#eventshipping

Biniam Girmay, with his stage 3 win, became the first Black rider to win a Tour de France stage. And he didn’t stop there, winning two more stages and standing on the podium after the final stage wearing the green jersey.

One stage after Girmay’s historic win, history was made again with Sir Mark Cavendish crossing the line first for his record-breaking 35th career Tour de France stage win.

Photo by Ashley Gruber / Jered Gruber

On stage 17 Richard Carapaz became the first Ecuadorian rider to win a stage, and continued the history-making by standing on the podium at the end of the Tour in the polka-dot jersey.

While Tadej Pogačar’s no mercy style of riding seemed to make the yellow jersey a foregone conclusion well before the final stage, it did solidify one of the greatest Tour rivalries in, well, history. Over the past four Tours, Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard have each won two yellow jerseys and are separated by a cumulative time of only 1 minute 25 seconds across all four Tours (it’s worth noting that Pogačar does have a third win in 2020, prior to Vingegaard’s Tour debut).

Photo by Ashley Gruber / Jered Gruber

Bikeflights Partnerships Director Michael Potter found that Girmay’s groundbreaking performance focused his attention on aspects of the Tour he might otherwise overlook.

“The green jersey competition was exceptional. Biniam Girmay's win is as historic as it was exciting. I enjoyed watching the sprint stages more this year because of him,” Michael said.

Customer Engagement Manager Gordon Wadsworth, perhaps channeling his event directing and racing experience, was taken by the Tour organization itself.

“I was really impressed with the route this year … Route finding can be such a challenge and the organizers did a great job in the context of the Paris insanity, keeping to areas of interest and creating incredible visuals,” Gordon said, continuing, “Bologna was a fabulous city for a start and I enjoyed the Italian countryside from some of my own racing there.”

Customer Experience Lead Lifan Irwin seemed to make a prediction about 2025 when we hope to see Vingegaard and Pogačar battle at full health.

“The tenacity of Jonas was hands down awe inspiring. I think given another month of training, things might have been different,” Lifan said.

And Customer Experience Associate Briana Valorosi, while enthralled by the Tour, reminds us that Tour de France racing is far from over in 2024.

“The Tour is always a special event to watch. And this year seemed record-breaking in many ways! Until next year… or, wait, until next month, when the Femmes take over for another go of Tour de France spectating!” Briana exclaimed.

We’ve been an official service of the Tour de France since 2019, and we’re proud to add Tour de France Femmes in 2024!

Putting aside the fascinating structural changes that will make this Tour unique, the sheer competition from this extensive cast of talented riders and the story lines (that Netflix has so "eloquently" elevated) will undoubtedly make for 21 of the most riveting stages of bike racing, like only the Tour de France can provide. Will 2024 serve as the Pogačar-Vingegaard rubber match to break the 2-2 tie? Will Mark Cavendish sprint to his record-breaking 35th stage win in his last Tour?

The Tour chatter in the Bikeflights internal chat threads is heating up. Many of us have our Tour de France fantasy teams strategically set for stage 1. Because after all, we’re not just an official service of the Tour de France, we’re also big fans.

“I love the Tour, for it puts my daily drama into perspective," said Bikeflights President William Alcorn.

Customer Experience Lead Lifan Irwin finds watching the Tour to be an inspiration beyond simply being a cyclist, saying, “I’m not inspired specifically to ride to be honest, but more to strive for goals, and I find it a great motivator to keep rolling."

Some, like Customer Experience Associate Briana Valorosi use the Tour to indulge in a cycling discipline she otherwise doesn’t participate in, saying, "It's inspiring to see the superhuman strengths of these riders, and to spectate a sector of cycling that I don't personally engage in. I'm a mountain biker, but I have so much respect for these road riders and the way they continue to carry forth this historic event!"

Vice President Sue George similarly likes to view the Tour from the perspective of her preferred cycling discipline.

"My favorite riders are the mountain bikers! It's impressive how many of the current best riders have the skill sets and mindsets to race at the highest level on both dirt and pavement," she said.

Customer Engagement Manager Gordon Wadsworth relishes in the Tour’s ability to raise cycling to the consciousness of non-cyclists for at least one month per year.

“Most of all I love that cycling becomes a trending topic within more than just my small community. For the month of July everyone I know asks me about the Tour. And it’s delightful," he said.

But as a competitive cyclist himself, he can’t help viewing it through a competitive cyclist’s lens, saying, "As an athlete I love seeing my sport executed to perfection. I love the current phase of cycling being a confluence of heart and science," Gordon said.

Gordon summed up his feelings, saying, "To me it brings together incredible racing action, brilliant scenic beauty and true life stories like few other sports endeavors. When an entire country is the stadium the visuals never stop coming."

Customer Experience Associate Patricia Schwager can trace her pursuit of cycling to the Tour and quality time with her grandfather.

