Athletes Who Win in Sport and Storytelling, Volume 5: Cyclist
.jpg)
Not every cyclist posts their ride. But the ones who do are changing how people buy gear.
These are the mountain bikers and cyclists who don't just ride, they document every trail, test every piece of equipment, and build communities of riders who trust their word over any ad.
Participation in mountain biking is rising fast, with women and younger riders driving much of that growth according to the Outdoor Industry Association. And the creators leading that wave aren't influencers in the traditional sense, but they're athletes first, with the miles to back it up.
That's exactly the kind of creator outdoor brands need to be working with. Popfly connects brands with creators like these, making it easier to run campaigns that feel as authentic as the content itself.
Performance alone doesn’t drive culture anymore
Being elite is still impressive but it’s no longer enough to earn attention.
The athletes who matter today are the ones who can:
- Do the thing at a high level
- Explain it in a way that resonates
- Show it in a way that stops the scroll
- Build trust through consistency and transparency
Popfly is spotlighting the athletes who can do both
To help brands adapt to this new era, we’re curating a series spotlighting athletes who can both perform at the highest level and create content that actually resonates, starting with runners.
These are the athletes who:
- Have proven expertise in their sport
- Create content that actually connects
- Influence buying decisions through trust, not hype
- Represent the future of creator‑driven sports marketing
1. Jenny Sterling
2.Veronica Shenton
3. Nathan Khalsa
4. Phil Gaimon
5. Kelsey Walla
6. Annabelle Golden
7. Diana Drew
8. Adam Mesa
9. Jenna Marie
10. Donna McConnell
11. Gabriella Mingrone
12. Liam Ereneta
13. Claire Pomykala
14. Brandon Baker
15. Lindsay Peters
16. Dan Jones
17. Grace Benvenuti
18. Andrew Blaney
19. Martin Nikolenko
20. Daisy Adams
21. Adam Latcham
22. Tomo Greer
What winning looks like in the creator‑athlete era
The future of sports marketing belongs to athletes who bring both sides of the equation: performance that earns respect and storytelling that earns attention. Brands that embrace this shift will build deeper loyalty and more durable growth than those still relying on old playbooks.
Every corner of the outdoor world is filled with athletes who do the thing and share it too, cyclists and mountain bikers included. This series is all about spotlighting them. For brands ready to activate creators who actually move people, this is your sign to gear up and roll with us.
Check out the first four volumes:
