Last year, I had the good fortune of meeting author Chris Cleave, who was in town for a reading and signing of his latest novel, Gold, which delves into the lives and rivalry of two female track cyclists. During the question and answer portion, a rather astute devotee questioned the reasoning behind his use of female protagonists in Gold, and for that matter all of his books.

While the question seemed to catch the Little Bee author a bit off guard, it was the method by which he arrived at his answer that proved most surprising. Beginning his research with members of the British Men's Track Cycling team, many of whom would later be adorned with Gold through their exploits in the London Olympics, Cleave had every intention of writing a male lead. But after countless hours and miles in the velodrome and on the road learning firsthand about cycling at the elite level, Cleave ultimately arrived at the conclusion that the female riders were simply more interesting. It was an answer that certainly delighted the mostly female crowd, and it affirmed what I and others who have contributed to this site have long since known.

Leah Guloien (Colavita/Fine Cooking Women’s Pro Cycling Team) is a rider who falls easily into that interesting category.

Intelligent, strong and beautiful, the all-rounder from Port Moody, British Columbia currently has a degree in Kinesiology, and plans to become certified as a physiologist to work in the lab in Catalyst Kinetics Group, where she serves as General Manager of the Cycling Division. She is also an accomplished runner, qualifying for the Boston Marathon* in 2004, swimmer, triathlete, Xterra competitor, mountain biker and hiker.

On the road, Leah’s cycling career is highlighted by an 11th place finish in Stage Three of the Tour de Bretagne Feminine UCI 2.2 (2010), a 29th in the Sparkassen Giro UCI 1.1 (2011), and a recent top ten finish in the 2013 San Dimas Stage Race.

In my conversation with Colavita/Fine Cooking's Leah Guloien, we discuss the adversity she has faced throughout her eight years in the women’s peloton, her passions off the bike, how she became known as a Shimologist, and why it might not be too far-fetched an idea to eventually see another Guloien in the women’s field.

Lenny Basobas (LB): It’s been documented that you started out as a mountain biker, what, if anything, specifically drew you into road racing? Do you still venture out on the dirt?

Leah Gulolein (LG): I started out mountain biking with my dad. However, his technical skills were way beyond mine and he was racing competitively at the time and needed to get in proper training. We decided to try putting slicks on my mountain bike so he could ride harder and more steadily while I drafted. I was hooked immediately. I loved the non-technical mountain bike courses he took me on and seemed to show signs of talent when I was pedaling consistently. From there, I got a road bike and became addicted. I still love mountain biking but am way too timid to try anything potentially risky. My plan is to work on it when I am done with road racing because I truly love the trails and I am from British Columbia, where there is some amazing riding. I would love to do the BC Bike Race one day.

LB: I met you back when you were racing for Vanderkitten. Looking back at the rider you were then to the rider you are now, what is the biggest difference?

LG: The year I signed with Vanderkitten was life-changing for me. I herniated my disc at the beginning of the season and was unable to race. Up until then, I was completely focused on cycling and training and pushing my body hard. It took me a long time and I made a lot of mistakes before I realized that rest is key to success and listening to your body is always the #1 priority. Even though it was one of the worst years, it made me realize that when things are going well, I need to enjoy it and not take it for granted.

LB: What has been your worst experience on the bicycle…best?

LG: I can recall a lot of disappointing days out on the bike but there isn’t one specific day or experience that sticks out in my mind. That’s probably why I keep coming back for more! I crashed last year with 500m to go in Stage 1 of the Exergy Tour and that was really disappointing because I was feeling really good and I ended up having a concussion and my season was over. My best experiences on the bike so far have been when I have won a race in a sprint. I wouldn’t classify myself as a sprinter, so in order for me to win, I have to be smart and make the right moves, or have a team making the right moves in support of me going for the win. I am excited to experience that feeling this year with the Colavita/Fine Cooking ladies.

LB: Given your growth in the sport and recent successes, what is your ultimate goal as a cyclist…in life?

LG: My goals as a cyclist have changed as I have gotten older and learned more about the sport and had more experiences. I am excited to return to the Colavita/Fine Cooking squad this year. My goal is to feel confident after every race that I did and gave all I could as an individual and as a teammate.

LB: You were featured in an ESPN.com article last year with your sister Krista, who as part of Canada’s Eights won a Silver Medal at the London Olympics. Have you ever tried rowing? Conversely, with the success of someone like Rebecca Romero, who medaled for Great Britain in both sports, has Krista ever tried cycling?

LG: Funny you ask if I have tried rowing! I actually rowed for 2 years as a lightweight before my sister joined the Simon Fraser University team. I had a lot of fun but the lightweight program wasn’t very developed at the time. I started to lose interest and then the calluses and open wounds on my hands became a serious issue. So I got involved in the master’s swim program and started running and swimming instead. As I transitioned out of rowing, my sister joined and became the “superstar” rower. Being 5’11” and super strong, I knew she was going to excel.

This past winter, I took Krista out on a couple of my training rides. I was focused on riding in specific zones and told her she had to either keep up or just sit on my wheel. I knew she would be able to keep up but I didn’t realize we were going to be working together in a rotating paceline! Krista needs to learn a couple of basic skills and get more comfortable at higher speeds and then she will be an amazing leadout rider or time trialist. Krista’s strength is her pain threshold. She knows how to suffer and dig deep!

LB: Speaking of Canada, before Ryder Hesjedal’s victory at the 2012 Giro D’Italia, Steve Bauer held up the mantle of Canadian cycling. Synonymously, on the women’s side it has been Clara Hughes. With riders such as yourself, Tara Whitten and Gillian Carleton, where do you see the future of Canadian cycling?

LG: I think Canada has a lot of talent so I hope to see a lot more podiums and medals. Women’s track cycling has been getting a lot of attention with their bronze medal at the London Olympics and their recent bronze at the World Championships in Minsk, Belarus. As of this year, all of the track girls have signed with a pro team, including my Colavita/Fine Cooking teammate Laura Brown, and will be racing the NRC circuit as well as several European races so I am looking forward to great results from them on the road as well. It was great to see fellow Canadian Gillian Carleton win the criterium at the San Dimas Stage Race last week.

Off the bike, I am working as General Manager of the Cycling Division of Catalyst Kinetics Group. Catalyst Kinetics is the title sponsor of DEVO, a development program helping younger riders progress to the next level. With our facility, I truly believe we are going to help identify and develop some seriously talented riders in Canada and provide them with the tools they need to reach the highest level in the sport.

LB: You have had the opportunity to race abroad for the National Team. What was that experience like? What, if anything, did you take away from those races?

LG: Racing abroad has been a love/hate relationship for me. I love the challenge of racing with such a large peloton on such narrow, windy roads with obstacles everywhere you look. But I hate being pushed around and having to constantly fight for my position. I found the races over there to be mentally draining, especially when I was given the same orders on a regular basis, “MOVE UP!” Some girls are good at getting their elbows out and standing their ground. I have come to realize that I like my space and prefer to not be touched or pushed! I think I’ve said at least 100 times that I would never race in Europe again and yet I kept going back for more. To be honest, I would go back again today. Even though I never showed huge improvement in my ability to navigate through the peloton, I definitely learned some important skills in Europe -- and most of them the hard way. Specifically, I learned a lot about the wind, where to position myself to conserve my energy, and how to ride through a caravan. On several occasions in Europe, the caravan was my best friend and it motivated me like no other. I knew that if I couldn’t get through the caravan and make it back to the front group, it was going to be a long day in the saddle! Lessons like these have definitely helped me be a better rider in the US.

LB: What are some of the biggest (or funniest) misconceptions or stereotypes that you have encountered about Canada and/or Canadians?

LG: One of the biggest misconceptions that I’ve come across is that Canada is always freezing cold and always has snow and that we live in igloos. The funny part is that there are parts of Canada that can be warmer than areas in the US.

LB: As a Kinesiologist, you have an intimate knowledge of your body and its movements. Do you think that knowledge base is an asset or a hindrance?

LG: As a Kinesiologist and being very in tune with my body can definitely be a hindrance at times. A former teammate gave me the nickname “Shimologist” because I overanalyzed my cleat position and shims and shoes to the point that I drove everyone crazy. I would ride around with a Philips head screwdriver in my pocket and make minor, and I mean MINOR, adjustments every 10 minutes. I am very happy to say that I no longer make adjustments to that extreme. However, I am still a bit of a fanatic with my bike position and fit. I envy the people out there that just hop on a bike and put on new equipment and don’t even hesitate, and say everything is perfect!

LB: As an athlete that type of mindset must be difficult. Thinking back to some of your best races or best results, have they come when everything is just perfect or did the competitor in you choose to ignore your brain, so to speak?

