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- Who are the most influential people within cycling?
Figures from the industry, racers, designers?
This is GCN's power list.
The head of the UCI will always be influential,
as is the nature of being the sports governing body.
Like his predecessors, David Lappartient is outspoken on
his beliefs of change within cycling but has already
instigated change where others have failed.
Altering the world to a point structure,
implementing a regulation in promotion initiative,
and changing the wildcard system to merit-based.
So from 2019, the two pro teams with the most points
in the UCI pro series, also introduced by Lappartient,
will be invited to the Grand Tours.
Making changes alongside the UCI is Iris Slappendel,
Executive Director at the Cyclist's Alliance,
working alongside Carmen Small and Gracie Elvin.
Seeking equality amongst women's and men's cycling,
the Cyclist's Alliance has been instrumental
in forcing major changes to women's cycling ahead of 2020.
Including maternity leave and a 15,000 euro minimum salary
in the World Tour with Slappendel
the driving force behind each.
Away from racing now to an industry figure
that many would have never heard of,
Peter Denk of Denk Engineering.
If you've got a carbon fiber bike,
it's almost definitely been built using his methods.
In 2002 Denk invented tube to tube technology
making the use of lugs redundant.
The process was used in making
the revolutionary Scott CR one,
the first road frame to weigh less than one kilogram.
The process remains the industry standard
for frame production.
Denk invented the internal molding process then in 2004,
a method for producing several tubes at once
while optimizing carbon fiber layup.
As of 2014, he has worked exclusively for specialized
and estimates around 90% of the world's bike frames
are manufactured using his technology.
Responsible of organizing the Giro d'Italia,
Milano Sanremo and Il Lombardia, RCS are an organization
with immense influence for shaping some
of professional cycling's most iconic races.
It's hard to know which of their key stakeholders to choose,
race director Mauro Vegni, CEO Paolo Bellino,
or owner, Urbano Cairo.
What makes their appearance noteworthy upon this list
is Strade Bianche, the only truly successful modern race.
Driving the sport's new found love of gravel roads,
aided by the astonishing beauty of the rolling
Tuscan terrain, trailing a route to and from
the world heritage site of Siena.
For vision and innovation, RCS are worthy of a place here.
Now, on to the most divisive person
on our list, Lance Armstrong.
How can someone banned from just about every cycling
event be influential?
Well the fact is that the Armstrong effect will be felt
for a long time to come.
His success at the tour arguably did more
to get people riding than any other rider in history.
And despite his fall from grace, his name continues
to draw more interest than most current racers.
Not to mention his media activity.
Love him or loath him, Lance is still an influential guy.
Another contentious inclusion, although unlike Armstrong,
let's stress not because he has actually broken any rules,
is that of Sir Dave Brailsford.
He has exerted influence on results sheets
for over a decade but his concept, marginal gains,
has influenced professional cycling far more widely.
So far and wide in fact, have marginal gains extended,
that they are also a subject of parody.
But the amount of people who have followed
speak for themselves.
Another engineer now, Gerard Vroomen.
At Cervelo, along with former partner Phil White,
he created the first true aero road bike
The Cervelo Soloist.
Launched in 2002, the Soloist featured
aerofoil-shaped tubes.
Before this, aerotubes were made by flattening round tubes
into shapes which looked aerodynamic.
Cervelo led the way in realizing the importance
of cable routing for aerodynamics,
producing their S-series bikes with internal cable routing.
Having left Cervelo, he went on to create the deeply
influential OPEN U.P. gravel bike and then with 3T,
he created the first aero gravel bike the Exploro.
As was the polarizing 3T Strada, a one-buy drive train
and optimized aerodynamics with 28ml tires.
Next we have the founder and CEO of Rapha, Simon Mottram.
Since founding the brand in 2004,
Mottram has not simply contributed to cycling style,
but established a new identity
for cyclists both on the bike and off it.
Changing the way cyclists look while riding
has been a significant influence.
Elevating prices by creating a luxury cycling brand
is also another.
But arguably the biggest has been in creating
the first cycling apparel brand that gave bike riders
something to wear proudly when they weren't riding
but that still shows their allegiance to the sport.
Our next pick is Will Kernan, CEO of Wiggle CRC.
Kernan joined Wiggle during their acquisition
of chain reaction cycles in late 2016.
Unquestionably, the largest cycling specific retailer
in the world, even before purchasing Chain Reaction cycles
who were the second biggest.
Now Kernan has led Wiggle CRC to further major acquisitions,
buying Bike 24 for example in October 2017
in a deal that was reportedly worth 100 million pounds.
Nowadays, Wiggle CRC sales are estimated
to be half a billion GB pounds per year,
and as such exerting a significant influence
on the operation of the entire bike industry.
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John Burke is CEO of Trek bicycles and makes our list
for a number of reasons.
Though first, his Trek sales numbers.
In 2016 Trek revenue exceeded 1 billion dollars,
making them one of the largest cycling companies
in the world.
Most importantly for cyclists though,
are Burkes values-led approach to business,
which permeate every aspect of Trek.
