Haibike Breaks Through at 2017 Sea Otter Classic with e-MTB Victory and Overwhelming Demo Response
DENVER (May 15, 2017) – As the returning title sponsor of the 2nd annual Haibike e-MTB Race ePowered by Bosch at the 2017 Sea Otter Classic, Haibike brought top-tier international ePerformance riders Medhi Gabrillargues, Michael Vindum and Xavier Marovelli to take on the enhanced and more difficult 2017 edition. Joining the Haibike ePerformance riders from abroad were several Haibike USA employees from around the country, eager to represent their brand and territory in the Industry Challenge and respective age groups.
The 4-lap race took place on Friday afternoon of the 4-day Sea Otter Classic, with crowds forming around the starting line to cheer on the more than 100 racers. As the racing got underway, it became clear to fans and riders alike that the 2nd edition of the race was going to be competitive with riders sprinting off the line for the holeshot advantage. After over 41 minutes of intense racing fraught with flat tires due to the technical rock garden features, Haibike ePerformance rider Marovelli crossed the finish line on the famous Laguna Seca Raceway with arms raised, claiming the fastest overall time to win his age group, along with the overall title.
“It is truly in moments like this that the word ‘team’ takes on a whole new meaning,” Marovelli said. “I want to thank this great team of people and an amazing bike for making this dream experience possible.”
Throughout the consumer and industry event, Haibike leveraged an expanded expo presence on Sponsor Row to engage with attendees. Haibike staff were on hand to answer questions and educate consumers about Haibike products. With a deep selection of Haibike demo bikes available to experience on designated or off-road e-bike courses, the Haibike booth was busy throughout the festival, averaging 100 demos per day.
“America’s appetite for e-bikes continues to grow at a rapid pace, and that really shows at consumer events like the Sea Otter Classic,” Haibike U.S. sales director Ken Miner said. “It was a very successful week for Haibike with outstanding consumer engagement throughout the festival and a race victory to top it all off.”
About Haibike: From concept to execution, Haibike ePerformance bicycles feature advanced design, innovation, and breakthrough engineering. Haibike is the industry leader in ePerformance and offers the most comprehensive lineup worldwide.
Haibike USA, established in 2015, is Haibike's North American subsidiary, exclusively selling the company's popular ePerformance collection of XDURO and SDURO electric mountain, pavement, and commuter bikes with superior Bosch, Yamaha, and TranzX drive systems. For more information about Haibike USA, visit www.haibike.com.
Photos: © Douglas Schwartz, ELV Motors