LG: My best results have come when I have turned the brain off and I have gone into the race feeling confident, but not pressured. The mind is so powerful and it can really affect how I ride my bike. I am still learning to relax and to enter every race with no fear and no negative thoughts. My dad recently told me that if I smile, I will have a good day on the bike. It sounded ridiculous at first, but I think he might be on to something!

LB: With the Exergy Tour being cancelled recently due to sponsorship issues, and with a multitude of varying opinions on the state of women’s cycling, what would you personally like to change about the sport? Does it need changing?

LG: The Exergy Tour was a very impressive race and I felt like women were treated like equals to men, with the prize money, the media coverage, the organization, and the hospitality. I wish there were more races, specifically, more women’s type tours and more exposure for the women’s peloton. The first question people always ask me is if there is a women’s Tour de France. I always reply, yes there has been in the past, but on a much smaller scale. The Olympic road race was a great opportunity to demonstrate that women’s racing can be engaging and exciting to watch, just as much as the men’s race.

LB: Along those lines, what is the responsibility of the race organizers, sponsors, teams, or even fans to make sure that there are more races, better prize money, media coverage, etc.?

LG: Honestly, I don’t have any expertise in this area, so I am struggling a bit with this question. I think it is the responsibility of the race organizers to put on good races and ensure that women are getting decent prize money, especially for the top 3 winners. In return, it our responsibility as racers to help support these promoters and be positive role models in the sport of cycling. The ideal would be that media coverage would occur if there is good competition; however, I think this is more challenging and I am not sure what can be done to improve it. As for fans, I am noticing and have been experiencing a great, loyal fan base, especially while being on Colavita/Fine Cooking. In order to increase this fan base on a greater scale, there would need to be more media coverage on a greater scale.

LB: What is your greatest strength…weakness?

LG: My greatest strength is that I am driven and set goals for myself and I am always striving to do better. My weakness is that I am too passive sometimes because I am not confident in myself and my abilities. I am working on changing that weakness because I realize you need confidence in all aspects of life and if I am going to work so darn hard I might as well be confident in what I am doing.

LB: What do you enjoy doing when you are not on the bike?

LG: I love hiking. There are so many beautiful trails in British Columbia and there still are a handful that I would like to conquer. It is such a rewarding feeling at the end of a 6-8 hour day in the woods. I find it very calming to get away from the chaos of life and just enjoy being outside and getting in a good workout with some close friends.

LB: Having barely explored the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, what is your absolute must see or go to place for those who have never been?

LG: The Sea to Sky highway leading up to Whistler, BC is amazing. The view is amazing along the water and the mountains are always dusted with snow and when the sun comes out, it is spectacular. I love riding my bike on the Sea to Sky up to Whistler and the best part is finishing in Whistler. Whistler is full of action whether it be skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, socializing and you get to meet people from all over the world there.

LB: Better Redwood forest, Stanley Park or Redlands?

LG: Stanley Park! There is always so much going on along the Seawall and people are always out running, walking, rollerblading, or riding their bike and enjoying the beautiful sites. There are a lot of great restaurants, a water park for kids, hiking trails, and so much more. It is another must see/experience if you have never been to Vancouver.

LB: Name one thing that only really close friends or family know about you?

LG: I feel like I am an open book!

LB: Name one thing that you cannot live without?

LG: My family.

LB: Canucks, Flames, Oilers, Maple Leafs, Jets or Senators?

LG: Canucks!

LB: Favorite Canuck player?

LG: The Sedin Twins (inset), they count as one player right? (Laughs)

*At the time of this writing, the events at the 2013 Boston Marathon began streaming across the air waves. We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the friends and families who lost loved ones on April 15th, and our thoughts and prayers to all those who have been injured.

Photos: Jonathan Devich (top & middle)

Edison, NJ - The Colavita/Fine Cooking Women’s Pro Cycling Team will line up for the 10th Annual Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium with history on its side. Tina Pic, winner of the 2006 and 2007 editions, will lead the squad. She will be joined by sprinter Jen Purcell (above), and all-arounder Mary Zider, fresh from their top 10 stage finishes at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, along with Lindsay Bayer and Jamie Bookwalter.

Roster - Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium
Tina Pic
Jen Purcell
Mary Zider
Lindsay Bayer
Jamie Bookwalter

For more information, visit www.TeamColavita.com.

Photo: Dan Coleman/Team Colavita

Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary

Charlotte, NC - The bustling city with a down-home feel of Charlotte, NC, will play host to the 10th Annual Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium this Saturday, April 13, 2013. Boasting one of the largest purses for a single-day criterium event ($75,000) and drawing 35,000+ spectators, it's no wonder that the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational is a favorite among criterium riders. Held in Charlotte's Center City, the race is a challenging 1.2 mile course that brings riders through the start/finish area two times per lap.

"We have a beautiful center city, great cycling fan support. Our city and corporate leaders are very supportive," said Thad Fischer, Race Director. "The teams and riders, our volunteers, the course...it all adds up to make it special."

The event is in its 10th year and benefits The Brain Tumor Fund Carolinas.

"I was contacted to meet with the board of the Brain Tumor Fund Carolinas and some corporate leaders about the prospects of an annual cycling event in Charlotte," Fischer commented. "We exchanged ideas and long term visions, and the next thing I knew is someone said, "Let's do it", and now ten years later, here we are. We have also helped raise of $5 million in the fight against cancer over the past nine years."

A new event for the race is a community ride on the race course. Starting at 3pm, everyone can feel like a pro racer as they cross the finish with each lap within all the fencing, hearing music and chants of the crowd of spectators.

Hilton Clarke (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) goes into this weekend in the top spot after assuming the lead in the USA CRITS Championship Series from teammate Luke Keough, who was absent at the March 23rd Delray Beach Twilight. But the gap between he and Shane Kline of Team SmartStop presented by Mountain Khakis is short, with Kline trailing by only 19 points. Rafael Meran of CRCA/Foundation sits in third. In the women's competition, the 2012 USA CRITS Champion Erica Allar (CARE4Cycling powered by Solomon Corp) enters Charlotte ahead of Joanie Caron (Primal Pro Women presented by BH) by 44 points. Allar's teammate, Lenore Pipes, currently rounds out the top three spots in the women's race for the Orange Leader's Jersey.

Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium Event Schedule (All times in Eastern Standard Time)

Saturday, April 13th
Brain Ride - 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Women's Pro/Am (25 miles/20 laps) - 6:00pm
Men's Pro/Am (50 miles/40 laps) - 7:30pm

USA CRITS Series Overall Standings (after two events)

Men
1. Hilton Clarke, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling - 479 pts
2. Shane Kline, Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis - 460 pts
3. Rafael Meran, CRCA/Foundation - 401 pts
4. Euris Vidal, CRCA/Foundation - 398 pts
5. Carlos Alzate, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling - 374 pts
6. Kevin Mullervy, Champion System p/b Stan's NoTubes - 341 pts
7. Derek Wilkerson, Bomb Hair p/b Motofish - 336 pts
8. Thomas Brown, Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis - 294 pts
9. Neil Bezdek, CRCA/Foundation - 269 pts
10. Conor Mullervy, Champion System p/b Stan's NoTubes - 265 pts

Women
1. Erica Allar, CARE4Cycling powered by Solomon Corp - 506 pts
2. Joanie Caron, Primal Pro Women p/b BH - 462 pts
3. Lenore Pipes, CARE4Cycling powered by Solomon Corp - 413 pts
4. Lauren Stephens, FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore - 396 pts
5. Morgan Patton, Team Novo Nordisk - 391 pts
6. Tiffany Pezzulo, Primal Pro Women p/b BH - 355 pts
7. Anna Sanders, FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore - 319 pts
8. Melina Bernecker, Primal Pro Women p/b BH - 296 pts
9. Leah Kirchmann, Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies - 295 pts
10. Jacquelyn Crowell, Exergy TWENTY16 - 294 pts

Follow the races live using the virtual scoreboard, Race Monitor, which takes the data from the MyLaps transponder systems (the little red or orange 'chips' you see on rider's forks) and putting them online in real time. It follows the top racers for each lap, and lists the total time as well as fastest lap times and their last lap.

As some of you know, I host regular online live video Q&A sessions for cycling fans, in order to answer questions related to women's cycling, training, racing and life as a professional athlete. The one question that arises during every single session is: How can cycling fans better support women's cycling?  Likewise, in response to my previous two articles (Money vs Ethics and Continuing the Dialogue: Women's Cycling), several readers have asked, What can we do to help?

Gooooood Question!

