Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, December 7, 2018
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2018 Tour de France | 2018 Giro d'Italia
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. - Oscar Wilde
Upcoming Racing:
- December 15: Scheldecross
Latest completed racing:
- December 1: GP Hasselt
- November 18: Flandriencross
- November 11: Telenet Super Prestige Gavere Cyclocross
- November 4: European Cyclocross Championships
- November 1: Cyclocross Koppenberg
- October 28: Cyclocross Ruddervorde
- October 23 - 31: Tour of Hainan
- October 21: Japan Cup
- October 9 - 14: Presidential Tour of Turkey
- October 14: Chrono des Nations
- October 13: Il Lombardia
- October 11: Gran Piemonte
2019 Interbike Bicycle Trade Show cancelled
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News just sent me this important flash:
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (BRAIN) — Emerald Expositions has canceled the 2019 edition of the Interbike trade show, saying the event might return in a more modest format in 2020. Emerald also has laid off several Interbike employees here, including show director Justin Gottlieb and sales director Andria Klinger.
“We have made the decision not to proceed with the event that had been scheduled for Reno in 2019,” Darrell Denny, the executive vice president at Emerald Expositions, told BRAIN Thursday afternoon.
Denny said Emerald had been surveying retailers and suppliers since the close of the 2018 show in September, and concluded that if Interbike has a future, it would be as a more affordable event for all involved.
“We are not going to bake the same cake again,” Denny said.
“It became pretty clear (after surveying the industry this fall) that the market has changed quite a bit. We need to look at how we can serve the market in a pretty different way. It will have to be pretty cost-efficient, with inexpensive travel. … As we got closer to the end of the year, we realized that companies needed to be able to budget for it, so we wanted to reach out before the end of the year,” he said.
Gottlieb and Klinger, along with Interbike’s marketing manager, Jack Morrissey, will remain with the company until Dec. 31, Denny said. In an unrelated move, Lori Jenks is also leaving Emerald. Jenks is senior vice president of Emerald’s trade show operations and works out of the San Juan Capistrano office where Interbike is based.
Interbike has been a major contributor to industry nonprofits, and the show's absence from the calendar will mean a hit to those groups’ budgets for at least a year. The show pays hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to PeopleForBikes through a long-standing agreement tied to the amount of exhibitor space sold at the show each year. Interbike also contributes to the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association and the National Bicycle Dealers Association.
Interbike used to be a huge deal. Here I am at the 2012 Interbike with Miguel Indurain
Emerald notified the three nonprofits on Thursday that it would not be making sponsorship payments in 2019.
Emerald had varying agreements with each organization, but in general all of them involved a mutual endorsement and sponsorship, not a regular dues payment like other industry suppliers have with the groups.
“There are different triggers for each, but for all three we are going to suspend funding until we’re able to come back with a plan (for a new show), since we are not going to have any revenue next year,” Denny said.
Denny said consolidation on the supplier and retail side has contributed to Interbike’s woes.
“There are about 4,000 retail stores now, and arguably about half of them are doing business predominantly with one commanding brand. ... That’s a pretty big factor,” he said.
You can read the entire story here.
Trump's trade truce means bike tariffs will remain at 10% at least an extra 60 days
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News sent me this:
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (BRAIN) — President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a truce in the ongoing trade war this weekend. Trump agreed to delay implementing a 25 percent tariff on Chinese goods — including at least $1 billion in bike-related products — that had been set to take effect Jan. 1. The tariff on those goods will remain the 10 percent that became effective in September (in addition to any pre-existing tariffs on those goods) for at least 90 days from the truce agreement of Dec. 1, so the 25 percent tariff increase is pushed out by about 60 days.
China-made e-bikes and e-bike motors will remain subject to the 25 percent tariff imposed in August. New tariffs imposed this year on imported steel and aluminum, and on Chinese GPS units and bearings, also remain in effect at 25 percent.
"President Trump and President Xi have agreed to immediately begin negotiations on structural changes with respect to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions and cyber theft, services and agriculture. Both parties agree that they will endeavor to have this transaction completed within the next 90 days. If at the end of this period of time, the parties are unable to reach an agreement, the 10% tariffs will be raised to 25%," the White House said in a statement.
The round of goods that would have been subject to the 25 percent tariffs includes most bike products made in China, including complete bikes, frames, wheels and other components and accessories. It does not affect lights, helmets, shoes or apparel, however.
Larry Pizzi, president and head of sales at Accell North America, said, "I am pleased by the postponement of the additional 15 percent tariff increase imposed on (non-electric) bicycles and bicycle parts and accessories, and remain hopeful that this 90 day stay will ultimately prevent the incremental tariff and net positive results for American consumers and the U.S. bicycle industry.
"While I feel strongly that increased tariffs would have a negative impact and do not agree with the administration's tactics, I do feel that fair and balanced trade between the U.S. and China needed to be addressed. Hopefully the administration won’t ignore the issues as it relates customs duty de minimis values and uses these further negotiations to take action to significantly lower these duty-free limits that negatively impact our industry."
You can read the entire story here.
Team Sunweb expands coaching staff
The team sent me this release:
Team Sunweb are pleased to add Michiel Elijzen (NED) to their coaching staff for the 2019 season. A former-pro, Elijzen retired from his career on the bike in 2010 and has spent the past eight years working in various coaching roles across the sport.
Elijzen said: “I’m very happy to be back coaching in the WorldTour and of course I’m honoured to do this in a world class team like Team Sunweb. The way they approach cycling, in a scientific and personal coaching-based way, suits me well and I’m looking forward to being a part of this process in 2019. I hope I can contribute to the continual development of the team, the riders and the staff and make 2019 a huge success.”
Head of coaching, Rudi Kemna (NED) said: “We’re really pleased to add Michiel to our coaching staff for the 2019 season. His experience both on and off the bike will be of value to our performance team, and his way of working and straight personality is a great fit to the way in which we work.”
Another new arrival to the team’s performance staff, Jelle de Jong (NED) joins Team Sunweb as a trainer from 2019. De Jong has a background in Exercise Physiology and will join the team following five years working as a trainer for UCI Continental Team Delta Cycling Rotterdam.
De Jong said: “I am very happy to make the step to Team Sunweb. The structure and philosophy at the team ensures that riders are being challenged and supported in different fields, which allows me to further specialise my skills as a trainer. I look forward to starting my journey with the team, with a focus on the process and the ingredients needed to achieve maximum performance. It will require cooperation and hard work and I am looking forward to starting to work together with the staff and riders.”
Head of coaching, Rudi Kemna (NED) said: “It’s great to have Jelle on board as trainer in the team. He has worked with a scientific approach in the past which of course suits perfectly to us. His extensive knowledge will be a great asset to our riders and the team as a whole, as we look to continue our successes and development in the new year.”
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