Is it in the Risk?

Questioned beyond breaking point.

I recently heard about Spanish rider Alberto Contador  re-signing a two-year contract with Team Saxo Bank. The three time Tour de France winner was stripped of all of his race titles and given a ban as of May 2010 after being proven guilty of doping. The question I raise is: Is signing riders with such bad reputations a good thing? Or simply insane?  I mean for the Team’s rep, for the sponsors etc. One could say that the rider’s rep could bring the team down. Or we can use the approach “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” In simpler terms this means that Team Saxo Bank is bigger than its individual members like Alberto Contador. I think organizations are starting to realise that if success is desired we need to risk it, look past the negatives to recognise the positives like Contador’s talent. Clearly the sport is becoming business orientated with a lot of money being invested into it, so taking risks is essential when keeping up with the mix. Is this the correct way to look at the situation? Acknowledging the positives before fussing over the negatives. For more info check out http://www.bicycling.com/ 

Low Marketing Communications? Or is it just Exclusivity?



 Exclusive Riders Only It seems that event organizers don't seem to be taking advantage of all the mediums of mass communication. Either they are not aware of the various social media platforms or, wait, this is the 21st century. Organizations should be well educated on the importance of brand positioning and the essentials of marketing communications. The way that you put yourself out there is the way that you will be perceived. Basically, what I am saying is, is that events don't do enough to get publicity. Not much advertising and communication is done. I often find that simple things like the whats, whens and wheres of an event are vaguely communicated. The best example is the Absa Cape Epic. I think it was only after the second day of it being underway that i heard it had even started, keep in mind I am a cyclist and usually know about what events are taking place, especially world renowned ones like the Epic. Could it be because of a lack of funds? I think not. It Costs more than R20 000 per entrant to enter the event, investing some of that money in publicity wouldn't hurt. After all, if I was paying twenty grand to put my body through severe pain and shock I'd expect a personal camera crew and my own cheerleading team. Even before being entered there is a long process before even being chosen to ride the epic. It seems to me that it's an exclusivity thing. If we compare how the Epic markets itself to the 94.7 Cycle challenge or perhaps the Cape Argus, there is a huge difference. Constantly we hear on the radio, see on T.V, bill boards, posters, Twitter, Facebook about the 94.7 cycle challenge.   It's framed as Everyone's race- For the Average Joe or even the all time Pro. Marketing and Communications are handled excellently here. It’s time that the value of brand positioning and marketing communications gets recognized.  Everyone's Race  



Think Bike. Biker Think

The Think Bike Campaign- Creating awareness

I’m sure you will agree with me that the most feared opponent in cycling is the motor vehicle. We all know what it’s like to be cut off by a taxi or a big bakkie, before being sworn at and left behind in nothing but dust and exhaust fumes. Truth is, drivers hate us. They simply despise our presence on their precious roads. (Not keeping in mind that we too pay taxes to utilize these roads.) Besides aggressive drivers, we have to dodge pot holes on those “precious” roads too, but that’s beside the point for now. I cringe every time I hear about a cyclist being knocked down and killed. “That could be someone I know.” I think to myself. The scary part is that it’s become at least once if not twice a month that an incident like this takes place. Are cyclists invisible? Or is it simply due to ignorance? It’s not fair that someone has to die doing what they love because of a lack of somebody else’s competence. The "Think Bike" campaign has done a lot to raise awareness for both motorcyclists and cyclists, but I can safely say that "think bike" does not only apply to drivers but to cyclists themselves. Let's put ourselves in the driver's seat for a moment; How can cyclists expect respect from drivers if cyclists themselves abuse utilization of the roads? I was recently driving on a main road in the sub-urban area I stay in, when I got caught up behind 3 cyclists riding side-by-side, there's not even a yellow lane there! This is unacceptable and simply an irresponsible act. When I managed to get past them I merely shouted out "That’s why WE get killed!" And that's coming from a cyclist himself. I’m sorry, but it takes two to tango. If we want to be respected, we can not be greedy about it. It takes nothing to ride in single file; it's not as if a bicycle is two meters wide either.

There is so much we can do to be more visible:

• Wear reflective gear;
• Attatch warning lights to your bike- front and back;

• Ride in Groups (In single File)

To learn more about awareness and the think bike campaign, go to www.thinkbike.co.za/

Epic names for Epic Events

Burry stander and Christoph Sauser

I think I can safely say Big ups to Burry Stander and Christoph Sauser of 36One-Songo-Specialized who won the 2012 Absa Cape Epic, and did it with 25 minutes and 57 seconds faster than their second place rivals Kevin Evans and David George. I noticed quite a few international names participating in the event too- this is great for the sport in South Africa. It is evident that South Africans have become passionate about the sport but are lacking the exposure. One can question the talent of South African athletes but I think Burry Stander's performance this weekend will quickly answer any questions. But let’s not forget to give credit to his Swiss teammate. To get to the point I think that Big Names (more specifically, Europeans- because let’s face it, the sport is biggest in Europe) should be invited to attend our events and hopefully to participate in them too. Fact is, South Africa is still developing and so is the sport of cycling in this country. All the international feedback and exposure we can get-the better. Event Organizers, brands and sponsors should see that inviting internationally big names to attend their events or to use their product is a business opportunity that should be take advantage of. Just this weekend, Lance Armstrong tweeted that he was following the Cape Epic and thinks that he should do it sometime. That is an opportunity, Take it! Clearly we have the talent, now we just need the experience to develop it.