In answering this, I want to first recognize what a wonderful question this really is. In Continuing The Dialogue: Women's Cycling, I remark that there are no fair-weather women's cycling fans. Non-fans who get to know a woman cyclist, who hear our stories, who see our races get hooked in a way that generates not only a passive interest in what we do, but a deep sense of appreciation and loyalty not seen in other sports fans. The same can be said for a large contingent of men's cycling fans, but from my own experience, it seems that despite the smaller fan base for women's cycling, a far greater percentage comprises die-hard fans who not only want to spectate, but also want to be involved, to contribute concretely to the support and development of women's cycling.

This is one of the most motivational parts of my job. Sure, there is room for  improvement, but as for any industry or organization, progress is a process, not a goal, and the path forward for women's cycling is lined with cheering, positive, generous people. Though it may grow from frustrating circumstances, our journey toward a more professionally and equitably managed sport brings out the best in our fans and reveals a very, very inspiring side of humanity. It is quite humbling to witness, and we athletes appreciate you more than you can imagine. Thank you!

Now, let's get to the nuts and bolts of what kinds of things fans can do to show their support.

Return On Investment

This is a business, and although sponsors are often drawn to the sport because of their own affinity for cycling, teams, events, athletes and programs need to demonstrate a reasonable Return On Investment (ROI) for their sponsors. To do so is actually quite tricky and can be difficult even for those professionals whose careers depend upon it. But you, as fans, can do a lot to contribute! There are two basic kinds of ROI - quantitative and qualitative - and you can help generate both.

Contribute to Quantitative ROI

Quantitative ROI means numbers. The most effective way to get sponsors on board is to tell a story with numbers: last year, we increased clothing sales by X; our Twitter or Facebook fanbase grew by X; our team's association with the sponsor's website increased traffic and interactive activity by X; readership of women's cycling stories in an online cycling magazine grew at a rate of X. You get the picture.

One of the easiest things you can do is to increase these numbers. How? Follow your favorite athletes and teams on Twitter or "like" their pages on Facebook: if they can show a larger social media fan base, their sponsors will see value in that growing influence. Likewise, follow or "like" any media source, individual or organization supporting women's cycling.

When you see a news story on women's cycling, click on it. Online media calculates "click-through" rates and one of the biggest complaints I hear from the media is that stories on women get lower "click-through" rates. Let's change that!

The same goes for team websites. Take the time to click through your favorite team websites, and really, take a moment to click on the links to their sponsors (from the team website or Facebook page or Twitter update). In general, these sponsors are in it for the love of the sport and because they really do care about the athletes and programs they sponsor, even though sponsorship, at its core, is a business. You as a fan can help these companies justify their investments in your favorite programs, athletes and organizations by clicking through and increasing web traffic via the programs they support.

#ClickThruThurs

To this end, I would like to propose a new social media tradition and hashtag:  Click Thru Thursdays (#ClickThruThurs). Every Thursday, take a few minutes to "click through." If you want to recommend particular athletes, programs, teams, news sites, or other organizations to other fans, post them with the hashtag #ClickThruThurs. Everyone can search the hashtag and take a few minutes to click through articles, "like" a page, or follow new athletes. Here are a few suggestions, but please, feel free to contribute more!

• Follow or "Like" news sites that feature women's cycling news articles on Twitter or Facebook
• Re-tweet or share news articles about women's cycling
• Click-thru websites for events that offer equal prize money, or promote women's cycling
• Follow more women cyclists, teams, events or programs on Twitter or Facebook
• Click through women's team websites, women's event websites or athlete websites, with special attention to their sponsors
• Re-tweet or share posts from women's teams, programs, athletes, sponsors or organizations
• Comment on athlete posts, blogs, team websites, sponsors websites, etc
• Post your favorite athletes, sponsors, websites, teams, events, programs etc with the hashtag #ClickThruThurs to remind and encourage other fans to show their support

If fans take just a few minutes per week every Thursday to voice their support, I believe we can collectively spike some of these quantitative ROI numbers in a way that will encourage existing sponsors to stay involved with the sport, as well as to encourage others to get involved. There is no need to limit this to women's cycling, either. Take this opportunity to show your support for clean riders and programs, for junior development programs, or educational programs. Whatever you see out there in the world of cycling that is good and worthy, click through!

Contribute to Qualitative ROI

Less tangible than quantitative ROI, but arguably more valuable, is qualitative ROI. In my response to Chris R.'s comment on Continuing the Dialogue: Women's Cycling, I describe how current marketing strategies should seek to create a brand culture; in other words, focus less on brand exposure (e.g. eyeball impressions) and more on the emotional connection between the brand and its target market. Cycling presents a perfect opportunity for brands to associate with all the qualities of dedication, camaraderie, grace, excellence, sportsmanship and pursuit of human potential that define our sport, and creating a brand-culture built on those qualities can be equally if not more valuable than brand exposure.

So how can you contribute to qualitative ROI? First of all, clicking through also supports the qualitative side of ROI. Simply by showing your appreciation and support of sponsors and programs working for the good of the sport, you are sending a very clear message: these investments are meaningful and valuable. In a way, you're "voting" for the continuation of such positive support.

To contribute directly to qualitative ROI, I suggest taking a few minutes on Click-Thru Thursdays to write a quick email, Tweet, Facebook update, blog comment, website comment, feedback form, or whatever, to a sponsor, athlete, program, team, new site, radio show or individual to tell them how much their sponsorship, work, support, news coverage, etc mean to you as a fan.

As fans, you have far more power than you realize. Our sport depends upon you. What we athletes do has little or no meaning in a vacuum, and for sponsors, this is a business that demands ROI in order to grow and progress. You - the fans - have the power to fuel this forward movement. Remember your power, and use it well!

Other Ideas

Aside from Click-Thru Thursdays, there are infinitely many other ways to get involved. A wonderfully creative example is the 2012 Unofficial Social Media Jersey Award created by Sarah and Dan over at the Unofficial Unsanctioned Women's UCI Cycling Blog. They collected donations from fans and held a vote for the women cyclists who use social media to engage with fans. The women athletes were then awarded lovely certificates and prize money, all created and funded by the fans. This brilliant project served several positive ends: it promoted women's cycling and individual athletes, generating online buzz spanning several months; it promoted several major women's races; it supported women athletes not only with fan-appreciation, but also financially; and finally, the award itself demonstrates very clearly to sponsors how much these athletes mean to the fan base. This is an excellent example of how motivated fans can show their support for the sport. Get creative! With the number of motivated, passionate cycling fans out there, the sky is the limit!

Some other ideas to consider would include making individual donations to athletes or teams. You may notice that some athletes include a PayPal "Donate" button on their personal websites. Trust me, donations of ANY amount are welcome and will help that athlete cover out-of-pocket expenses related to racing during the season (you would be surprised how much we athletes must cover, beyond what the teams will reimburse). (This also ensures that your donation goes directly to the athlete, as donations to some organizations may not always reach the athletes you want to support.) Some teams and federations have set up non-profit foundations to which tax-deductible donations can be made; support those that you think are doing a good job.

Also, buy products from companies that give back to the sport. I don't advocate consuming for the sake of consuming, but if you need to get, say, olive oil, why not Colavita over a different brand? Or if you need cycling gear, support the brands that are sponsoring a women's team or program or athlete. If you do buy brands specifically because they give to the sport, send them an email or Tweet or update or comment letting them know that you do and why.

This by no means represents a comprehensive list of what you can do, so please add to it! If you have more ideas or suggestions, please leave a comment. If you like the idea of #ClickThruThurs, please post or Tweet or share this article with other fans, and let's spread the word.

Thanks for reading,
Amber

Photo by Gary Douglas

Amber Pierce - An American expat living in Austria, Amber has made the leap across the Atlantic in pursuit of her dreams on the road. After making a name for herself as one of the top road cyclists in the US, she now faces new challenges in her life on the road in Europe.

Amber's path to full-time racing in Europe has been anything but linear. From high school valedictorian holding national swimming records, to scholarship athlete at Stanford University and researcher on the open ocean, she has found herself in countless adventures all over the globe. With 53 career victories under her belt, however, Amber appears to have found her calling on the bicycle.

Follow Amber on Twitter: @ambermalika

A recent discussion via Twitter ensued from this question, posed by the fabulously sharp-witted FestinaGirl:

@festinagirl Women's cycling has all the panache the men's sport has largely lost - why is that? Money? Attitude?

A few twitterati suggested the reason as less money in women's cycling. One argument can be made for this point: less money means less incentive to dope (and frankly, less ability to afford the doping in the first place). While logical, this argument bears insidious implications, and I want to expand on the topic (beyond 140 characters) to discuss why.

