Brent & Jamie Bookwalter are stoked to make the first Bookwalter Binge PRO Rider Announcement for the 2017 Gran Fondo. Michael Sayers and Brent have a long personal and professional history racing and working together and we are delighted that Mike will be joining us in October.
Brent says…
Mike Sayers and I have shared some great moments over the years as teammates, and also during his time as a director for the BMC Racing Team (Tour de France) and USA National Team (world championships, Olympics). As a racer, Mike was always one of those guys you dreaded racing against, but as a teammate he was a fierce and extremely loyal force that I always was very grateful to have on my side. Mike always brings a high level of intensity and commitment to everything he is a part of, and we are very fortunate to have him bringing that spirit to the Binge where I expect to see him pull a few sneaky, veteran moves on the tougher sections of the course.
More About Mike
Michael Sayers is a founder and partner at Dai Endurance in Sacramento CA. Before starting the company, Mike worked for USA Cycling, cultivating the next generation of American riders. He served as the U.S. Olympic Team Men’s Coach at the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. He has led Team USA at the last 9 World Championships for both the U23 Men and the Elite Men. He was part of the BMC Racing Team as the only American Sports Director.
Before that, he led teams that raced in America and Europe for 13 years. He rode for Comptel-Colorado Cyclist, Mercury Pro Cycling Team, and Health Net before concluding his career on the BMC Racing Team. Sayers was with the BMC team from its inception as a Continental team to Pro Continental to World Tour team. Once he stopped riding professionally, Sayers served as the assistant director of global cycling operations for BMC. In his role with the BMC Racing Team, Sayers contributed to Cadel Evans’ winning the 2011 Tour de France, and the development of young American stars like Taylor Phinney and Neilson Powless. He served as the team director for the men’s road team at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where Phinney placed fourth in both the road race and the time trial.