"I remember watching the Tour on TV as a kid with my grandfather. It definitely had an impact and is one of the things that inspired me to get a road bike and start racing bikes," she said.

And Customer Experience Associate Garrett Bonenberger, another Bikeflights Team member firmly in the mountain bike camp, couldn’t hide his bias when talking about watching the Tour, saying, "I always enjoy watching the different stages … seeing if someone will attempt to jump the peloton on a mountain bike again."

Bikeflights has long been a supporter of women’s cycling, from its grassroots-focused Ambassador program that has helped many female riders to its sponsorship of elite and junior individual cyclists and cycling teams.

“It’s exciting to be a part of the growth of women’s professional cycling, and we hope to encourage future generations of aspiring young women who dream of competing in cycling’s most iconic event,” said George.

Bikeflights began working with Amaury Sport Organisation through a licensing deal signed in 2019 that designated Bikeflights as an official bike shipping service of the Tour de France. At the time, there was no women’s edition of the race.

The renewal designates Bikeflights as an official service of both the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Per the three-year agreement extension, Bikeflights will collaborate with Amaury Sport Organisation to promote Bikeflights’ global bicycle shipping service among fans of the Tour de France and some L’Etape events.

While the main focus of the week was the consumer and industry expo held over four days from Thursday through Sunday, we arrived two days early to spin out our post-travel legs and enjoy some riding together. The highlight was a group pedal on picturesque roads adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and along the very scenic 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach.

At the expo, we appreciated the opportunity to get to see and catch up with many Bikeflights customers, shop owners, bike manufacturers, event partners and friends from all over the U.S. and the world. 

We even got an extra special visit from a group of riders from Little Bellas, one of our Buck Up For Bikes beneficiaries, as they were out and about on a scavenger hunt. And in case you’re wondering how many Little Bellas can fit in a Bikeflights Bike Box XL… well, now we know the answer is 15!

Our very own Kerry Werner got his first taste of racing in the Life Time Grand Prix Series. In a grueling, blisteringly fast 70-mile cross country mountain bike race, Kerry showed strong early season form, pedaling to an impressive 13th place among the elite men.

Shoutouts also go to the riders the Maxxis Factory Racing team, one of Bikeflights’ sponsored teams. Defending Life Time Grand Prix series champion Haley Smith rode a solid Fuego XL cross country race, moving up on the second lap to finish fourth on the day for the elite women while Andrew L’Esperance logged a seventh place in the elite men’s race.

Andrew L’Esperance leads out the start of the men’s Life Time Grand Prix Fuego XL race. Photo by James Stokoe.

Haley Smith navigates a downhill section of the women’s Life Time Grand Prix Fuego XL race. Photo by James Stokoe.

Their Maxxis teammates Cole Peterson and Lia Westermann also both finished in the top 10 of the elite men’s and elite women’s enduro, and Lia made it into the round of 16 of the dual slalom in front of huge, cheering crowds on Saturday evening. She then followed it up with a team-best 13th in the downhill the next and final morning of Sea Otter.

Lia Westermann during the downhill race. Photo by James Stokoe.

Cole Paterson getting some airtime during the enduro race. Photo by James Stokoe.

Check out Kerry’s one-minute video recap of the weekend.

Ride guides and coaches included former Unbound Gravel 200 and XL winners, professional racers and industry sponsor representatives like Sparky. She had shipped her bike to Gravel City Adventure and Supply before the event began, and the wonderful mechanics helped get it built and ready to ride in advance of the big weekend. While Sparky's luggage took a couple of days to arrive due to an unfortunate airline mixup, her bike was ready and waiting for her at the start line of camp!

Each day offered campers the opportunity to take a ride on the infamous Flint Hills gravel, learn from the coaches, eat an abundance of snacks and delicious catered meals and get to know one another. The first day started with a shakeout ride to a property just outside of Emporia, where a bonfire and BBQ were awaiting the campers. While the temperatures were chilly, spirits were high, and everyone was excited to get the event rolling.

The second day allowed attendees to ride 35 or 50 miles, and Sparky rode with a number of folks from around the world and chatted with some BikeFlights customers. The ride was followed by talks led by coaches and industry sponsors addressing nutrition, mental preparation and tire choice. Notes were taken, raffle prizes were drawn and everyone left the evening feeling more prepared for the big day in June.

Saturday was the chance to go long, and Sparky rolled out with the 100-milers at 8:00 AM. She swept the course and had an amazing day riding with the tail end of the campers. A gas station pizza party greeted riders at the mid-way point and it was a welcome sight! Despite tired legs, everyone was thrilled to have finished a long, sunny ride. After cheering on those campers departing on their Unbound Gravel XL night training ride, everyone else headed over to the local pub to toast to a fantastic day. 

Sunday wrapped up with a final 20-mile sendoff, complete with cold temperatures, mud and burritos waiting at the finish. After cleaning her bike, Sparky dropped it off at Gravel City Adventure, where the mechanics packed it up for shipping home. 