Claiming lack of funding as the reason for cleaner racing the women's peloton perpetuates a low standard for women by justifying less sponsorship, lower salaries and less prize money. Keeping money out of women's cycling IS NOT SAVING WOMEN'S CYCLING. It is not a solution that will "save the women from the fate of the men," and the idea that we need to be protected from more money is downright absurd.

Doping presents far less of an issue in women's cycling than men's, because we have a different history, one that has grown from different foundations into a completely separate culture of ethics.

Men's cycling began largely as a blue-collar sport, a way for those born into a hard life or one of manual labor to earn more respect and more livable wages for themselves and their families. The stakes are understandably high when the social standing and survival of one's family depends on results. In contrast, women's racing got going in earnest during a time when sport was more widely available to all social classes as a leisure activity, when participation was truly a choice, rather than the only option available for advancing oneself or one's family. Women started racing because they wanted to race, not because it was the only way out for them. (I think this is also part of why the younger generation of riders in the men's peloton have a stronger anti-doping ethic: they also started racing for the love of racing, not as a means of escape.)

Yes, we women are competitive. Yes, we want to win. You might even hear women say they'd give anything to race at the top - and they do, but in the culture of women's racing, "giving anything" means giving up years worth of earning potential in a more (read: actually) lucrative field, a "real" career, having a family, or the notion that anyone in our lives will ever understand why we do this... in this culture, "giving anything" does not mean sacrificing ethical standards.

I am not claiming women cyclists are saints, nor that the women's peloton is 100% clean (nor do I want to or mean to vilify any men cyclists). What I am saying is that the culture for clean racing runs strong in women's cycling, and that perhaps the shorter history of women's cycling has allowed for a different ethic to thrive, without the burden of cultural inertia from a longer, darker past.

Personally, it outrages me to hear people ask "How can we invest more in women's cycling without causing the problems we see happening in men's cycling now?"

Seriously? Folks, money does not cause doping! Plenty of men cyclists chose and continue to choose NOT to dope even though it means a lower paycheck. If money were the only consideration, this would not be the case. Further, plenty of men who rake in big paychecks don't dope. Sure, in some cases there may be a correlation, but correlation is not causation.

Far stronger than the pull of money is the underlying culture of ethics. Financially supporting a culture of poor ethics will exacerbate and encourage poor ethics, as has been clearly demonstrated by the recent USADA report.

But it also stands to reason that investing in clean riders will encourage, strengthen and exalt good ethics!

No bones about it: women's cycling needs more money to grow and develop, and to invest in women's cycling is to invest in and help perpetuate a culture of high ethical standards.

Most sponsors first get involved in the sport by supporting men's teams, but many potential sponsors are worried about all the bad press swirling about at the moment. Why not start bringing sponsors to the sport through women's cycling? Doing so would actually help the men's side of the sport too: when the whole pie gets bigger, everyone's piece gets bigger. Get sponsors excited about the sport through good experiences with women athletes and women's teams, and they'll be psyched to grow their relationship with the sport as a whole.

I am not casting this in a men-versus-women light; rather I'm taking a realistic look at the big picture: sponsors are pretty luke-warm toward the current climate in men's cycling, so instead of accepting that and watching potential sponsors walk away from the sport altogether, why not encourage them to get involved in another, very positive way? Invest in teams committed to clean racing, support clean riders, and get on board with the many inspiring women's programs out there!

And for the love of pete, STOP this narrative that investing money in women's cycling will somehow ruin it. Money is precisely what women's cycling needs to progress; the passion, professionalism, people, ideas and motivation are all there.

Investing money in women's cycling will advance a culture of strong ethics and deep passion for sport, and the many interesting, dedicated and professional athletes and personnel already making it happen.

[For ideas on marketing women's cycling, click here to read my previous post.]

Thanks for reading,

Amber

Amber Pierce - An American expat living in Austria, Amber has made the leap across the Atlantic in pursuit of her dreams on the road. After making a name for herself as one of the top road cyclists in the US, she now faces new challenges in her life on the road in Europe.

Amber's path to full-time racing in Europe has been anything but linear. From high school valedictorian holding national swimming records, to scholarship athlete at Stanford University and researcher on the open ocean, she has found herself in countless adventures all over the globe. With 53 career victories under her belt, however, Amber appears to have found her calling on the bicycle.

Follow Amber on Twitter: @ambermalika

Today I read this great article over at Cycling Tips. It's a quick take on a larger picture issue, and in the spirit of continuing constructive dialogue, I have a few thoughts of my own to add.

First and foremost, let us state the obvious: men and women are different. This is both a fact and a good thing. Our sexes have evolved differently in many aspects: physiologically, culturally, socially. While I believe in and hope for and work toward equal opportunity for men and women, I recognize that due to our inherent differences, when it comes to gender, equal does not mean "same." Personally, I think it would be a shame for women to lose sight of the value of femininity in the quest for equality, and it is important to make the distinction between equality and sameness. As such, I am personally in favor of developing women's cycling in its own right, rather than as a lesser version of the "real thing."

When it comes to sport and questions of parity, many are quick to point out that women simply are not as strong and fast as men and that this justifies unequal treatment/salary/media/opportunity/what-have-you. Women are physiologically different from men, but I adamantly disagree that this physical disparity is grounds for treating women's sport as something less. Especially in the case of cycling, speed and strength are only part of what makes an exciting race; more salient to a spectator is the strategy which unfolds unique and anew each race, as well as the skill of moving within an enormous, tightly-packed group of aggressive cyclists while navigating tiny roads, enormous cobblestones, tight corners, hair-raising descents and flat-out sprint finishes. Fans don't simply watch a radar reading of speed to determine whether it is a good race. While strength and speed form an essential foundation for a good bike race, the appeal of bike racing correlates more strongly to strategy and skill, which abound as much in women's races as in men's.

In this regard, comparing women's racing on the whole to men's racing on the whole becomes the proverbial comparison of apples and oranges. They are different. Women's races are shorter. While our longest races can get up to 160km, the longest men's races get up to 300km. Our teams are also smaller. A men's team might have ten or twelve riders in a race, while most women's teams field 6-8 riders per race. These differences in parameters make for huge differences in race tactics. On one hand, the shorter distances mean that women tend to race aggressively from the gun: we want to make the most of the kilometers we've got! On the other hand, the smaller team sizes mean that we must be very crafty in how we use each rider in the larger strategic scheme; we don't have as many matches to burn, so to speak. What results is exceptionally dynamic and unpredictable racing from start to finish. Women's races are different from men's, but different in this case does not mean less exciting or strategic or appealing. It's different excitement, different strategy, different appeal. And I wholeheartedly agree that this difference, this particular brand of excitement, strategy and appeal, has yet to be optimally (or for that matter, even appropriately or effectively) leveraged.

This brings us to the question of marketing. To me, there are two big questions when it comes to marketing on the women's side of the sport: how to market women's cycling, and how to market cycling to women. In my opinion, these two questions are very, very different and require very different approaches.

How to Market Women's Cycling

The first step is to accept, acknowledge and emphasize that women's cycling is a very different beast from men's cycling, and as such, should not be marketed in the same way. Men's cycling has been around for centuries, so the model for marketing cycling has evolved and been refined in terms of what works for men and is by and large what has been applied to women's cycling. Centuries of history compared with decades of history - that's a lot of inertia in what may prove to be the wrong direction for the women's side of the sport. First and foremost: market women's cycling for what it is - distinct from anything else.

Then promote what it is about women's cycling that appeals and fascinates. What draws the athletes to the sport? (I'll give you a hint: it is not the money!) What is so damn irresistible about bike racing that these athletes leave such successful, respected and lucrative professions as medicine, law, research, investment banking, academia? If someone were to ever calculate the total opportunity cost represented by the professional women's peloton, it would be a shocking illustration of the intangible value of pursuing a dream, rather than a paycheck. If that isn't an intriguing and inspiring window into the human spirit, I don't know what is.

Moreover, these women are fierce competitors and show it in their racing style. Last year, when The Sufferfest announced they were editing footage for the first-ever Sufferfest workout featuring women's racing (Hell Hath No Fury), the difficulty became editing out attacks, as there were too many! The Olympic Road Race this year provided another great example. This aggressive nature of women's cycling actually appeals just as much to men as it does to women, if not more so. Sponsors I have worked with have repeatedly remarked that the most traffic they get for our team is from men. Sure, one can argue this is simply sex appeal, but in the cases to which I am referring, the marketing was based purely on athletics; no bikini calendars necessary.

