The National Cycling League (NCL), the new US professional road racing competition, has appointed experienced sports industry veteran Andrea Pagnanelli as its new chief executive.

Pagnanelli has over 15 years' experience in the industry holding executive roles across several North American sports including American football’s NFL, basketball’s NBA, soccer’s MLS and NWSL, and sports marketing agency Relevent Sports.

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She started her career with the NBA's Phoenix Suns before accepting a front-office position with the NFL's New York Jets.

Pagnanelli then joined RSE Ventures, the sports and entertainment investment company, started her own company LeapSeats, and built the commercial side of the International Champions Cup, the pre-eminent global pre-season soccer tournament.

Other roles have included executive vice president at MLS side LAFC, chief operating officer at sports media and events company Thuzio, and most recently chief business officer at NWSL outfit Gotham FC.

Paris Wallace, president and co-founder of the NCL, said: "Andrea has been tremendous in building our vision for 2023 and has learned the business inside and out.

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“Andrea's extensive experience working at the intersection of business and sports makes her the right person to lead our company moving forward. I am incredibly excited to have her building this league with us and to steer the NCL into our next phase of growth."

The inaugural 2023 NCL Invitational race calendar began on April 8 in Miami Beach and will continue with a second race in Denver, Colorado on August 13, before concluding in Atlanta, Georgia on August 20.

The criterium-style race series features 10 teams. Criterium racing is lapped racing on a closed circuit, set in cities. Laps are usually half a mile (0.8km) to 1.5 miles (2.4km) long.