Go back to the Roots of a World Champion with Kate Courtney – The second round of the UCI XC World Cup rolls out this weekend in the Czech Republic. So after a dominating performance last week in Albstadt, why not go back with Courtney’s Scott-SRAM team to where it all started. They team has a new story telling project called Rising, that starts from the beginning, tracks how she got where she is, and where she is going next.
Courtney has come a long way from shredding training wheels & tassels off-road. Now racing in the rainbow stripes, she has only last week taken her first World Cup XC win. While more World Cup wins are in the immediate crosshairs, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are the next goal on the horizon.
Kate Courtney’s Rising series will continue to look at her journey so far and goals to come. But this first one offers a glimpse of where it all began or the 23-year-old.
“For me, this series is a chance to share my story authentically and give a glimpse into my journey so far as a professional cyclist. This series captures so many of the things that make racing meaningful for me – from sharing it with my family, friends and team of support to interacting with young kids just getting into cycling. It is a chance to explore and share what makes our sport so special both as a competitive pursuit and as a lifestyle that so many people can connect to and understand.” – Kate Courtney for Scott-Sports.com
Advocacy & Where to Ride
- Ride For Mental Health in June, cycle for a cause – The Ride For Mental Health returns this June in upstate New York, offering something for bikers of all levels – from kids on up. The event raises money to assist with the education, research, and treatment of mental illnesses including anxiety, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders and substance abuse. This year The Ride’s special guest speaker will be Juli Furtado, former Olympian & 3x World Cup mountain bike champ. Juli was one of the most dominating mountain bike racers of all time, and was also subjected to a particularly difficult upbringing with her mother suffering from mental illnesses of her own. RideforMentalHealth.org
- Ride the Ranch Rally with Moots in their backyard – This June 15, Moots will be bringing back their popular Ranch Rally with beer, tacos & tons of dirt roads just out of their Steamboat Springs HQ. 50 miles of gravel & dirt in the fifth year of the event, you don’t have to ride a Moots, but plenty other lovers of ti will be there raising money for the Community AG Alliance of Steamboat. More details & registration at: Moots.myshopify.com
Racing News
- Watch the Czech round of UCI World Cup XC Live this weekend on Red Bull TV – As we said up top, the cross-country World Cup heads to Nové Město this weekend. And Red Bull will be broadcasting the big Sunday races live over on Red Bull TV. Elite women race at 10:20 CET, then Elite men at 13:35. RedBull.com
Industry News
- American Airlines eliminates oversize fee for bikes – As the busy summer travel period quickly approaches, American Airlines has announced changes to its policies regarding oversize sports and music equipment. American is eliminating oversize bag fees for common sports and music equipment, effective for travel on or after May 21. The updated policies, which will be music to the ears of musicians who fly on American, will also ensure that customers can more easily pursue active and healthy lifestyles wherever their travels may take them, without having to pay additional oversize bag fees. news.AA.com
- REI supporting unified e-bike regulation, more access, more sales – REI plans to more than double the number of e-bikes offered across its US network of co-op stores for 2019. And at the same time to company is pledging $100,000 grant to PeopleForBikes to support a more unified approach to how e-bikes are regulated in the US & where it is responsible to ride them. As more e-bikes, and especially eMTBs are being sold in the US, REI wants to help lead the pack in getting more riders on both bikes AND e-bikes, in a sustainable way with less trail or user conflict. More detail over at: e-bikerumor.com.
Gear & Contests
- Ante Up for the Santa Cruz trails, and Win an Ibis Ripley – Ibis is located in Santa Cruz, CA – a world renown riding destination with a dirty little secret… of the over 220+ miles of trails in the county, less than 40 are legally open to cyclists. The Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz (MBOSC) – a non-profit organization working hard to improve existing trails, build new trails, organize community events and host races – is partnering again with Ibis. Together, the pair raffle off the Ibis of your dreams – literally any bike they make. For every $5 you Ante Up for The Trails, you’ll be entered to win, with ALL proceeds going directly towards the trails. MBOSC.givingfuel.com