In my experience, cycling fans who initially get into the sport because of men's cycling and later become fans of the women, tend to be almost fanatical in their zeal for women's racing and take up remarkably active roles in promoting women racers. There is no such thing as a 'fair-weather women's cycling fan,' and there is a reason for that. Men and women value what we are doing and quickly become loyal fans, if only they ever get the opportunity to see a race, interact with an athlete, or hear our stories. Potential sponsors take note:  there is something very powerful going on here.

(I could go on at length on this topic, but want to address a few more points before this post becomes prohibitively long!)

Marketing Cycling To Women

This is very very different from marketing women's cycling. In the last several years, the bike industry has perked up its ears at research that shows women as being the fastest growing target demographic in cycling. Accordingly, every major brand has rolled out a "women's specific" line of product. Yet again, these efforts largely miss their mark, because again, they apply the same old marketing model and think that by adding a pink or floral logo to their product, women previously disinterested in cycling will suddenly be inspired to ride bikes and buy all the latest pink, flowery product. I don't know where they get their research, but simply slapping stereotyped packaging onto product isn't the golden ticket to cornering the women's market.

The name of the game is to create a) motivation to get into cycling, and b) a barrier-free pathway to becoming involved in the sport, at any level. The motivation part is easy. Everyone remembers that thrill of getting on a bike as a kid, and that thrill doesn't go away, regardless of age! The second part requires proactively removing barriers - both real and perceived - that stand in the way of a woman picking up cycling. How? Promote the heck out of positive, approachable role models who went from non-cyclists to happy, fulfilled cyclists, and tap into the vast wealth of experience of women cyclists who know what works.

And here is where a fleet of professional women cyclists becomes your secret weapon: all of these women vividly remember the psychological, social and practical hurdles they faced as they got started in the sport. They offer a template for how a woman non-cyclist becomes an avid cyclist. What would benefit the bike/outdoor sport industry (and hence our sport as a whole) would be to recognize that women want what works... for them. Pink or floral or not. They want product and equipment and services and events that provide a quality experience... for them. Guess who has all those answers, and can clearly and honestly communicate them to your target market in a very natural and approachable manner? It's not rocket science.

When it comes to the current model, I see two glaring deficiencies in leveraging women's cycling for that holy grail of marketing, ROI:

1. a lack of presenting/promoting women's racing in its own right, rather than the female version of the "real" thing, and

2. a neglect on the part of major brands to work with women cyclists to create friendlier pathways to cycling for non-cyclist women (and girls).

I agree that the current application of a historical business model for women's cycling is ineffective and should be adapted re-created to address the specific appeal of, and value offered by, women cyclists. Women's teams appeal to both men and women, and can provide additional value as a springboard for R&D of products and services aimed at the fast-growing and lucrative niche of women consumers. Marketing women's cycling and marketing cycling to women are two very different sides to the same coin: namely the vastly underestimated and untapped marketing power of the women's peloton.

Again, I have many more thoughts on this and would happily discuss further. Please leave your comments below, or tune in for my next Q&A Session - TBA via Twitter @ambermalika.

Thanks for reading,

Amber

Amber Pierce - An American expat living in Austria, Amber has made the leap across the Atlantic in pursuit of her dreams on the road. After making a name for herself as one of the top road cyclists in the US, she now faces new challenges in her life on the road in Europe.

Amber's path to full-time racing in Europe has been anything but linear. From high school valedictorian holding national swimming records, to scholarship athlete at Stanford University and researcher on the open ocean, she has found herself in countless adventures all over the globe. With 53 career victories under her belt, however, Amber appears to have found her calling on the bicycle.

"Our trip to Austria could not have been more delightful and the highlight for me was going on a bike ride, or an eBike ride!

When Amber mentioned taking us both on a bike ride over one of her many training courses in the beautiful, lush countryside of Austria, I responded with great enthusiasm as my inner child has historically been adventurous and physically active, even though I have realistically not been either in many years and so I did have reservations. Atman, on the other hand, was more cautious from the beginning.

Realizing we are pretty sedentary people, Amber encouraged us by coming up with the perfect solution, an eBike (electric bike). The idea of getting a helping hand from the eBike was indeed very encouraging and again I was enthusiastic, but still with reservations. I had not ridden a bike for many years, or perhaps even decades. You never forget, right? Right? Visions of narrow European roads on steep hillsides without guard rails began creeping into my thoughts. I wanted to enjoy the rest of our time in Austria, in one piece, without bandages and/or casts.

The moment of truth arrived. Amber announced she had reserved eBikes for the two of us; by riding one herself, she would be in a better position to instruct me on how to use it. That was a great idea, because she had not yet used one herself, and we could both figure them out together. Atman was able to bow out due to a cold he was nursing, the perfect excuse and no one could blame him.

I had the perfect pair of comfortable capris and tennis shoes, and a helmet on loan from Amber. Off we went walking to the eBike store, sunglasses on, helmets and water bottles in hand.

We checked in, Amber paid while using her excellent Austrian German to communicate with the staff in the office. A young man had already set aside 2 eBikes for us, ready to go. He carefully placed them on the green carpet that was rolled out in front of the eBike store. He gave us very thorough instructions, I'm sure, but they were all in German. Amber nodded and confirmed them in German, as well.

I followed every hand gesture as best I could. We got two keys, one for the motor and one for the locking cable for when we park the bike. We are to press a button to engage the motor when going up a hill. There is a throttle, and two brakes, front and back. I remembered how to use a throttle from my days as a teenager, riding my brother's Yamaha 90. I saw the front and back brakes then made a mental note to always use both at the same time then I would not have to remember which is front and which is back. Amber confirmed that when I want to stop to use both at the same time. Good, we are on the same page.

Now, it's time for me to pedal around a little in front of the store to see if I can remember how to do this. After doing so, the nice young man got a very concerned expression on his face and began to repeat instructions, this time in English. Yes, I had a hard time just getting started, and then an even harder time turning while pedaling. I was definitely shaky; well, downright wobbly, actually.

Amber gave me words of encouragement; she had so much more confidence in me than I had in myself. Thoughts of disaster went through my head, and worse, thoughts of failure, I didn't want to fail, but the odds were not looking very good. A few more instructions, we secured our water bottles through the loops of the cable on the back of the bike, adjusted our helmets and sunglasses and we were off.

Amber paused and explained that she would be giving me hand gestures to indicate her intentions, left arm straight out for a left turn, bent for a right turn, hand on her back with fingers spread for when she is going to slow down and then generally pointing to objects in the road to warn me about bumps, holes and other potentially problematic areas. I was so glad to have an experienced rider to follow, one who knew where she was going and the best routes to take a novice on though a very busy city.

We first had to maneuver through the city streets and sidewalks in order to get out to the country side. There is a lot of traffic in downtown Graz that includes cars, trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, cyclists and pedestrians. I had previously noted how well they co-exist, cyclists weaving in and out of traffic while dodging pedestrians, especially the ones who are walking without looking  where they are going (me).

I also noticed there are a lot of bicycle and pedestrian paths to facilitate the flow, a truly great idea to foster bicycle use. Another observation that gave me some comfort was the fact that cars do look out for cyclists, they are very aware and always yield to cyclists as best they can, even on the narrowest of streets. There just seems to be a natural give and take amongst the users of streets and sidewalks, a mutual understanding they are there for everyone to use. I love Graz!

Amber said she is going to take me through the nearby park on the way out of the city so we can practice a little before hitting the real roads; she thinks of everything! Pedaling this bike was a lot tougher than I thought it would be, the eBike is heavier than regular bikes, and my leg muscles were already burning, less than one mile out, this was not looking good. Then, my bike wanted to go to the right, I told it to go left but my arms and hands did nothing, so I helplessly fell over, slowly, softly and gently into a little patch of bushes. This was convenient, and much more forgiving than the pavement.

Amber glanced back to see me lying on my right side, the heavy bike had trapped my right foot; I was fine, unharmed and struggling to just free my right foot which I did, but not very gracefully. I scrambled to my feet, well no, I managed to drag myself up and we decided to test the motor. Brilliant! Who needs hills to engage the motor?

Once I turned it on I didn't turn it off (except for a few times) and I figured out how to use the throttle to help me get going from a dead stop and to give my legs just the lift they needed. WOW! What a difference! The motor does not engage unless you are pedaling, so it is not like a  motorcycle; you still have to contribute BUT it makes the whole process SO MUCH easier and SO pleasurable. Then, when you do come to a steep hill there is a “max” button to give you a little more help just when you need it most. I highly recommend eBikes!!!

Note to self: Remember to release throttle when dismounting from the bike. Again? Ah geez. Reminder: Remember to release throttle when dismounting from the bike.

