Wow, what a weekend! Over the past four days, our team has taken CIOVITA around the world with events taking place across three different countries simultaneously. Specifically, the Cycle Show, one of the largest bike shows in the UK; 4Islands MTB in Croatia, our second stop in the Epic Series; and the Sea Otter Classic, a four-day celebration of cycling in California.
It was a chance for us to showcase our latest releases, meet with other industry leaders, and, most importantly, interact with some of our fans in these areas. The opportunity to take our kit to the world has been hard-won, but it is times like these that make it all worthwhile. So we wanted to take this opportunity to share some of our experiences from this crazy weekend with you.
THE LONDON CYCLE SHOW
The Cycle Show is one of the largest bike and cycling kit exhibitions in the UK, and we had the privilege of attending the event as an exhibitor and in our capacity as an official apparel partner.
This was an opportunity for us to showcase our Epic Series leader jerseys, but also to officially launch the jersey they inspired, the H1 Svelto Long Sleeve Jersey, in this market. Our exhibition space featured an eco-friendly, modular stage and powered by two powerful inverters that took us off the grid for the duration of the show, reflecting our commitment to making our global footprint more sustainable.
We were blown away by the response to our kit and have made some great connections with iconic British brands in our custom gear program to have future collaborations. It was wonderful to see the excitement and interest of potential future retail partners and customers alike, watch this space.
4 ISLANDS MTB CROATIA
The next stop in our partnership with the Epic Series took us to the Adriatic, and more specifically, to the Croatian Islands of Krk, Rab, Cres, and Losinj for the 4 Islands MTB stage race. This race is unlike any other, with riders being ferried to a new stage on a new island each night and starting from the race boat each morning.
The 270km race takes riders along single tracks, through narrow town streets, and even along goat paths, with each new island presenting a totally unique experience. But in spite of the idyllic location, this race is no summer vacation in the Med - the route is technical and requires riders to have a versatile skillset to successfully navigate the different locations.
Aside from manning the merchandise store, kitting out each day’s category leaders, and all the frenetic activity that comes with events of this nature, we were also really happy to find some time to get on a bike and explore these islands for ourselves. The beautiful views across the sea, quaint towns and villages with cobbled streets, and the friendly people gave us a small taste of what the event participants experienced.
SEA OTTER CLASSIC
The final stop in our world tour took us to beautiful Monterey, California, for the Sea Otter Classic. This event is one of the biggest celebrations of cycling in the world and features 300 races across myriad disciplines, as well as an expo of over 900 of the world’s top cycling brands showcasing their gear.
We met with retailers, the media and consumers who gave us high praise for our designs, quality and performance technology found across the range. It was also an opportunity for us to meet with other industry leaders and cycling enthusiasts, exchanging ideas and insights into the latest trends and innovations in the cycling world.
One weekend. Three countries. Tens of thousands of kilometers. And countless memories, experiences and friendships created over the shared experience of riding a bike. We feel inspired.
