| Robin Morton | |
| Currentteam: | Retired |
| Discipline: | Road |
| Role: | Team Manager |
| Manageyears1: | 1984 |
| Manageteam1: | Gianni Motta–Linea M.D. Italia |
| Manageyears2: | 1985 |
| Manageteam2: | Xerox-Philadelphia Lasers |
| Manageyears3: | 1986 |
| Manageteam3: | Murella - Fanini |
| Manageyears4: | 1987–1988 |
| Manageteam4: | Pepsi Cola - Alba Cucina |
| Manageyears5: | 1989 |
| Manageteam5: | Eurocar - Vetta - Galli |
| Manageyears6: | 1990 |
| Manageteam6: | Amore & Vita - Tommasini |
| Manageyears7: | 1991 |
| Manageteam7: | Poland Spring - Globar Travel |
Robin Morton is an American former cycling team manager and was the first and only female manager in men's professional cycling. She also created the first Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) registered American professional road racing team in 1984.[1] Cycling in Europe is a traditionally male sport and includes rules prohibiting women from the race caravans. At managers' meetings prior to races in Europe, the race organization would vote on whether Morton would be allowed to ride in the team car.[2] Morton was elected to the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 2016.
In 2011 CyclingNews acknowledged Robin as one of the five most influential women in the sport of cycling.[3]
Morton's first involvement with cycling was with the amateur racing team of the Pennsylvania Bicycle Club (PBC)[4] of Germantown, Pennsylvania assisting with team management and race organization.[5]
Morton managed a US pro cycling team sponsored by GIOS bicycles for the Tour of America with Roger De Vlaeminck and John Eustice,[6] two time USPRO National Criterium Champion and USA Cycling Championships in 1982 and 1983 and Jeff Rutter.[7]
Later that year she managed the 7-UP team with John, Jeff Rutter, Dag Selander and Ian Jackson that participated at Superweek and other races on the domestic calendar.
Morton registered the first American professional road race team thus becoming the first woman in the history of cycling to own and manage and direct a men’s professional team.[8] [9] [10]
That year the team, sponsored by Gianni Motta, became the first U.S. team to enter the 1984 Giro d'Italia,[11] [12] Giro di Puglia, Giro di Toscana, Giro del Trentino and Tour de Suisse and other European races.
Robin was the first woman in the world to manage a men's professional cycling team as reported in TuttoBiciWeb.[13]
Morton put together another U.S. based team, the Philadelphia Lasers, sponsored by Rank Xerox and Benotto. This was the first U.S. professional team to compete in the 1985 Vuelta a España[14] and other races on the European calendar including Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Midi Libre, Tour de Luxembourg and the Vuelta a Colombia.[15]
In 1985-86 Morton had a very successful Junior Team winning many races, numerous state championships and several national championships. The team included Steve Scuron from Philadelphia, the first Junior ever to win the amateur men's elite national championship(80K) in 1985. The team also included Jonas Carney, winner of many amateur and professional national championships.
This year Robin managed the domestic U.S. program for the Murella-Fanini[16] team that included Gregor Braun[17] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Murello_fanini.jpg
In 1987 through 1988 the Pepsi-Fanini team was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola[18] and in 1989 by EuroCar.[19] [20] The team with Roberto Gaggioli[21] won 80 races in the U.S. during these three years. The team raced in the 1987 edition of the Coors Classic from Hawaii to Colorado winning the Reno criterium stage.[22]
In 1988 Roberto won the CoreStates Pro Cycling Championships[23] [24] Philadelphia International Cycling Classic in Philadelphia and the team won the team prize.
The EuroCar team participated in the inaugural Tour de Trump in 1989.
The Amore and Vita team[25] was sponsored by Poland Spring, Subaru and Tommasini.
In 1989 Morton started working for a company promoting the professional races in the U.S. as well as planning and execution for charitable events.[26]
Robin eventually became the Technical Director for the championship,[27] as well as other events through 2005 that included the West Virginia K-Mart Classic stage race, Tour de Georgia, the San Francisco Grand Prix, the Thrift Drug Classic in Pittsburgh, and numerous other major events in the U.S. that include:
In 2009 Morton was part of a group involved in bringing the Giro d'Italia to Washington D.C. in 2012.[28] [29]
Morton is now a partner in g4 Productions, a company that promotes fundraising, cycling and running events. Fundraising events include the Tour De Pink a 4 Day Breast Cancer Ride benefiting the Young Survival Coalition 2006-2019 and 2021–23, The New Jersey Ride for Autism 2008-2019, Tour de Summer Camps 2019-22, Flyers Charity Classic 2017-18 and 2022, Eagles Autism Challenge 2018-19, and 2021–23, Ride to Defeat ALS 2018-19 and 2022-3, Go the Distance 2020, 2022-3, Cycle of Support 2022-3, World Bicycle Relief - Pedal to Empower 2021, Hershey's Pedal For Goodness 2017, Bike for the Heart benefiting the Sister to Sister Foundation 2009, Walk/Ride to Benefit the Brain Injury Association of NJ - 2010, Alex's Lemonade Stand to benefit Childhood Cancer - 2012.
Riders that have been on teams managed by Morton include two-time Olympic gold medalist Gregor Braun, Six Day winner and wearer of the Tour de France Yellow Jersey - Dietrich Thurau, Roger De Vlaeminck - multi-time winner of Paris–Roubaix, Olympic gold medalist in the team time trial at the 1984 Olympics - Marcello Bartolini and Matt Eaton,[30] winner of the 1983 Tour of Britain known as the Milk Race.
Morton also served as the cycling assistant competition manager for 1996 Summer Olympics and 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2006 Morton started her own event promotion company to focus on road racing, cyclo-cross and fund-raising events.
In November 2016 Robin was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in acknowledgement of accomplishments during her 35 years in the sport.