So, there we were, cycling through the park, crossing the street, riding along the sidewalk in the bicycle lane, crossing another street, weaving through pedestrians, riding across a parking lot, going behind some buildings and in between other buildings as though we had done this together a thousand times. Amber, a cycling expert (indeed, she is a Pro Cyclist) and my personal guide, helped me along with arm and hand signals so I could anticipate turns, slow downs and bumps in the road. She knew just where to go and which way to take a novice. As we rode she would also signal points of interest and tell me about them.

We are climbing a steep hill as she points to new construction commenting on the contemporary style of the new home being built. I look and see the sleek design we often refer to as “Euro” in the USA. A bit further on there is additional new construction in the traditional Austrian style we think of as “Bavarian”. I note how well they co-exist, neither look out of place, they compliment one another well.

As my legs begin to burn while I struggle up the steep hill, even with the help of the eBike (on max now). Then again, my bike wanted to go to the right, I told it to go left but my arms and hands did nothing, so I helplessly fell over, slowly, softly and gently into a lush patch of grass along the side of the road. OK, now I know what to do, been here, done this before so I lift the bike off my right foot, drag myself up and note there is no damage to either eBike or novice rider. We start walking up the remainder of the steep hill pushing the heavy bikes along side when it occurs to us, we can engage the motor which will allow the eBike to essentially walk itself up the hill as we walk along side, holding it. Sweet! I love eBikes!

We are leaving the city behind as we move past homes tucked here and there along the hillsides. It feels like we are several miles away from the city but actually we are quite close, minutes away for folks who live here, yet a real country feel to their environment. I can only compare it to the Berkeley Hills, but there’s a lot more vividly green open space behind the homes. The autumn air is crisp and clean yet moderately warm on this perfectly sunny day. I take it all in, the air, the scenery, the sheer joy of riding through it all on an eBike with my daughter.

As we ride along the topside of a hill I look down at what appears to be a perfectly groomed golf course spreading out across a large gentle slope to my left. I see what appears to be paved golf cart roads crisscrossing the course but then, I see regular cars driving on these roads, what? Amber explains it’s not a golf course; it is one of many open green areas with connecting roads. So much of Austria looks like a perfectly groomed golf course until you get up close and realize it’s a pasture or an open field. And many of their roads are extremely narrow. I look across the green expanse, over to the green trees, on to the contrasting white stucco homes with their red tile roofs and a church’s tall steeple against a backdrop of deep blue sky and would pinch myself if I didn’t have to take my hands off the bike grips.

Oncoming cars, trucks and tractors come towards us and wave as they pass; cars come up behind us then go ‘round when it’s safe, giving us plenty of room. Note: Tractors are commonly seen on Austrian roads and frequently driven by youngsters.

Amber is cruising along; I am occasionally cruising but mostly still wobbling when I pedal and grateful she is in front of me so as not to witness to all of my fumbling. When a car comes up behind me I wobble a little more, sometimes on purpose thinking it will let them know I am a real novice so they have to be extra careful around me. I focus intently on keeping my wheels as close to the edge of the road as possible, but still on the road. The wheels  sometimes go off the pavement onto a very narrow shoulder and I don’t panic, I just get back on the pavement, this gives me confidence.

When the road is clear it feels like it exists just for us to enjoy as we gleefully
celebrate life.

We are coasting down a gentle slope on the topside of another hill and it feels like we are flying. There’s a pretty steep drop off to the right, another lush green pasture where happy cows graze. There is no guard rail but I am not wobbling as I coast, it is free sailing (with both hands poised over the brake grips). Everywhere we went in Austria, (Styria and Salzburg), one sees vividly green pastures, even in autumn, with happily grazing cows - love it!

I forgot to mention that Amber has a camera mounted on the top of her helmet so that as she rides along she reaches up to turn it on then turns her head in the direction she wishes to video, while riding, chatting and pointing out this or that. She is truly a multitasking cyclist.

One of the coolest things is that many of the roads we ride on are at the crest of a tall hill where the road follows the ridge line so you have drop-offs on both sides and you have incredible views that go on forever on both sides. It makes you feel like you are on the top of the world, on an eBike!

On another section we climbed through a forest on a narrow, winding, paved road and I told Amber “This reminds me of La Honda!”, she laughed and says yes, that what we think too when we ride through this area. Nature abounds as we ride through the different landscapes, taking in a variety of sights and smells, from fresh cut hay to freshly cut grass to the “aroma” of natural farm ‘fertilizer’.

At some point we come to a building, stop, park our bikes and secure the locked cable around the tire and frame. We are going to get a small bite to eat. We walk around the building and down a few steps into a large outdoor dining area with wooden tables, a placemat in the center with a plant, salt and pepper. This area is surrounded by trees with a lush green field in the background on one side, on the other are two buildings in Austrian style, one seems to be the kitchen while the other is a two story high, A-Frame with scalloped dark wood and glass windows to look out on the farm. It is a buschenschank restaurant in a very rustic and beautiful setting.

Amber orders for us in perfect Austrian German: a cold cut plate of cured meats and cheese, and an apple strudel with vanilla cream sauce for us to share. It was delicious and just the perfect amount to keep us going but not be too filling. Looking around we see people dressed in suits, some are dressed casually and we are in cycling attire. People from  nearby neighborhoods come by to eat, business people as well. We see a tree laden with what appears to be miniature apples. Austria, famous for Schnapps made from all sorts of fruit and nuts, also makes one from Quince so we are wondering if these might be young quince. I ask the waiter in English, he is happy to respond in English as are most Austrians. He explains that they are a species of apple but he doesn’t recommend eating them as they don’t taste very good in his opinion; I categorized them as yellow crabapples.

As we are riding a ridge line with views on both sides we see a forest up ahead, Amber slows to a stop. She wants to warn me that the next section of road is not paved but is hard packed dirt so riding on it is not problematic. We leave the pavement and begin riding on the hard packed road, which amazingly has no ruts. She’s right, no problem, in fact, the dirt road adds to the almost magical feel of riding through this forest.

After previously riding along the ridge line in the sunshine it was getting pretty hot, then upon entering the forest the air is suddenly cool, the smell of autumn replaces that of grass; the sunlight sprinkles through the leaves of shrubs and trees but rarely reaches the forest floor where all seems damp but not wet. I shout up to Amber as I proclaimed, “This is the ‘Magical Forest!’”, (truly a magical mystery tour).

Then, without warning, there are people, two on one side and one on the other; they have hiking poles and are dressed in hiking clothes and boots. I quickly note the flag of Austria painted on a tree as we sail past. Austria has miles and miles of carefully maintained hiking paths clearly marked by painted flags from one visual point to another to guide the hikers. Hiking in Austria seems to be a national activity, everyone hikes, and travelers from around the world come here to hike. (I prefer to eBike!)

Heading out of the forest and into the sunshine I have lost my wobble and don’t have to concentrate on how to ride my eBike anymore. I finally feel one with my bike as we continue on chatting away and enjoying the countryside. We climb up hills and wind down narrow roads; we ride along ridges while giggling at times like children. After a while, we descend into the city, ride along a river on a bike path, cross streets, weave around pedestrians and other traffic, enter the park and note the unicyclist on a corner. We get closer to downtown and soon find our way back to the eBike store where I proudly ride up without  wobbling and dismount like a pro.

Thank you Amber, for this adventure, the memories will be with me forever.  Austria is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and one of the best ways to see and experience it is from the saddle of an eBike."  - written by Carolyn Rais

After sending me the account you've just read, my Mom asked me to share this final thought with you:

"I just wanted to add that I came away from that experience with an appreciation of how much fun cycling is and how much more interesting and exciting it is to view the world around us when we can be more interactive with the environment. "

Couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you, Mom, for sharing this lovely narrative, and thank you most of all for trusting your inner child and riding with me!

And to the readers, thank you for reading,
Amber

[Neither my mom nor I have any association with Velo Vital or any other e-Bike company, beyond being very satisfied paying customers. Regardless, I would like to thank Velo Vital for providing this wonderful service, for making our adventure possible and for taking such good care of Mom and me. Please click here to check out their website, or click here to "Like"  them on Facebook!]

Amber Pierce - An American expat living in Austria, Amber has made the leap across the Atlantic in pursuit of her dreams on the road. After making a name for herself as one of the top road cyclists in the US, she now faces new challenges in her life on the road in Europe.

Amber's path to full-time racing in Europe has been anything but linear. From high school valedictorian holding national swimming records, to scholarship athlete at Stanford University and researcher on the open ocean, she has found herself in countless adventures all over the globe. With 53 career victories under her belt, however, Amber appears to have found her calling on the bicycle.

