Justin Williams is a professional American cyclist, a celebrated national champion and a standout for another reason he wishes were not so: He is one of the few Black racers in the sport. After setbacks and a long journey through professional cycling, Williams formed his own team of professional riders in Los Angeles in 2019 with his younger brother Cory. The team, called L39ION (pronounced legion), has 14 riders, including 10 professionals, who race the full gamut of events — criteriums, road, gravel and cross. “L39ION doesn’t force riders to conform to white norms,” or the expectations of what professional cyclists should look, act, or sound like, Williams said. He brought old rivals, former teammates and friends together to form the Los Angeles-based team, a roster that includes Black, Latino, Pacific Islander and white cyclists.

Source: New York Times December 01, 2020 08:00 UTC