TransRockies Race Series

What TransRockies Race Series does

TransRockies Race Series is a privately held, Calgary-based event management company founded in 2002 that organizes a portfolio of 12 owned and managed multi-day endurance events across mountain biking, trail running, gravel cycling, and road cycling disciplines in Western Canada and the United States (Alberta, British Columbia, Colorado, Utah, California, New Mexico, and Arizona). The company operates events under multiple sub-brands including Moab Rocks, Golden Ultra, Big Bear Peaks & Pines, Singletrack 6, Desert Gravel, The Range, and TransRockies Run, with events offering multiple distance tiers (e.g., Full Pint/Half Pint for running, Miner/Prospector for mountain biking). Technology usage is centered on third-party registration systems (Movemint, UltraSignUp), email marketing via Mailchimp, and Ride with GPS for route planning and the Hometown Challenge Series.

The company generates revenue primarily through participant registration fees for multi-day stage races, supplemented by sponsorship partnerships (Wolfe, GU Energy, 4iiii, Tourism Golden, F2C Nutrition, Kuma, ProGold, MitoCanada, Wi-Com, and Ride with GPS among others), merchandise sales, and paid virtual challenge registrations. Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the company website, supported by content marketing, Instagram presence, email newsletters, and tourism/DMO partner channels. Each year TransRockies welcomes over 8,000 athletes to the start line across 32 event days, and over its 20+ year history has hosted 278 race days and more than 20,000 participants generating approximately 80,000 participant days. The company is led by President and Chief Cycling Officer Aaron McConnell (with the organization since 2004) and Vice President Kevin McDonald, supported by a lean core team of approximately six full-time staff with seasonal event crew additions.

Name

TransRockies Race Series

Legal name

TransRockies Inc.

Website

https://transrockies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TransRockies Race Series is a Calgary-based event company that organizes a 12-event portfolio of multi-day mountain biking, trail running, gravel cycling, and road cycling stage races across Western Canada and the US, welcoming over 8,000 endurance athletes annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Endurance Sports Event Management

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trail Running & Ultra-Endurance Events (Trail Races, Ultras) (MPAKAIAD), Virtual & Hybrid Participation Events (App-Based, Remote/Hybrid Races) (MPAKAIAH)

Keywords

• Endurance event management
• Multi-day stage races
• Mountain bike racing events
• Trail running events
• Gravel cycling events

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Race Registration Fees: Primary revenue stream from participant registration fees for multi-day stage races, single-day events, and ultra events across mountain biking, trail running, and gravel cycling disciplines. Registration fees vary by event and distance option (Full Pint, Half Pint, Miner, Prospector, etc.). Some events are sold out indicating strong demand and pricing power.
2. Partnership and Sponsorship Revenue: Partnership and sponsorship deals with brands including Wolfe, GU Energy, Tourism Golden, F2C Nutrition, 4iiii, Grynd, Kuma, ProGold, MitoCanada, Wi-Com, and others. Sponsorship packages are offered (partnership packages for 2026 and 2027 available). Ride with GPS serves as a series sponsor.
3. Virtual and Hometown Challenge Series: Virtual at-home challenge events (e.g., Hometown CAN-AM Run Challenge, Hometown Gravel Royale Challenge, Hometown Singletrack 6 Challenge) with paid registration, offering participants the ability to complete event distances locally. Registration fees support charity partners.
4. Merchandise and Swag: Merchandise tent operations at events, with volunteers and participants receiving event swag as part of their registration or volunteer experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TransRockies Race Series organizes and operates fully supported multi-day stage races and single-day events in mountain biking, trail running, gravel cycling, and road cycling across Western Canada and the United States. The company manages a portfolio of 12+ events per year spanning disciplines and destinations, providing route planning, permitting, timing, aid stations, mechanical support, accommodation coordination, and on-site race office operations to participants. Supporting offerings include travel insurance and a volunteer rewards program.