Photos: Amber Pierce

In the process of writing this post, I asked my mom to share a few of her thoughts and impressions of our ride together. She had so much fun recollecting the adventure that she wrote a full post of her own, and it’s brilliant. While neither of us read the other's account before writing our own, we highlighted many of the same moments and even used many of the same words (I am my mother's daughter). Below are my words, and the next post will feature hers: our different perspectives on the same special ride. 

 I took this photo on a training ride near Graz. I’d just crested a climb, and the play of sunlight across the alm just about stopped my heart in one of those holy there-is-nowhere-else-I-want-to-be-except-right-here-on-my-bicycle kinds of moments. I experience a lot of those moments and will never take them for granted.

However, I often wish I could share this feeling with my parents. Living overseas, I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like, and they don’t ride bicycles. As parents, they worry about me, so they can’t help but think of the physical risks of racing, the frustrating politics and the financial insecurity of what I do. What they don’t get to experience is the kind of visceral and spiritual joy of riding bicycles that so inspires and captivates me (and countless others).

Well, wishes do come true.

Last week -- for the first time ever -- my mom and I pedaled together through a forested stretch of dirt road on part of my favorite training loop in Graz. She laughed and with equal parts glee and awe, declared, “This is just magical!" I could not have agreed more, but for me, it wasn’t just the exhilaration of flying beneath majestic forest canopy: it was finally having the chance to share this magic with my mom.

When my parents first began planning their visit to Austria, I began plotting a mission to share my favorite bike rides with them.  Unfortunately, my Dad caught a cold. My mom, however, agreed to my crazy scheme.

To fully appreciate this story, you must understand a few things. First, my mom doesn’t ride bikes. She knows how to ride (naturally; she was a kid once, after all), but she hadn’t been on a bike for decades. Second, although the terrain around Graz is wonderfully varied with scenic options for flat routes as well as climbing routes, the most stunning views are those earned after some serious elevation gain. I wanted my mom to experience those stunners, and as any cyclist knows, such views are best savored having been earned through solid effort. Driving there in a car simply would not do. The key, then, was finding a way to keep the challenge, without making Mom suffer terribly, and without overwhelming her with things like clipless pedals or scary traffic.

I found the perfect solution a block from our apartment:  electric bicycle rentals from Velo Vital. With hybrid-style frames, wide slicks and flat pedals and handlebars, they feature mountain bike gears and an adjustable electric motor, controlled by a throttle on the right grip. One must pedal to engage the motor, and the rider controls how much help she gets from the motor via the throttle. Hence, one can customize the level of effort real-time throughout the ride, adjusting for terrain or fatigue. At first I'd intended to ride my own Fuji Supreme but decided to ride the same machine as Mom, so I could better offer handling advice as we rode. Also, having never ridden an e-bike myself, I worried I might end up chewing handlebar just to avoid getting dropped like a hot potato. (It is the offseason, after all.)

Mom was a great sport. With waterbottles and matching Limar helmets in hand, off we marched to Velo Vital to begin our adventure. She seemed excited and confident (I would later discover that she was actually quite nervous and has an excellent poker face).

As we got on our bikes to pedal the first stretch of our ride through the Stadtpark, she wobbled a bit and even toppled over once, but laughed it off, no waver in her determination. Then we switched on the motors. She got a kick out of the extra speed, and quickly found her rhythm. I had originally thought we might need to do a few laps of the bike paths in the park to get her comfortable, but by the time we reached the far end of the park, she was ready to hit the streets.

Mom and I rode 30 kilometers with over 300 meters of vertical gain together, a remarkable feat in and of itself, but even more so considering how long it had been since Mom had pedaled a bike. She was pleased as punch as we pedaled back along the bike path at the end of our loop. I could tell by her carefree laugh and the ear-to-ear grin that she was having a blast.

It wasn't until she said, “ Amber, I don’t know how you get me into these crazy adventures , but I’m so glad you have more confidence in me than I do”  - that I realized what a daunting challenge this must have seemed, and how good she felt at having accomplished it. Happy doesn’t even come close to how good it felt to see her grinning and pedaling through the fall leaves.

We packed a lot into those 30 kilometers: expansive views of  the Schöckl and surrounding Schöckl-Land, sweeping descents, orchards bursting with ripe Styrian apples, our Buschenschank stop for coffee and Apfelstrudel, the satisfaction of a good workout, fresh air and laughs, but the best part? Mom got it. She got what everyone who has ever been hooked into riding bikes gets: the exhilaration of moving through the fresh air under your own power and empowerment of meeting a challenge, how the sweat of a good effort enhances every vista, and how your inner child dances with glee as the bike leans through a corner at speed.

Though she had wobbled a bit on her way out of the shop, Mom cruised back in with the ease and grace of a pro, triumphant and smiling like a kid on Christmas morning. She said the ride was the highlight of her trip, and considering we’d already toured a schnapps distillery and a chocolate factory, I figured that to be one heck of an endorsement.

Check back here soon to read Mom's account and see some video clips from our ride.

Thanks for reading,
Amber

[Neither my mom nor I have any association with Velo Vital or any other e-Bike company, beyond being very satisfied paying customers. Regardless, I would like to thank Velo Vital for providing this wonderful service, for making our adventure possible and for taking such good care of Mom and me. Please click here to check out their website, or click here to "Like"  them on Facebook!]

Amber Pierce - An American expat living in Austria, Amber has made the leap across the Atlantic in pursuit of her dreams on the road. After making a name for herself as one of the top road cyclists in the US, she now faces new challenges in her life on the road in Europe.

Amber's path to full-time racing in Europe has been anything but linear. From high school valedictorian holding national swimming records, to scholarship athlete at Stanford University and researcher on the open ocean, she has found herself in countless adventures all over the globe. With 53 career victories under her belt, however, Amber appears to have found her calling on the bicycle.

Photos: Amber Pierce

With expectations running rampant for one of it's own to prevail on Stage 6, current Boulder resident, Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team), provided his adopted hometown ample reason to celebrate. The 30-year old Australian broke away late to secure a well-deserved victory at the Flagstaff Mountain Amphitheater. Sutherland would cross the line seconds ahead of Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team) and Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek), who finished in second and third, respectively.

“Flagstaff is such a beautiful mountain,” said Sutherland. “I don't know how many times I've done this mountain, but it’s getting near a 100. It’s about knowing the area and the climb, and when to push yourself or when to take it easy. I can’t even describe the beauty of cycling in Colorado and how much it means to win in my hometown of Boulder. This is definitely the biggest win of my career.”

The penultimate stage of the 2012 USA Pro Challenge took the riders from returning host city Golden to one of the most legendary cycling cities in the U.S. – Boulder – on a 102.8m/165.5 km route that included the epic climb of Flagstaff Mountain. Featuring three Waste Management sprints and two Nissan King of the Mountains competitions in addition to Flagstaff, the stage was challenging and hotly contested.

The stage began with several attacks and counter-attacks, but nothing stuck until a 14-man breakaway that would last for a good part of the stage. Upon reaching the first Waste Management sprint in Boulder, Serghei Tvetcov (MOL) of Team Exergy crossed the line first, followed by Sutherland and Stage 4 winner Jens Voigt (GER) of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek.

Heading toward the first KOM of the day – Cat. 2 Boulder Canyon (8,231 ft.) – the breakaway riders traveled through a classic mountain tunnel climbing at a speed of 22 mph, with Alex Howes (USA) of Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda taking max points, followed by EPM-UNE riders Francisco Jarley Colorado Hernandez (COL) and Robigzon Leandro Oyola Oyola (COL).

Descending at speeds of up to 62 mph, the break screamed down the hill toward the second Waste Management sprint line of the day in Lyons, where Tvetcov took max points, followed by Timmy Duggan (USA) of Liquigas-Cannondale and Voigt.

After making the turn onto Lefthand Canyon, Voigt launched an attack with his teammate George Bennett (NZL) to ultimately spring Bennett into a solo break heading toward the second KOM of the day – Cat. 2 Lee Hill Rd. (7,008 ft.). With only seven riders left in the original break, Bennett crested the hill first, followed by Colorado and Voigt.

With only two minutes over the field, the break saw several attacks heading toward the final Waste Management sprint of the day in Boulder, which was taken by Voigt, followed by Tvetcov and Aru. With Voigt out slightly in front of the break, Sutherland launched an attack that would take him out in front and lead to him powering up the mountain all the way across the finish line.

In a battle for the general classification, defending champion, Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) heads into the final day of the race wearing the Exergy Leader Jersey, nine seconds up on Christian Vande Velde (USA) of Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda and 21 seconds ahead of Tejay van Garderen (USA) of BMC Racing Team.

As the attacks came fast and furious in the final 5 kilometers, Leipheimer took flight to distance himself from his rivals. He would take fourth in the stage, placing him at the top of the General Classification.

