At the 2019 Amgen Tour of California, the Rally UHC Cycling team will once again ride six “Inspired Bikes” to benefit the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF). These one-off, hand-painted Felt FR Disc race frames, adorned with top-end race componentry, feature designs inspired by UHCCF grant recipients and will be auctioned live online during the race.
These custom-artwork bikes can be viewed and are available for bidding online now through Tuesday, May 21, at rallyuhccycling.com/inspiredbikes. While priceless when considering what the auction represents – hope for families and UHCCF’s dedication to helping families in need – the goal is to raise more than $40,000 to help fund UHCCF medical grants for families. UHCCF grants are awarded to families who need financial assistance covering expenses for their children’s medical services or equipment not covered, or not fully covered, by their commercial health insurance plans.
The art for the six one-of-a-kind pro-cycling bikes was inspired by the imagination of UHCCF grant recipients who shared with the Rally UHC Cycling design team some of their favorite things and future aspirations. These stories were used to create a theme and custom name for each bike in honor of each child.
“These bikes masterfully capture the inspirations of each grant child, while representing UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation’s mission to help children access medical services to improve their health,” said Matt Peterson, UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation president. “We are thankful to partner again with Rally UHC Cycling on this project, which continues to raise visibility and support for UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation so we can continue to help more families.”
Six Rally UHC Cycling athletes will race on the bikes and showcase them at the various host cities around California. See them in action during live coverage on NBC Sports Network, NBC and the Tour Tracker App.
The bikes, riders and six children represented are:
- “Music,” ridden by Nigel Ellsay for Chloe, age 10, from Atlanta;
- “Biology,” ridden by Abby Mickey for Kaelyn, age 15, from Rexburg, Idaho;
- “Greece,” ridden by Emerson Oronte for Laura, age 17 from Minnetonka, Minn.;
- “Brick,” ridden by Brandon McNulty for Marcus, age 8, from West Jordan, Utah;
- “Galaxy,” ridden by Kyle Murphy for Sarah, age 15, from Baltimore; and
- “Tiger,” ridden by Emma White for Tony, age 17, from Minnetonka.
This year represents the 11th time the team has competed at America’s premier stage race and its first year as the newly branded Rally UHC Cycling team. It is the fourth consecutive year the team has raced on unique bikes at the Amgen Tour of California to benefit UHCCF.
Throughout 10 stages over seven days, the men and women of Rally UHC Cycling will compete against the world’s top pros, contesting mountain roads, highways and coastlines from Sacramento to Pasadena. All told, the 13 Rally UHC Cycling athletes (seven men, six women) will cover 954.6 miles.
“To raise awareness and money for such an important cause at our biggest race is a great honor,” said Rally UHC Cycling creative director Sam Wiebe. “We are grateful for the long-lasting partnership we’ve built with UHCCF and for the opportunity to help so many deserving kids in the process.”
Since 2007, UHCCF has awarded more than 19,500 grants valued at over $46 million to children and their families across the United States for treatments associated with medical conditions such as cancer, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, hearing loss, autism, cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, ADHD and cerebral palsy. Qualifying UHCCF families can receive up to $5,000 per grant with a lifetime maximum of $10,000 per child to help pay for medical services and equipment such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, counseling services, surgeries, prescriptions, wheelchairs, orthotics, eyeglasses and hearing aids.
To bid on the bikes as part of the online auction and learn more about each bike, visit rallyuhccycling.com/inspiredbikes. For more information about UHCCF or to apply for a grant, visit uhccf.org.
About UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation
The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides medical grants to help children gain access to health-related services not covered, or not fully covered, by their parents’ commercial health insurance plan. Families can receive up to $5,000 annually per child ($10,000 lifetime maximum per child), and do not need to have insurance through UnitedHealthcare to be eligible. UHCCF was founded in 1999. Since 2007, UHCCF has awarded more than 19,500 grants valued at over $46 million to children and their families across the United States. UHCCF’s funding is provided by contributions from individuals, corporations and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) employees. To apply for a grant, donate or learn more, please visit uhccf.org.
About Rally Health, Inc.
Rally Health, Inc. is a consumer-centric digital health company that makes it easy for individuals to take charge of their health and collaborates with health plans, care providers, and employers to engage consumers. For more information, visit rallyhealth.com.
About Circuit Sport
Circuit Sport takes a unique platform approach to sports marketing and management that redefines what a professional cycling team represents. Our teams are more than just a collection of logos on a jersey – we passionately believe that riding a bicycle can improve a person’s life. For more information, visit circuitsport.com.
Share This Story