Last weekend was a special occasion for me.  I had the privilege of returning to Chicago for a great weekend of bike racing.  When I look back at my cycling career, Chicago is where it all started.  I started racing collegiate when I came to the U of C as a grad student… and then raced the local scene with the support of some great Chicago bike shops.  From there I entered the pro ranks and have been racing all over the country and the world… and despite the fact that I no longer live in the windy city, Chicago always feels like home for racing.  It amazes me what a great cycling community Chicago has… despite the flat roads and sometimes dreary bike path riding… the enthusiasm of Chicago cyclists can't be beat and I love coming back to race!

The weekend started out with a new USAcrits race held in Lake Bluff.  Our host family did a lot of work putting on a top notch event and our team didn't want to let them down.  We went out and raced hard from the gun.  Attack after attack was the plan and about 20 minutes into the race, I counterattacked as my teammate was being brought back and got a gap. After a lap, I had a partner in crime and after another lap there were 3 of us working together to stay away.  I was in a break with Katie and Liza -- Katie I raced with in my early chicago days and Liza I race with at the local bay area races.  We had a good crew… except when you mix the tallest and the shortest riders of the peloton, it does not make for good drafting -- doah!

We had a tiny gap for the majority of the race and I expected to get gobbled up at the end, but suddenly our gap grew and it came down to a sprint… since I do not have much of a jump, I decided I needed to go early… and when everyone slowed into the last corner I put my head down and went for it.  I pedaled as hard as I could and didn't look back.  I kept waiting for that moment for somebody to sling around me right before the line, but it didn't happen -- I got the Win!!  I usually spend most of the races working hard for my teammates and they always pull through for the team.  It was nice being able to pull through for them!  And it was very special to get the win in Chicago.

But to tell the truth, I really wanted the win because I love ice cream and all season my team deprives me of ice cream… when I beg and beg to stop the team van for ice cream I am told that I don't get ice cream unless I win a race!  That is kinda harsh, but also very motivating!  Finally I get the win… yet… my team still hasn't provided the ice cream.  I am hoping they are just waiting until they find the very best ice cream (as I am an ice cream snob)… but I hope I don't have to wait too long.  

As you might imagine, without ice cream to refuel, Glencoe was a hard race!  Our team went from the gun and despite many attempts we didn't manage to get a break away to stick.  However, Gokey pulled out a fast sprint and finished on the podium in third!  All in all, a great weekend for the team!  And a great weekend of racing thanks to Glencoe and Lake Bluff!  I'm looking forward to returning to the area for Elk Grove.

Exergy Tour

When it comes to professional sports, Title IX no longer comes into play. Most men don't make a career out of sports because they can't compete at the highest level.  But women, even those who dominate their sport, don't make a career out of it because they simply can't make a living through athletics.  This becomes painfully clear in the world of cycling.  The top men are rich while the top women struggle to get by without taking on a "day job." 

I do not think the heart of the problem is that men are faster, stronger, more athletic… I would argue that women's racing at the top level is just as exciting as men's racing.  Whether we are averaging 25mph or 30mph… racing looks very similar.  There are the same same dynamics, the same passion (if not more), the same gut-wrenching efforts… all ending in the same heartache or triumph.  And all the women have interesting stories, backgrounds, and personalities.  I think the problem lies in lack of support and lack of media.

Most companies are not lining up to sponsor women's teams, promoters do not want to put money into women's events, and the media provides little coverage.  It is a bit of a catch 22.  Why would sponsors and promoters want to support teams and events that get no media coverage?  And why would the media want to cover small events that are not well funded or well established?

Exergy broke this trend last week by putting on a world class cycling event in Idaho… for women.  They didn't skimp or scale down the production because it was a women's race.  The accommodations, the support, and most importantly, the races were what every pro male would expect.  And what every pro woman dreams about.  We had a top notch event to call our own.  Top teams from all around the world came to participate.  And people could follow from the comfort of their own homes on Tour Tracker… for the first time, friends, family, and fans could watch a women's cycling tour live from their home computer (or even their mobile phone).

Women's cycling hasn't been changed overnight, but Exergy took us a step in the right direction and I can only hope that this step will take us leaps forward in the future.  Thank You Exergy!