“I was hoping for the best, stated Leipheimer. "I wanted to do something in Crested Butte, but Tejay was stronger. I knew I had to save my strength for today. When I was nearing the finish, I just focused on giving it everything I had. Today was amazing, and one of the most beautiful days of cycling I’ve ever seen. I saw all kinds of colorful characters up on Flagstaff and it was inspiring. I knew I had to save my strength for today. When I was nearing the finish, I just focused on giving it everything I had.

As part of the awards ceremony actor Patrick Dempsey presented Leipheimer with the Exergy Leader Jersey.

“I’m very pleased to have the Exergy Leader Jersey on my shoulders now," added Leipheimer. "Anything can happen tomorrow. I’ve won some big time trials, but Tejay is coming of age; he’s probably the best Grand Tour rider we have right now. He and Christian Van Velde are both great at time trials; it’s daunting. But there’s no doubt that today’s race will give me some extra motivation.”

Results - Stage 6 - Golden to Boulder (165.5 km/102.8 mi)
1. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team - 4:06:12
2. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:20
3. Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:26

General Classification After Stage 6
1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 25:39:50
2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Sharp - 0:00:09
3. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:21
4. Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
5. Ramiro Rincon Diaz (Col) EPM - Une - 0:00:22
6. Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:26
7. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Sharp - 0:00:38
8. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:41
9. Ivan Rovny (Rus) RusVelo
10. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:52

Jersey Leaders After Stage 6
Exergy Leader Jersey – Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
Waste Management Sprint Jersey – Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Sharp
Nissan King of the Mountains Jersey – Jens Voigt (GER) RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
Evolve Most Aggressive Rider Jersey – Rory Sutherland (AUS) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
Aquadraat Best Young Rider Jersey - Joe Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team

Next: Stage 7 - Sunday, Aug. 26 – Denver Individual Time Trial (15.3 km/9.5 mi)
Start Time: 1 p.m. MT
Estimated Finish Time: approximately 3 p.m. MT
Satellite Feed Time: 5 – 5:15 p.m. MT

After a tough week of racing over mountains at high altitude, the Stage 7 Individual Time Trial will be a completely different kind of race – and one that could dramatically change the results. By taking the team factor out of the race, this flat and fast course in downtown Denver will have those looking to take the overall win facing a tough individual test, making this one of the most exciting finishes possible.

Using many of the same roads as the final Denver finish circuits of 2011, the course will provide a challenge for the riders and fantastic viewing opportunities for race fans. Starting at one-minute intervals, with the final riders going off at two minutes, near the State Capitol Building in Denver’s Civic Center Park, the riders will first face a familiar out-and-back section along Speer Blvd. and Colfax Ave., with a slight detour through the entertainment district along Larimer Street.

Returning toward the start area on Colfax, the riders will turn north to 17th Ave. and a long section of straight road, eventually delivering them to City Park. A short, but technical run through the park will return the riders to 17th Ave., allowing spectators to see their favorite riders pass by again. Two quick turns will put the riders back on Broadway headed south to the finish line adjacent to Civic Center Park.

Photos: Leonard Basboas/lb-photos.com

The remnants of the day's predominant breakaway were first to enter the finishing circuits, clinging to the faint hope of securing a victory. But in the end, Garmin-Sharp and Tyler Farrar simply overwhelmed the field. The 28-year old American took the win in a bunch sprint, as Taylor Phinney (USA) of BMC Racing Team came in second and Alessandro Bazzana (ITA) of Team Type 1-SANOFI in third.

For the second year in a row, the mountain town of Breckenridge came out in full force to support the star-studded, international field of riders. After two boisterous neutral laps around downtown, the peloton took off from Breckenridge on a 117.9m/189.7 km route that would include one Cat. 1 Nissan King of the Mountains competition at Hoosier Pass (11,541 ft.) and two Waste Management Sprints at Fairplay and Woodland Park on their way to the finish in downtown Colorado Springs that would include three circuit laps.

With the KOM coming only 10.1 miles into the stage, the riders started out aggressively launching an attack almost immediately after heading out of the neutral section. With nine riders in the break, Francisco Jarley Colorado Hernandez (COL) of EPM-UNE crossed the line at the top of Hoosier Pass first to take max points, followed closely by Sergey Firsanov (RUS) of RusVelo and Biao Liu (CHN) of Champion System Pro Cycling Team.

With seven riders remaining in the break heading down from the KOM, including Firsanov, Liu, Oliver Zaugg (SUI) of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek, Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) of Liquigas-Cannondale, Ivan Santaromita (ITA) of BMC Racing Team, Carter Jones (USA) of Bissell Pro Cycling and Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (KAZ) of Astana Pro Team, they quickly approached the first sprint of the day. Crossing the line first in Fairplay was Firsanov, followed by Zaugg in second and Liu in third.

With the gap reaching more than five minutes at times, the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team and Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda riders were doing a lot of the work at the front of the peloton in an effort to close the gap. And to the cheers of huge crowds lining the second sprint in Woodland Park, the riders posted similar results to the first sprint with Firsanov in first, followed by Liu and Jones.

Upon reaching majestic Garden of the Gods, Jones launched an attack, but was reeled back in quickly by Nibali who, in turn, launched a counter-attack and was soon joined by Zaugg and Firsanov. As the riders reached downtown Colorado Springs, the rest of the breakaway was absorbed by the peloton leaving only the three leaders out in front, but with average speeds on the circuits reaching 30 mph, the group was soon altogether again. And in an all-out sprint to the finish, Farrar took home the stage win, his second of the 2012 race.

“This was the day I had always marked, and the team did a lot of work to make sure that it all worked out,” said Farrar. “We spent a lot of energy today that we could’ve conserved, but I’m thankful they put their faith in me to win.”

Results – Stage 5 – Breckenridge to Colorado Springs (km)
1. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp
2. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing
3. Alessandro Bazzana (ITA) Team Type 1 – SANOFI

In what is still a very close race for the Exergy Leader Jersey, Tejay van Garderen of BMC Racing Team maintained his lead heading into the penultimate day of racing.

“Tomorrow is going to be really hard. People keep forgetting about Levi. I think that’s a mistake. Out of Tom and Christian, he’s the better time trialist and the better climber. He’s only eight seconds behind. I’m really worried about him. Obviously I know Christian’s in good form, but it’s not just a game of me vs. Christian. It’s going to be hard because it’s a climb, but it’s going to be tactical. I can follow one guy, not three. We’ll see how it plays out.”

General Classification After Stage 5
1. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Sharp
3. Ivan Rovny (Rus) RusVelo - 0:00:06
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:00:08
5. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:12
6. Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
7. Ramiro Rincon Diaz (Col) EPM - Une - 0:00:13
8. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Sharp - 0:00:15
9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:17
10. Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan

Jersey Leaders After Stage 5
Exergy Leader Jersey – Tejay Van Garderen (USA) of BMC Racing Team
Waste Management Sprint Jersey – Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Sharp
Nissan King of the Mountains Jersey – Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin - Sharp
Evolve Most Aggressive Rider Jersey – Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Liquigas-Cannondale
Aquadraat Best Young Rider Jersey - Joe Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team

Next: Stage 6 – Golden to Boulder (103.3 miles/km)

Next: Stage 6 - Saturday, Aug. 25 – Golden to Boulder (165.5 km/102.8 mi)
Start Time: 11:10 a.m. MT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:15-4 p.m. MT
Satellite Feed Time: 5 – 5:15 p.m. MT

Stage 6 will depart from Golden, a second-year host city and site of one of the largest crowds in the 2011 race, but not before several circuit laps around downtown provide fans with the chance to cheer on their favorite riders. The peloton will then head north on CO 93 en route to Boulder, a city very well known for its bicycle culture. Upon arrival in downtown Boulder, the sprinters will have an opportunity to earn valuable points with a sprint line adjacent to the Pearl Street Mall and the USA Pro Challenge expo area.

After the sprint points have been awarded, the route will head up Boulder Canyon along CO 119 towards Nederland and the day’s first KOM competition. Joining the cycling fans in this small mountain town will be the 14th Annual Nedfest, a music, arts and microbrew festival. Riders will continue climbing as they are faced with ascents exceeding 9,300 ft. on the incredible Peak to Peak Highway before a long and fast descent into the town of Lyons, where they will encounter another sprint line and the annual Rocky Mountain Folk Festival.

Classic local climbs up Lefthand Canyon and Lee Hill Rd. present the next set of challenges for the riders before they return for one final pass through downtown Boulder. In a dramatic race to the finish, the riders will head up “The Hill” to Flagstaff Mountain where a 3.5-mile vertical, dramatic race to the finish line at Sunrise Amphitheater will commence.

Photos: Leonard Basobas/lb-photos