Boulder indoor velodrome closing suddenly • National Bike Challenge kicks off Tuesday • Ontario group announced Bicycle Friendly Community Awards • USA Cycling makes deal with hotel group
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) Monday April 30 2012 10:39 AM MT—Trackies in Boulder were surprised this weekend when operators of its three-year-old indoor velodrome announced it would shut down for regular hours after Monday, with one last race planned for Friday, May 4.
Owners of the 142-meter wooden track gave little explanation for the closure. A statement on the track's website said they would be liquidating its inventory of track bikes and other merchandise.
The statement also said the operators were putting together a plan to refund customers who had pre-paid for memberships and other programs.
Comments under an article on the local cycling website, 303cycling, indicate that other parties may be interested in taking over the track from its current owners.
National Bike Challenge kicks off Tuesday
WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN) Monday April 30 2012 10:20 AM MT—The National Bike Challenge, which hopes to register 50,000 bicyclists with the goal of riding a combined 10 million miles, kicks off on Tuesday, May 1, and runs through the end of August.
The Challenge is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, Bikes Belong, Endomondo and the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Riders will compete for prizes and awards on the local and national level, including a grand prize trip through California wine country from Trek Travel.
Participants can log their miles on the Challenge website or use a Endomondo smart phone app to log rides automatically.
More information: www.nationalbikechallenge.org.
Ontario group announced Bicycle Friendly Community Awards
TORONTO, Ontario (BRAIN) Monday April 30 2012 10:47 AM MT—Share the Road Cycling Coalition announced the latest Bicycle Friendly Communities awards at an event last week.
The announcement was made at the Coalition’s 4th Annual Ontario Bike Summit by CEO Eleanor McMahon, League of American Bicyclists CEO Andy Clarke and Bicycle Trade Association of Canada's executive director, Janet O’Connell.
The following communities were awarded Bicycle Friendly status: Toronto – Silver; Guelph – Bronze; Mississauga – Bronze; Oakville – Bronze; Peterborough – Bronze; Richmond Hill – Bronze; Welland – Bronze. Honorable Mentions were given to Sault Ste Marie and Whitby.
The announcement brings the total of award winning communities to 15.
USA Cycling makes deal with hotel group
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (BRAIN) Monday April 30 2012 11:21 AM MT—USA Cycling has reached a multi-=year agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group, the parent company of Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza and other hotel chains. The agreement makes IHG the exclusive hotel partner of USAC and gives USAC members a discount on rooms.
"We are delighted to begin this relationship with IHG and its storied hotel brands,” said USA Cycling President & Chief Executive Officer Steve Johnson. “IHG’s commitment not only to help fund USA Cycling’s athlete programs but also to offer our members dedicated access to their unmatched operating system will make a noticeable difference in the lives of our travel-heavy members.”
The partnership was reached in conjunction with sports marketing and entertainment company Wasserman Media Group, which USA Cycling retained to help identify potential partnership opportunities. Other major USA Cycling partners include Grape-Nuts, Exergy and Spy.
