It was the Summer of 2014. DMOproz had just been selected by Virginia's Blue Ridge to develop a Tourism Master Plan for the region. In one of our earliest meetings, CEO Landon Howard shared that he thought that the region could be known as the Mountain Biking Capital of the East Coast. After an afternoon on a bike, a member of our onsite Assessment Team confirmed Landon's hunch, saying their trails were among the most rugged and scenic he'd ever ridden.
In the years that followed, Virginia's Blue Ridge worked with local biking interests to secure Silver certification from the International Mountain Biking Association. And last week came news that a woman's cycling team with their eyes on the Olympics in 2024 has selected the destination as its hub of operations and training center for the next three years. Through a sponsorship agreement with the DMO, the team has been renamed Virginia’s Blue Ridge Twenty24. Among the members is Jennifer Valente, who won gold and bronze in the 2021 Olympics. And, this isn't just a team that will be using the trails to prepare. They expect to host community rides and clinics so residents can get to know them and the sport.
Congratulations to Landon and the entire team at VBR. Well played and we couldn't be more thrilled.
Woo-hoo! Great brand ambassadors for the region as well. Watch for outdoor rec, food and beer posts too
Posted by: Chris Jennings | January 24, 2022 at 11:23