Unbound Gravel Camp was a wonderful opportunity to ride parts of the course, learn from leaders in the industry and bond with new friends over our mutual love of this sport.

We can’t wait to return to Emporia for race day on Saturday, June 3, 2023! 

If you need to book your shipment in the meantime, check our Unbound Gravel Event Shipping Guide.

The annual migration to The Mid South starts with a gathering of industry brands and packet pickup at the event’s expo. Calm winds and moderate temperatures created a welcoming environment where the gravel community could come together from all over the U.S. and catch up after the long off season. 

BikeFlights' newest team member and Event and Marketing Support Specialist Kerry Werner and Partnerships Director Michael Potter spent the expo day connecting with current and future BikeFlights shippers among the nearly 2,500 like-minded people celebrating the ride that would follow the next day.  

Race day featured sunny skies, warm temperatures and strong winds. The pace was fast over what were smooth, dry roads, causing the field to break into many smaller groups. As the winds pushed out of the south, it challenged riders from every direction as they pedaled clockwise around the course throughout the day. 

In the men’s race, the deciding move occurred 89 miles into the 100-mile course. A sandy, twisty mountain bike trail section took the lead group of 12 down to three. Payson McElveen, John Borstelman and BikeFlights’ own Kerry Werner emerged from the trails and sprinted for the top three podium spots, crossing the line in that order. 

The women’s race was shaken up halfway through the race when the leader was held up at a railroad crossing by an unfortunately timed freight train. During the delay the top five women regrouped. Keeping calm and continuing to push the pace, Lauren De Crescenzo would again ride away from her competitors to repeat her 2022 victory with her teammate Caroline Wreszin claiming second place and Heather Jackson rounding out the last podium spot.

In the event’s first-ever non-binary category, Rach McBride claimed victory by riding a consistent, strong effort from start to finish. Apollo Leonard and Sam Hansen completed the podium in second and third places.

Special congratulations to BikeFlights Team Members Justin Barr and Zach Heyer who spontaneously decided to ride the 100-mile route after originally registering for the 50-mile route. Both pushed themselves hard and finished in impressive form.

Lastly, BikeFlights Brand Ambassadors Jessica Brunson, Maria Doering, Enzo Moscarella and Sarah Bowman inspired us with their efforts in the 50, 100 and ‘the double’ routes. Congratulations to you all! 

Make travel easier for your riders

For riders who use BikeFlights’ door-to-door bicycle shipping service to get their bikes to your event, going to, through and from the airport en route to your event is a lot easier. They’ll breeze through airport check-in and baggage claim, and their bikes will be awaiting them at their chosen delivery location. All your riders have to do is relax and enjoy their travel to your event.

Calling events of all types and sizes

We work with events of all types: gravel, mountain bike, road, track, cyclocross, triathlon, BMX, adventure and fat bike, just to name a few. Some are competitive events, some are charity rides, and some are consumer or industry shows. We’re happy to provide our shipping services to events ranging from brand new to established for decades. And we partner with events of all sizes.

How it works

When you partner your event with BikeFlights, we work with you before, during and after your event to give your participants the best bicycle shipping experience.

We begin by providing you with a direct BikeFlights Event Support Representative who will work with you on the logistics of bike shipping for your event. For each event, we create a custom, co-branded Event Shipping Guide for easy booking of bike shipments to/from your event. In your Event Shipping Guide, we’ll help you promote your designated event partner bike shop(s) and any bike receiving, assembly and packing services they are offering to your participants. Our Event Shipping Guides save you as the event promoter from answering some of the same logistical bike transport questions over and over.

Once your participants’ bike shipments are underway, we provide elite-level tracking and monitoring to ensure their bikes get to and from your event as scheduled.

At your request, we’ll provide you with a shipping report ahead of your event detailing the number of bike shipments coming and from whom. And we can also provide a PDF file of shipping labels for all return shipments if you are helping handle those for your riders. Finally, we can help you get self-adhesive label pouches and luggage tags if needed for your participants’ return shipments.

Our experienced Customer Support Team - made up of fellow cyclists - is available for any other assistance needed via live chat, email and phone.

Spread the Word: We help you. You help us.

Event partners and BikeFlights work together to co-promote your events and services.

Your event gets featured in the Events Page Calendar on our website, and for several months leading up to your event, we also list your event in our BikeFlights monthly e-newsletter which goes out to nearly 160,000 cyclists.

In return, event promoters share news of BikeFlights’ easy-to-use bicycle shipping services and easy-to-pack bike shipping boxes with participants via their website, social media and email communications with registered riders.

To begin the process of becoming a partner event, email us at [email protected] with some information about your event.

Examples

Check our list of current partner events for examples of some of our partnerships.

Some examples:

The Mid South (Gravel Race) 

People for Bikes Shift’22 (Conference)

Empire State Ride to End Cancer (Charity Event)