Factor is putting more than bikes behind Modern Adventure Pro Cycling.

Starting in 2027, the brand will become co-title sponsor of the U.S.-registered team, which will move forward as Modern Adventure Factor Racing. The goal is not exactly small: build an American team capable of racing the Tour de France within five years.

This sounds a lot like the new program with Canyon/Zwift/Pedal Mafia, but with an American twist and a shorter timeline.

The move takes Factor from a founding technical partner to a much more involved role, with more skin in the game. The expanded partnership will support rider recruitment, development, and performance infrastructure.

Factor Racing Becomes Part of the Pathway

One of the most important pieces of the announcement is that Factor Racing, Factor’s in-house UCI Continental development program, will fold under the broader Modern Adventure Factor Racing umbrella.

That matters because development only works if there’s somewhere to go, and for Factor founder Rob Gitelis, this is personal.

Gitelis came up through the American racing scene in the 1980s, when cycling was still very much outside the mainstream in the U.S. Inspired by the Greg LeMond era, he followed the route available to ambitious American riders at the time: race here, then take the leap to Europe.

There wasn’t much structure. There wasn’t a smooth bridge. You just went.

That experience seems to shape how Factor sees Modern Adventure. The team is not being pitched as another logo exercise or a short-term pro team experiment. It’s being presented as a chance to build something American riders have long needed: a professional environment with domestic roots, international ambition, and a credible path across the Atlantic.

Gitelis put it plainly, saying, “Factor believes in the mission and can contribute more than equipment.” That’s the key line. Factor wants to be part of the build, not just the bike sponsor.

Hincapie and Factor

Modern Adventure founder George Hincapie brings his own weight to this. Hincapie knows what the jump to top-level European racing looks like, and he knows how hard it is to make that jump without the right people around you.

Hincapie also has a bit of controversy surrounding him from his USPS years, when he served as Lance Armstrong’s “loyal lieutenant”. He’s welcomed by some, but others are still suspicious.

His take on the Factor deal is less about carbon and more about structure. But the bigger piece is about surrounding the team with people who understand racing, equipment, development, and the long road to the Tour.

Everyone loves the headline: American team, Tour de France, five years.Cool. But the real work is boring and relentless. Recruiting, race calendars, travel logistics, nutrition, coaching, equipment feedback, and European exposure. Don’t forget money. More money. And then a little more money.

That’s where long-term technical and financial partners matter.

Kuurne – Brussel – Kuurne 2026 – 78th Edition – Kortrijk – Kuurne 195 km – 01/03/2026 – Modern Adventure Pro Cycling – (Photo/Tim Van Wichelen/CV/SprintCyclingAgency©2026) The Bigger American Cycling Moment

This announcement lands at an interesting time.

There’s a lot of talk right now about rebuilding the American road pipeline. New junior programs, more attention on development, more brands looking at the U.S. as a place with talent but not enough structure. The talent is not the issue.

The missing piece has usually been the road from “promising American rider” to “ready for Europe.” We’ve had some exemplary talent, Sepp Kuss is the first that comes to mind. They start here, then move to European squads after spending time on the long-running Hot Tubes, Rally Cycling (now known as Human Powered Health), or Kelly Benefits Devo squad.

Modern Adventure Factor Racing is trying to fill that missing middle.

The team’s ambition is to give American riders a professional home, international racing experience, and a clear path to the biggest races in the world. The Tour de France goal makes the headline, but the pathway is the story.

(Photo / Le Tour de France) Five Years to the Tour?

So, can an American team realistically reach the Tour de France in five years?

That’s a massive ask. Even the Zwift/Canyon/Pedal Mafia devo squad is giving their riders a decade…still a wild timeline.

Getting to the Tour is not just about having fast riders. It’s about UCI points, invitations, sponsorship stability, staff depth, logistics, race access, credibility, and not imploding when the sport does what the sport always does. Cycling is not kind to half-built projects.

But the ambition has to be big. “We hope to be pretty good eventually” does not move the needle. A Tour de France target gives the program a north star, even if the road there is messy.

Modernadventureprocycling.com