DerbyWheel’s James Pope is to extend his engagement with StadioBike, a separate initiative to bring bike racing events to US motorsport circuits.

StadioBike announced that Pope would be joining its ownership team, along with former pro cyclist Kristin Labonte. He had previously been engaged with StadioBike as an advisor.

The StadioBike concept appears to have evolved in recent months. Previously described as an event based out of Las Vegas, it now proposes ‘non-stop action-packed stadium sport at iconic motorsports tracks (plural – ed) across America.

‘StadioBike will officially hold its inaugural race in 2026 and a nation-wide race series in 2027 that culminates in a series championship.’

Racing will take place between touring elite riders and local teams: the StadioBike website suggests that entry will be open to anyone, with the fastest 33 teams across a team time trial and one-lap team sprint qualifying for the main event. The competition between local heroes and visiting professionals will be a core ingredient of the experience.

Teams will be required to swap riders in and out during races, adding new dimensions of jeopardy and gameplay to the dash for the line.

“Transforming bike racing into a stadium sport with high-stakes action and dynamic storytelling is exactly the kind of innovation our industry needs” says Pope in a StadioBike press release. “I’m excited to join the team and help shape this bold new chapter in competitive cycling.”

StadioBike promises identical prize money for men’s and women’s races, although no numbers have yet been published.

There is nothing in Pope’s LinkedIn post to suggest this increased commitment to StadioBike is at the expense of DerbyWheel. Both projects were on the to-do list he published earlier this year.