The Aevolo Cycling Team will add another year of eligibility to its current under-23 development program in 2021, giving riders who would otherwise be left off the U.S. Continental Team next season the chance to regain races lost this year due to the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic chance to regain the races they lost this year due to the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak. In a team statement announcing the decision, Evolo Sports Director Michael Creed said, "We hope the 22-year-old athletes can breathe a little easier mentally. 'This pandemic is not their fault and we don't want them to come back too soon and put themselves in a situation where they could get sick.'

Creed's team is in its fourth season, having launched in 2017 as a place for young riders to race on circuits in the United States. During that time, the team has become a staple of North American racing, participating in some of the country's biggest events, including the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and the former men's Colorado Classic, where Evolo's Gage Hecht won a stage and wore the leader's jersey in 2018.

Hecht is one of the riders who could benefit from an extra year of team eligibility. The Colorado native and reigning US Elite cyclocross champion turns 22 in February and is entering his final year with Aevolo, but has yet to race during the suspended 2020 season; Tyler Stites, Cade Bickmore, Scot McGill, and Eric Brunner and others could also benefit from the U24 season. Stites and Hecht have been with Evolo since its inception in 2017.

Creed's team, while most prominent in North American races, has previously traveled to South America and plans to race more internationally this year, including an extended trip to Europe. The team started the 2020 season with the Herald Sun Tour in Australia, but Covid-19 has put the race on hold for the time being.

Evolo co-director Jono Coulter said that all Evolo riders were going into the season well prepared and highly motivated to achieve their big goals.

"We were very excited to see what they could achieve, both in the US and in the team's first foray into Europe." By extending the opportunity for athletes who would have aged out in 2021, everyone in the program can focus on the health of their loved ones and themselves, without the burden of putting the health of the community at risk to achieve a still uncertain sporting goal at the end of 2020."

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It is not yet clear how long the season will be suspended or which races will be rescheduled.