BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)—Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI) has announced today that Neal Rogers has been promoted to editor-in-chief of Velo.
He takes over for Ben Delaney, who left the magazine after the Tour de France so that he could spend more time with his family.
“Neal is an extraordinarily talented editor who brings a deep understanding of our audience and a real passion for the sport of cycling,” said Peter Englehart, CEO of CGI. “He has a vision that fits very well with the brand and he innately understands what our readers want. His sense of what makes a strong editor will continue to represent Velo as the voice of authority in the cycling space that speaks with authenticity and uniqueness to the sport's many fans.”
Rogers previously served as managing editor of Velo—formerly known as VeloNews—which recently debuted a new look and new title with the August issue currently on newsstands. The word “News” left the print publication, but remains intact for its online audience at VeloNews.com. The name change is a continuation of the evolution for the brand that began nearly 40 years ago as Northeast Bicycle Racing News, which became Cyclenews then Velo-news to VeloNews and now Velo.
“Given my personal passion for the sport and lifestyle, I feel truly honored to guide this iconic publication into its next era, and to make it the ultimate resource for the cycling community,” said Rogers. “I am very excited about working with the talented editorial staff at Velo, and to continue the transformation of the brand. Our most vital mission is to connect with and to serve our readers, and that direction of the magazine has never been clearer, or better defined.”
A graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, Rogers joined VeloNews as an editorial intern in 2001 and has covered a wide range of stories and events. Over the past decade he's been on the ground at the Tour de France six times, as well as every year of the Amgen Tour of California, and in that time he has authored more cover stories than any other writer on staff. He has been an on-camera personality for VeloNewsTV, co-host of the weekly VeloCenter online program and in September 2008 he broke the international news story of Lance Armstrong's return to professional cycling.
A category 3 cyclocross racer, Rogers has finished the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike race, the 5430 Half-Ironman triathlon and the Big Sur marathon. As editor-in-chief he will oversee the monthly content and production planning, reporting directly to CGI editorial director T.J. Murphy.
“A supremely talented and dedicated journalist, Neal’s passion for the sport of cycling—and the immense respect he has earned from the industry—makes him an outstanding choice to lead Velo,” said Murphy.