Product overview

TransRockies Race Series operates a portfolio of 12 world-class owned and managed multi-day endurance events spanning mountain biking, trail running, and gravel cycling disciplines across North America. The company offers both event participation experiences and supporting services. The event portfolio includes mountain bike events (Moab Rocks, Fernie Singletrack 3, New Mexico Singletrack), gravel cycling events (Desert Gravel, The Range, Rough Rider, Moab Fondo Fest), road cycling events (Gran Fondo Badlands), and trail running events (Moab Run the Rocks, Big Bear Peaks & Pines, TransRockies Run - Pass to Pub, Golden Ultra). Supporting services include travel insurance and a volunteer rewards program. With over 20 years of event management experience, the company provides comprehensive services covering event creation through execution and analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Moab Run the Rocks: 3-day trail running race held in Moab, Utah.
• Moab Rocks
• Moab Fondo Fest
• Desert Gravel
• Big Bear Peaks & Pines
• Fernie Singletrack 3
• Gran Fondo Badlands
• The Range
• TransRockies Run – Pass to Pub
• Golden Ultra
• New Mexico Singletrack
• Rough Rider
• Gravel Royale
• Singletrack 6
• TransRockies Challenge

Products and services

• Desert Gravel Gravel cycling event held in Fruita, Colorado, featuring desert terrain, gritty descents, and challenging gravel pitches for cyclists seeking a wild ride along the Colorado/Utah border.
• Moab Rocks A 3-day mountain bike stage race or ride held in Moab, Utah, one of the world's most iconic mountain biking destinations, featuring the area's legendary singletrack trails.
• Moab Fondo Fest A two-day cycling event in Moab, Utah, featuring a Gran Fondo (50 mile/80km) on Saturday and a Gravel Fondo (50 mile/80km) on Sunday, with options to ride either day or both.
• Gran Fondo Badlands A gran fondo road cycling event in Drumheller, Alberta, passing through prehistoric hoodoos and lush river valleys, offering a rewarding challenge for weekend warriors and hardcore roadies.
• Fernie Singletrack 3 A 3-day mountain bike stage race in Fernie, BC featuring world-class singletrack, big mountain views, two distance options (Miner and Prospector), and daily Chillville hangouts.
• The Range A gravel cycling experience in Claresholm, Alberta, with four unique route options catering to various skill levels, from seasoned gravel grinders to newcomers.
• New Mexico Singletrack A 3-day mountain bike race or ride across Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Glorieta, New Mexico, featuring high-desert singletrack with flow, tech, altitude, and wide-open views.
• Rough Rider A 3-stage gravel bike adventure in Prescott, Arizona, bringing three days of wild riding, western grit, and Arizona charm to the high desert.
• Moab Run the Rocks A 3-day trail running race on Moab, Utah's legendary singletrack with two race length options: The Full Pint or The Half Pint, each consisting of three stages over three days.
• Big Bear Peaks & Pines A 3-day mountain race or run in Big Bear, California, featuring Southern California's high country on alpine trails, with multi-day stage race options or single-day Holcomb Valley Trail Run races.
• TransRockies Run - Pass to Pub A multi-day point-to-point trail running race based in Leadville and Nova Guides, Colorado, with two distance options: The Full Pint and The Half Pint.
• Golden Ultra A three-day stage trail running race in Golden, BC, with epic elevation and mountain panoramic views, offering two stage race distances or build-your-own event options.
• Travel Insurance Services Travel insurance offerings including Emergency Medical Insurance and Trip Cancellation/Interruption coverage, provided through preferred provider Acera Insurance for race participants and volunteers.
• Volunteer Rewards Program A volunteer program offering swag, volunteer-only gifts, and free entry to the same event the following season in exchange for volunteer service.
• Hometown Virtual Challenge Series Virtual at-home challenge events (e.g., Hometown CAN-AM Run Challenge, Hometown Gravel Royale Challenge, Hometown Singletrack 6 Challenge) with paid registration, allowing participants to complete event distances locally. Registration fees support charity partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ participants have competed in TransRockies events since 2002, generating roughly 80,000 participant days.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Gravel Experience (The Range)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2024TransRockies Race Series partnered with The Gravel Experience (founded by Garth Stotts in 2020) to co-produce The Range gravel cycling event. The Range is an iconic gravel race in Claresholm, Alberta, joining the TransRockies portfolio as its second Alberta event. The partnership also brings The Range into the Gravel Earth Series, an international gravel racing circuit. Garth Stotts remains involved in guiding the event's future, handling marketing and stakeholder relations.
• MitoCanada FoundationcoreOthers · 1 January 2024MitoCanada Foundation is the official charity of the TransRockies Race Series for 2024. MitoCanada is Canada's only registered charity focused on mitochondrial disease, providing education, awareness, support, and patient-focused research. TransRockies Race Series organizes distinctive outdoor endurance events as a platform to support the charity's mission.
• Ride with GPScoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 April 2021Ride with GPS, a bike route planner and GPS tracking app, serves as a series sponsor. The partnership launched the TransRockies Hometown Challenge Series — virtual at-home challenges (run, gravel, and singletrack) where athletes record activities with the Ride with GPS app. Winners receive prizes including free entries to TransRockies events. Ride with GPS is also the official route planning and navigation app for physical TransRockies events.
• WolfeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWolfe is listed as a partner/sponsor of the TransRockies Race Series. No specific details on partnership scope or nature provided.
• GU Energy (GU)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGU Energy (GU) is listed as a partner/sponsor. GU produces energy gels and nutrition products for endurance athletes — the primary customer base of TransRockies.
• Tourism GoldenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTourism Golden is listed as a partner, supporting events in the Golden, BC area such as Golden Ultra and Golden 24. Local DMO partnership helps drive regional awareness and participant attendance.
• F2C NutritionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerF2C Nutrition is listed as a partner/sponsor. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• 4iiiiminorGTM or Marketing Partner4iiii is listed as a partner/sponsor. 4iiii produces power meters and sports electronics for cyclists.
• GryndminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrynd is listed as a partner/sponsor. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• Kuma Outdoor GearminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKuma Outdoor Gear is listed as a partner/sponsor. Kuma produces outdoor apparel and gear relevant to TransRockies' mountain biking, running, and gravel event participants.
• ProGoldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProGold is listed as a partner/sponsor. ProGold produces nutritional supplements for athletes.
• Sweet LeadershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSweet Leadership is listed as a partner/sponsor. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• Wi-ComminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWi-Com is listed as a partner/sponsor. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ragnar Events: Ragnar organizes multi-day team relay running and trail events across North America, sharing TransRockies' multi-day event format and endurance athlete customer base. Both compete for registration dollars from team-oriented endurance participants.
• Aravaipa Running: Aravaipa Running is a trail and ultra running event organizer producing multi-race series across the US Southwest. It directly competes with TransRockies' trail running portfolio (Golden Ultra, Pass to Pub, Moab Run the Rocks) for the same endurance runner customer base.
• The Mid South: The Mid South is a high-profile gravel cycling event held annually in Oklahoma, competing in the same niche as TransRockies' Rough Rider, Desert Gravel, and Moab Fondo Fest for participant mindshare and sponsorship dollars.
• Belgian Waffle Ride: Belgian Waffle Ride is a multi-day gravel and cycling event series that overlaps directly with TransRockies' gravel portfolio (Desert Gravel, Gravel Royale, The Range, Rough Rider). Both target serious gravel cyclists willing to travel to destination events.
• Haute Route: Haute Route organizes multi-day cycling stage races in iconic destinations globally, sharing TransRockies' core competency in fully supported multi-day stage race formats. While primarily road cycling, the business model and participant experience closely parallel TransRockies' flagship Singletrack 6 and Moab Rocks.
• Gran Fondo National Championship Series: Gran Fondo National Series organizes sanctioned road gran fondo events across the US, directly comparable to TransRockies' Gran Fondo Badlands. Both target the road cycling gran fondo participant demographic and compete for the same sponsorship pool.

