Usually at this time of year we order a digital drum-roll and launch our race calendar.
However, the world is on 'pause' and it seems a bit naïve to list the races we’d like to do given local and global health priorities.
For the record though we have another run at the World Ultra-Cycling Association’s (WUCA) World Cup in our sights. This is our most aggressive 2021 performance goal as it involves racing and placing over multiple distances and times for cumulative points.
There will be races. We just can’t say with confidence where they will be right now.
But we can say, there will be a long one (1000+ KM's) and a medium one (800 KM's). There will be a fast one (24 hrs) and an even faster one (12 hrs). Plus we have our eye on a previously untried World Record that will highlight the new partnership between WUCA and the Guinness Book of Records.
Of course you'll be able to follow each mile and smile through all our social media platforms. There'll be soggy bums, sleepless nights, challenges, obstacles and suffering too no doubt.
We remain flexible and innovative. We made 2020 happen despite the challenges and we will make 2021 happen too. While flexibility and innovation carried us this far they are not the most important ingredients for reaching even further in 2021.
At Team Joe Barr we often say that ‘we share the road but not the journey’.
Maybe we need to update that as we inch towards a post-COVID world to ‘we share the road and the journey’.
This pandemic is teaching us that along with resilience and grit the only way forward is together, as one unit; all for one and one for all.
For us then, the most important ingredients for Season 2021 are friendship, community and team.
We perform better when we perform together.
Speaking about team, please do check out the updated 2021 Meet the Team page, there’s some fun stuff on there. Did you know one of our team members circumnavigated Ireland unsupported by jet ski? Amazing! And who was part of an army bobsleigh team?
You’ll see some new and exciting team projects roll out as we put our 'Stronger Together' ethos into practice. You might even see Joe crewing!
White's Oats remain an essential ingredient in 2021. Your award winning oats grown to perfection and milled locally fuel our forward and further in so many ways.
Thank you for continuing to support us as Title Sponsor.
We’re also delighted to welcome our friends at Powerhouse Clothing, XeNTis Wheels, BRL Sports Nutrition and Zoocreative back for 2021.
Each one of you is an integral part of who we are and what we do. We are honoured to carry your brand.
We are especially excited to welcome two new team sponsors.
Not only are we the proud distributors of Spiegel Bikes in the UK and Ireland we are delighted to welcome them for the first time as an official Team Joe Barr sponsor.
Joe will be adding the San Marino as well as a new Diablo for season 2021.
And to top it all off in this season of friendship and team we are thrilled to welcome Fisherman’s Friend.
A journey shared is a journey enhanced and we are all delighted to be powered by your freshness and friendship in 2021.
So here’s to performance goals, start lines and journeys shared with friends. There’s no denying the power of all of these to bring happiness, relief and escapism in a time when it is needed more than ever. We hope you join us on our journey and we look forward to hearing about or being part of yours.
Welcome Season 2021. We have a good navigator, take us where you will.
We’re ready to race. We know you are too.
In the market for a bike frame or a new set of wheels? Check out a custom build Spiegel Bike by Joe and our selection of XeNTis Wheels.