Velocio-SRAM), newly crowned Pan Am time trial champ Carmen Small (Twenty16 p/b SHO-AIR), and former world time trial champ Amber Neben. It also was Steven’s first victory riding for the Dutch Boels-Dolman team, which she joined at the start of 2015.

“I always love doing the ITT at the Tour of California. It is such a treat to race at home and now in my home State. The bike has given me so many wonderful opportunities and life experiences and I just wanted to celebrate Bike Month and particularly WBR’s ‘This is not a bike’ campaign by donating whatever prize money I win in the ITT to WBR,” Stevens told World Bicycle Relief. “On my trip to Zambia, I had the privilege of seeing firsthand how WBR is transforming communities through the power of the bicycle and I love to give back, even if it is in a small way.”

Katie Bolling, development director with World Bicycle Relief said “World Bicycle Relief is proud to have the support of so many athletes from the pro peloton including Evelyn Stevens from Team Boels-Dolmans. To see them then utilise their platform to promote our organisation is quite humbling. They are helping to ensure more bikes create access to education, healthcare and livelihood through our programs. And, to us, this is truly the Power of Bicycles.”

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