Broad incumbents

• Spartan / Tough Mudder (Endurance Obstacle Events): Spartan Race operates a large multi-event endurance/obstacle portfolio in North America, drawing from a partially overlapping endurance participant pool. While focused on obstacle course racing rather than trail/mountain biking, it competes for the same discretionary endurance-spend dollar and sponsorship categories.
• Life Time (Life Time Events): Life Time operates a large portfolio of endurance events including Leadville Trail 100, Dirty Kanza, and Chequamegon — directly overlapping with TransRockies' mountain biking, gravel, and trail running event formats. It is a much larger, PE-backed incumbent that competes for the same participants and sponsors across multiple disciplines.

Emerging players

• Grinduro: Grinduro is a multi-format gravel and cycling event series combining racing and festival elements, sharing TransRockies' emphasis on fully supported destination cycling experiences. It targets a similar niche participant willing to travel for combined racing and community events.
• Rebecca's Private Idaho: Rebecca's Private Idaho is a high-profile gravel cycling event in Sun Valley, Idaho, that competes in the same destination-gravel niche as TransRockies' Desert Gravel and Rough Rider. It is a single-event brand with strong community resonance rather than a multi-event portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCk23GaTlF9laMPTp9hHgeUw
• Facebookfacebook.com/TransRockiesRaceSeries
• Instagraminstagram.com/transrockiesraceseries
• Xx.com/TRraceseries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/transrockies-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TransRockies Race Series