The first cyclocross world championships to be based in the US will be in 2013 in Kentucky.
June 21st, 2011 (Louisville, KY) Rick Bald has joined forces with Promoters Bruce Fina and Joan Hanscom to execute the UCI World Cyclocross Championships in Louisville, Kentucky in January of 2013. Bald will be responsible for managing sponsorships sales for the United States’ first ever Cyclocross World Championships.
Bald is a passionate outdoor enthusiasts and has over 20 years of successful sales and marketing experience at iconic brands such as Bicycling, SRAM, SKI, Skiing, Warren Miller and WIRED. Bald is Principal of First Chair Communications a consultant agency offering sales and marketing assistance to active outdoor companies.
“I’ve known Rick for almost 20 years – since back in his Bicycling days – and I’m delighted to have him on our team. His professionalism, industry relationships and knowledge of the sponsorship world make him an invaluable addition to our staff. I’m very much looking forward to working with him on the World Championships which is both a very exciting and challenging endeavor.”
In addition to his work with the 2013 World Championships, Bald will also be closely tied to the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross with the goal of developing season long cross promotions and campaigns for potential sponsors
In 1994, Bald got his first job in the cycling world selling space for the now defunct American Bicyclist, a bicycle dealer trade publication. After a year with AB, he went to pedal space for the nations largest cycling publication, Bicycling. Two years later he went to work for one of his clients, SRAM, heading up global communications for the 2nd largest bicycle component manufacturer. In 1999, he went back to ad sales, managing Conde Nast’s WIRED sales office in the Midwest. During his 8 year career at WIRED, he grew revenue and as a result doubled the sales staff and was nominated for a MIN National Sales Person Of The Year Award. Over the years, his clients have included: Anheuser Busch, Garmin, Best Buy, Blackberry, Cadillac, Jeep, Ford, Schwinn, Trek, REI and Nature Valley to name just a few. Bald resides in Evanston, Illinois with his wife, two daughters and two dogs.