Investing in rider safety with
their flare daytime riding lights,
collaborating with Tome and Ford on driverless technology,
streaming cyclocross races to US fans,
and even promoting their own World Cup Cross race.
Next up, one of the biggest names in bicycle componentry,
Stan Day, the founder, CEO, and chairman of SRAM.
Their revenue in 2017 of approximately 725 million dollars
dwarfed Campagnolo's estimated 100 million dollars,
and implies the American firm is firmly established
as a bike industry big player.
Leading the way with wireless technology,
one-buy, and road discs.
Day states in fact that innovation has been crucial
in their rapid growth.
In 2016 alone SRAM was awarded no less than 16 patents.
Don't forget as well that SRAM also owns the likes
of Zip, Rockshox, and Quarq.
Peter Sagan, how could we not?
Sagan is not here due to his success on the bike,
he makes our list for sheer marketing power.
No other cyclist comes close to reaching Sagan's star power,
and his ability to harness it for his sponsors.
Across his social media platforms,
Sagan has 3.3 million followers and research by Cycling Tips
this year proves he stands alone when it comes
to monetizing those followers.
So between January the 1st 2017 and January the 31st 2018,
Sagan generated six and a half million dollars in exposure,
for key sponsor Specialized and eyewear company 100 Percent.
A genuine social media influencer.
Another American CEO is Mike Sinyard,
founder of Specialized.
As we recently discovered, Specialized are by far
the most successful bike brand in men's professional cycling
taking over a quarter of the points on offer in our system,
with huge investment at the top level of the sport,
both in men's and women's racing.
According to reports, their revenue is about half
that of Trek, arguably Sinyard's inclusion ahead of Burke's
is a legacy from the heady days of mountain biking.
Sinyard was credited with mass producing
the first ever mountain bike, and it's a position
of influence he's not relinquished since.
Another bike brand CEO now, included for leading
wholesale change in the way that bikes are being sold.
Roman Arnold, founder and owner of Canyon.
In terms of revenue, Canyon are not as big
as Specialized or Trek, reportedly turning over 180 million
dollars last year.
However, since 2002, Arnold has sold exclusively
through a direct consumer model.
Selling direct allowed Canyon to offer bikes
at lower prices than their competitors
and recent expansion into the US
has extended that influence further,
resulting in more manufacturers including direct-to sales
within their models as an attempt
to challenge Canyon's rise.
It's hard to know who to pick at the ASO.
The Amaury Sports Organization runs many
of cycling's most iconic events.
La Vuelta a Espana, Paris-Roubaix,
and Le Tour de France for example,
although the list goes on and on.
No single organization has a greater influence
over the sport of cycling.
But who is the key influencer there?
Is it Christian Prudhomme,
race director at the Tour de France?
Is it Jean-Etienne Amaury, the president?
No, we think it's Yann Le Moenner,
CEO who drives a great deal of influence
at the top of the sport.
More than the teams, more than the UCI.
Arguably, it comes from the might of Le Tour.
For example, team AG2R La Mondiale estimated
that Roman Bardet finishing third overall
generated 55 million dollars worth of exposure.
Le Moenner's ambition is to further globalize cycling,
his influence already felt with ASO races
in Norway, China, Oman, and Yorkshire.
In second place is Bonnie Tu.
Chair person and CFO of the biggest bicycle manufacturer
in the world, Giant Bicycles.
A behemoth in the world of cycling and beyond,
in 2017 Giant sold 6.6 million bicycles,
bringing in 1.9 billion dollars of revenue.
By virtue of size, Giant hold a great deal
of influence in the world of cycling,
though that is not why Bonnie Tu features here.
Not only the chair person of Giant
but also founder of Liv cycling,
the first brand to offer a complete range
designed specifically for women.
An undisputed leader in pushing the growth
of women's cycling, Tu holds an immense influence
as to its development.
Top spot is handed to the president
of the biggest cycling company in the world, Yozo Shimano.
In charge since 2001, his presidency has overseen
major innovations within the company,
with the invention of electronic group sets
perhaps the greatest, although E-bikes perhaps
running that close.
When we talk about the three big group set manufacturers
in terms of their size and their market power,
Shimano is head and shoulders above the rest.
Reportedly, 90% of all bikes are sold
with Shimano components.
In 2017, Shimano net revenue was 2.93 billion dollars.
The simple fact of the matter is,
if you go into any bike shop,
or if you just look at any bike on the street,
the overwhelming majority of the time
that bike will be fitted with a Shimano group set.
And you can't really get more influential than that
in the world of cycling.
Well I hope you've enjoyed our look
at the most influential people in cycling.
I'm sure there are a number of people on our list
that you don't think are influential,
and a load of really influential people
that we've left off.
It won't have escaped your notice also
that there are only 2 women on this list,
which is a real shame.
But let's keep driving for change.
We would love to hear who you think should be on our list.
You can do so by leaving your comments
in the section just below this video.
And let us know why you think they should be
on there as well.