International
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (BRAIN) — PowerBar, recently purchased by Post, has agreed to extend its sponsorship of the Tour de France through 2018, the company announced Thursday.

WARWICK, R.I. (BRAIN) — WeeBikeShop is now the U.S. distributor for the Australia-made carbon fiber Zelvy balance bike and Ridgeback UK's line of balance bikes and children's bikes.
VISTA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Haro Bikes has named Traffic GmbH as the distributor of Haro and Premium-branded products in Germany and Austria.
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Due to strong demand for booth space, Eurobike organizers are opening additional exhibit space outside the Messe Friedrichafen grounds—between the halls—where it previously featured a bike obstacle course.
MADRID (BRAIN) — IMBA Europe will hold its two-day summit here starting March 28. The event will include discussion of long-distance European mountain bike routes, mountain bike guide programs, sustainable trail building, advocacy and mountain bike tourism.

OREM, Utah (BRAIN) — Mountain Bike Hall of Famer and 16-year industry veteran Nat Ross has joined Lizard Skins as international sales executive.
OSAKA, Japan (BRAIN) — Unfavorable weather in Europe and North America was countered by strong sales in China and a growing service parts business in all markets to drive Shimano’s sales 10 percent higher in 2013 to $2.68 billion (271.037 billion yen).

HELSINKI, Finland (BRAIN) — Mavic sales were flat in the fourth quarter of parent-company Amer Sports' fiscal year, Amer reported Tuesday. The Finnish company said Mavic sales were just a hair better than flat for the full fiscal year: up 1 percent to 129 million euros ($176 million).

MUNICH (BRAIN) — The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry has elected Frank A. Dassler as its new president. Dassler is the general counsel of the Adidas Group and a descendent of Adidas and Puma founders Adolf and Rudolf Dassler; his father, Armin Dassler, served as WFSGI's president from 1986-1989.

DENVER (BRAIN) — Rudy Project has appointed Chris Lupo to the newly created position of global sponsorship director for triathlon.
MONTREAL (BRAIN) — The taxpayers of Montreal are expected to be the biggest losers following the bankruptcy of Bixi, the nonprofit spun off from the city's transportation department to supply international bike share systems.
GOLDEN, Colo. (BRAIN) — For the 2014 racing season, Yeti Cycles will focus its international race efforts solely on the Enduro World Series with a fully supported team that includes Junior DH World Champion Richie Rude.
ATLANTA, Ga. (BRAIN) — Wahoo Fitness is now the official supplier of trainers to Team Sky, the team and Georgia-based supplier announced Tuesday.
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (BRAIN) — Finish Line Technologies is sponsoring two new top-level pro cycling teams for 2014: Orica-GreenEDGE and Trek Factory Racing.
Astana Pro Team, Cannondale Pro Cycling and Team Europcar are continuing with Finish Line this season.
DUARTE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Cycleurope France, a member of the Group Grimaldi of Sweden, is Dahon's new distributor in France.

CHICAGO (BRAIN) — SRAM has appointed Frank Ripper as its mountain bike PR coordinator for much of Europe. Ripper has been SRAM's MTB technical marketing coordinator for Europe for the last few days.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Britain's Team Sky will use U.S.-made Stages Cycling power meters for the 2014 race season, the company announced Tuesday.

NEWBURY PARK, Calif. (BRAIN) — Giant Bicycle is joining Cannondale, Trek, Merida and BMC among bike brands that are title or co-title sponsors of top-tier UCI professional road teams.

POZZOLEONE, Italy (BRAIN) — Riccardo Bigolin, who founded Selle Royal and saw it grow into one of the world’s premium saddle companies, died on New Year’s Day. He had turned 85 on Dec. 28.
Team Name | Team Bike | Component Sponsor |
AG2R LA MONDIALE | Focus | Campagnolo |
ASTANA PRO TEAM | Specialized | Campagnolo |