NORCROSS, GA (BRAIN)—Blue Competition Cycles has hired Mike Giraud as the company's product development specialist.
Giraud joins Norcross, Georgia-based Blue after spending the past five years as the director of cycling programs at the A2 Wind Tunnel in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he oversaw all aspects of the tunnel's bike program.
In that role, Giraud helped fit thousands of cyclists and triathletes, including seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong and Germany's Andreas Raelert, runner-up at the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, as well as a steady stream of amateur cycling and triathlon enthusiasts.
"It's not an overstatement for me to say that I have spent more time with athletes on a bike in a wind tunnel than any other human on the planet," Giraud said of his aerodynamics experience. "I’m not aware of anybody who can claim anything close."
At Blue, Giraud will work alongside product development manager Chris Pic to help design the company’s growing line of competition oriented bicycles. Giraud will be paying particular attention to the company's line of Triad triathlon and AC-1 aero road bikes, specializing on each bike's aerodynamics.
Giraud, 38, got his start in the business as a bike mechanic at age 14 in a small shop in Toms River, New Jersey. He then spent four years as a professional mechanic for teams in Wisconsin and Canada before going to work at the A2 Tunnel. His expertise as a mechanic, combined with his aerodynamics knowledge, will enable Giraud to help Blue build the best possible bikes for serious riders.
"Mike has spent countless hours working with the exact type of customers we are targeting with our products," said Chance Regina, Blue's national marketing manager. "He understands better than most what they are looking for, especially as it pertains to fit. He has also spent the last several years watching almost every major manufacturer and top rider roll through the tunnel. He knows what works and what doesn’t."
Along with working with Pic on new product design, Giraud will also assist Blue staff with quality control inspections at the warehouse and factory levels.
"I'm really excited about the opportunity that I have by joining Blue," Giraud said. "It's a perfect company for me to make this move. I will get to participate in a lot more aspects of the process all along the way. I relish the challenge."
During his time at the wind tunnel, Giraud has worked hand-in-hand with Blue mechanics and staff, helping fit several of the company's sponsored riders into the most-efficient aerodynamic position possible.
"Having worked with Mike for the past several years during our visits to the tunnel, I'm extremely confident in his knowledge of our bikes," Regina said. "We have seen his work up close and know that he will be a valuable asset to our staff."
