Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, November 5, 2016

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2017 Tour de France | 2017 Giro d'Italia

There are no mistakes or failures, only lessons. - Denis Waitley

Latest completed racing:

• October 9: Paris-Tours
• October 11: Nationale Sluitingprijs-Putte Kapellen
• October 9 - 16: World Road Cycling Championships
• October 20-23: Abu Dhabi Tour
• October 23: Chrono des Nations
• October 23: Japan Cup
• October 22-30: Tour of Hainan

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Trek recalls 2014 and 2015 Farley 6 Bikes

Trek has recalled the following products:

• 2014 Farley
• 2014 Farley frameset
• 2015 Farley 6
• 2015 Farley 6 frameset

A small number of these bicycles were made with a fork that was assembled
incorrectly. An incorrectly assembled fork could come out of alignment with
the handlebar, which could allow the front wheel to turn unexpectedly and
cause you to fall. If this happens, you could be involved in a serious accident.

You can read the entire Trek Bicycle Company Farley 6 recall letter here.

And you can read the US Consumer Product Safety Commission Trek Farley recall notice here.

Valerio Conti surgery successful

Lampre-Merida sent me this good news:

The surgery performed Thursday on Valerio Conti who suffered a broken wrist after a crash while training, was successful.

In the Casa di Cura Villa Benedetta in Rome, Professor Francesco Fanfani, one of the best specialist surgeons for the orthopedy of the hand, performed the surgery using a low-invasive technique. Recovery is expected in 45 days.

Valerio Conti winning 2016 Vuelta stage 13

Ruben Fernandez signs through 2019 with Movistar

Here's the team roster update:

He's one of the biggest sources of excitement for the Movistar Team, and he feels at home in this group. Rubén Fernández (Murcia, ESP; 1991) has extended his current contract with Eusebio Unzué's group, and will wear the green 'M' of the telephone squad for the next three years. One of the best climbers and future prospects in Spanish cycling will thus remain by the side of the nation's only WorldTour team.

2016, Rubén's second season within the Blue ranks, has been a year of regularity and brilliance for the Spaniard. Sixth-place finisher in two WorldTour stage races like Down Under and Pologne -both results fundamental for the Movistar Team's fourth consecutive WT title- as well as in the Vuelta a Burgos, he became a household name thanks to a sensational Vuelta a España: 2nd atop the Mirador de Ézaro, GC leader for a day and superb helper for Nairo Quintana, who celebrated alongside the Murcian (33rd overall) as he triumphed in Madrid.

Ruben Fernandez riding stage 4 of the 2016 Vuelta

With Valverde and Quintana already signed through 2019, Fernández confirms himself as a bet for future by a Movistar Team which holds 27 riders under contract for next year. The new season will kick off on 15 January, as the Tour Down Under takes the curtain up in South Australian lands.

Dorel Sports 3rd quarter and year-to-date revenues down

Dorel Sports owns Caloi, Pacific Cycle, Cannondale, Iron Horse, Schwinn, GT, among its many brands

This news came from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News:

MONTREAL (BRAIN) — Dorel's bike division reported a drop in third-quarter revenue of $15.8 million, or 5.9 percent, and a year-to-date revenue decrease of $42.8 million, or 5.7 percent. Revenue for the quarter totaled $250.7 million, while year-to-date revenue was $703.7 million. Dorel's bike division includes both its mass and IBD bicycle businesses.

The company told investors during an earnings call Thursday that the bicycle industry continues to face challenges at different levels, but that it's responding by unveiling new products, offering fewer discounts on products due to lower inventory levels, increasing prices at Caloi, and aggressively cutting costs.

"For the quarter and nine months, the segment's lower sales can be attributed to a softer global bike market and changes in the North American independent bicycle dealer retail environment," the company said.

Specifically, Dorel's Jeffrey Schwartz told investors that traditionally suppliers, including Dorel Sports' CSG division, would try to sell or ship as much as 50 to 60 percent of retailers' order commitments in the third or fourth quarter for the following year. But that's evolving.

"What happened last year is a lot of retailers bought a lot of bikes in preseason. There were incentives to do that. Then with discounting that occurred in spring, they've woken up this year and said, 'Why do I want to take such a big commitment early if I can wait to see if there's discounting?' They are buying, but not bulk of commitments before they need them. We expect to see these commitments being followed up. We're still bullish, but I don't foresee this year as a time where IBDs will load up and stock their warehouses. They'd rather we keep the goods."

As a result, Dorel Sports expects fourth-quarter orders to move into the first quarter of next year. This will mean a reduction in second-half 2016 CSG shipments. But the company still expects the fourth quarter to result in improved earnings due to improvement in its adjusted operating profit.

Schwartz said Dorel Sports is taking a much more strategic inventory approach. "We're controlling our inventory so as not to have excess inventory," he said. "Hopefully what happened in the industry last year won't happen again."

Schwartz pointed to BPSA figures that show a decrease in supplier inventory from January through September of this year. "Supplier inventory position is in much better state than last year at this time," he said. "We're hopeful we'll get back to a good level. A proper balance between supply and demand, which is what this industry needs."

You can read the entire story here.

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