USA Cycling had to make the difficult decision to reformat the highly anticipated Cycling Inclusion Conference. Originally slated for Friday, Sept. 10, and Saturday, Sept. 11, the organization made the decision based on the recent uptick in COVID cases. USA Cycling decided to launch the conversation virtually on Friday, Sept. 10, from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. MDT, as originally planned. This will serve as the kick-off for monthly conversations centered on the topics outlined in the Conference Agenda. These conversations will continue virtually until everyone can be together in person.
“We discussed internally and believe conducting the Inclusion Conference in person next week would potentially prevent people from being able to be included in the critical conversation,” said USA Cycling President and CEO, Rob DeMartini. “We don’t want to unnecessarily put our valued guests in a difficult situation, especially as we move towards creating improved inclusivity in the sport.”
USA Cycling believes this will be an opportunity to ensure that the conversation around inclusion in cycling is not limited to an event, but becomes an ongoing conversation and series of actions.
The agenda and panels, set with guidance and support of USA Cycling’s DEI Task Force and members of key underrepresented communities, will serve as a framework for the virtual monthly conversations. USA Cycling looks forward to engaging the broader cycling community in a regular cadence of conversation. The series will still primarily focus on four key underrepresented communities in cycling - BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, and disabled athletes - with the potential for the conversation to expand and grow in the months to come. The target audience for the series remains the cycling industry representatives with a view to educate and inform and to establish strategic collaborations designed to increase inclusion in the sport moving forward.
The conversation series and eventual in-person event are brought to you with generous financial and product support from PeopleForBikes, Canyon, Allied Cycle Works, Trek, SRAM, Vittoria, Goodr, Hyperice, and Strava. Canyon donated an Endurance CF SL Disc 8.0 Di2 for raffle, open to all. Proceeds from the raffle will be used to offset the costs of the speaker series and eventual in-person event.
Refunds will be issued to those individuals who have registered to attend the Conference in person. A link to participate in Friday’s launch will be sent to everyone who has already registered for either in-person or virtual Conference attendance. Details on the monthly conversations will be published alongside next week’s Conference launch.
