Michael Marckx is the creator of the Belgian Waffle Ride, one of the world’s most iconic and irreverent cycling events, now spanning North America and drawing riders to the unroad experience in three countries. A lifelong endurance athlete and cultural instigator, Marckx has led, revived, and reimagined influential brands across sport, lifestyle, and media, with leadership roles and creative impact at adidas, SPY Optic, Globe International, Billabong, Ocean Pacific, 100%, and as chairman of the Surfrider Foundation. His work extends into filmmaking and long-form storytelling, capturing the human edge of sport, creativity, and redemption, while producing world-class events that blend competition, community, and spectacle. Whether building companies, directing films, or designing experiences that leave a mark long after the finish line, Marckx believes that the most enduring work lives where grit meets imagination, and where belief is not a destination, but something kept in motion.