DENVER (BRAIN) — Several of Colorado's largest and longest standing bike events are being operated by new owners this season. Last fall, ClippedIn Events acquired the assets of Rocky Mountain Events, which owned and organized The Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival, Subaru Sunrise-Sunset 12 Hour MTB Race, Primal Colorado Bike Expo, i25 Kia Copper Triangle, and the Icon Eyecare Tour of the Moon.
ClippedIn will now produce all those events as well as Tour de Vineyards, which the company had acquired earlier. The company also owns the Primal Colorado Bike Expo and BikeState38, a Colorado cycling website.
ClippedIn was formed last year. Its three owners are Scott Olmstead, a former employee of Rocky Mountain Events; Chandler Smith, the longtime director of the Ride the Rockies and other events; and Robin Thurston, the co-founder of MapMyFitness, which he later sold to Under Armour. Chandler and Olmstead are both managing partners of the new company, while Thurston is described as an investor and adviser.
Thurston said, "The future is about experiences and we plan to reinvent these rides for our participants. I was excited to invest in these events because of the outstanding leadership and event management experience that both Scott and Chandler possess. I grew up riding and racing in Colorado in the 1980s where I was exposed to these great tours. Through them I developed some incredible lifelong cycling friendships. My hope is that cyclists of all ages and skill levels have similar shared experiences with these iconic events and come back year after year."
Chandler told BRAIN the new partners plan to continue the traditions of the events while adding new elements and improvements. He said in Colorado, where there are several cycling events scheduled for every weekend of the season, event organizers need to be constantly upping their game.
The company is now offering the "Pedal Pass," which provides discounts and other benefits for riders who register for several events at once.
The first of the new team's events is the Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival, which is now in its 31st year. Chandler said the company has been inspired by the growth of the Sea Otter Classic and is expanding its festival, which now includes the Primal Colorado Bike Expo, The Subaru Sunrise to Sunset MTB Race, and the Elephant Rock Ride, which has five different ride options from 8 to 100 miles. The festival is June 2-3 in Castle Rock, Colorado.
