Does Pro Cycling Really Matter to IBDs?

Representatives of USA Cycling, SRAM and the Cannondale-Drapac Cycling team will address “Why Pro Bike Racing Matters to the Future of Bicycling” during a panel discussion at Interbike.

Derek Bouchard-Hall, CEO of USA Cycling and former Olympic cyclist, David Zimberoff, Vice President of Marketing for SRAM and Jonathan Vaughters, Cannondale-Drapac Professional Cycling Team Manager and former professional road cyclist, will take part in the panel discussion.

At a time when brands are investing heavily in pro tour teams while industry statistics point toward a steady decline in road bike sales, the connection between pro racing and the state of the market (and what it means to local independent bicycle retailers) needs to be better understood. The panel, taking place on Wednesday, September 21 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV will feature these three experts on the topic, and will be moderated by Tim Blumenthal, president of PeopleForBikes.

“It’s no secret that top global bike suppliers and component makers invest heavily in pro tour teams and events,” said Pat Hus, vice president of Interbike. “We feel like we’ve brought some of the top minds in our industry to discuss the topic. Our panel will talk about how racing affects general cycling participation in our sport, what the actual return-on-investment is for participating brands and what pro racing (over all disciplines) will look like in five, 10 and 20 years.”

Sponsored by PeopleForBikes, the National Bicycle Dealers Association and the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association, the Interbike Industry Breakfast will take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in the South Pacific Ballroom at 7:30 a.m. This is a first-come, first-served event with a limited number of seats available to Interbike attendees. Only 700 guests will be admitted; attendees should plan to arrive as early as possible.

Interbike returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center beginning with OutDoor Demo in Boulder City, NV, September 19-20, 2016, followed by the Interbike Expo September 21-23, 2016.

Interbike is the largest bicycle trade event in North America, bringing together manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of cycling. Established in 1982, the show gathers more than 1,200 cycling-related brands, over 25,000 total attendees annually and is considered one of the most important global trade events for the bicycle industry.

Interbike is owned and operated by Emerald Expositions, which produces more than 80 trade shows and over 100 face-to-face events, including the Outdoor Retailer shows.