girls that rock!

These girls are a great inspiration for anyone who loves to pedal.

Niki Gudex // Pro MTB rider, graphic designer & model. This Sydney-based global citizen is smart, creative and rides like the wind whether it's downhill, XC, on the road or cruising the urban landscapes.
www.nikigudex.com

Jill Kintner // Another arty-sporty chick who's got Olympic bronze in BMX, three World Championship titles in the MTB discipline of 4X, two World Cup series championships, heaps of World Cup, national titles and Norba series championship wins... This woman is driven, creative and uber cool.
www.jillkintner.com

Jayne Rutter // This is a girl who jumped on a bike and hasn't looked back! She's super fit, races XC, downhill and 4X and has just been sponsored by Team Banshee Australia.
www.jaynerutter.com

Anna Meares // Possibly the fastest woman ever to pedal a bike. A down-to-earth champion hailing from regional Queensland, Anna rides with passion, is an amazing strategist, can read her opponents, has had amazing recovery from injury, and has shown again and again what it's like to win (and on the rare occasion, not win!) with grace. Along with her sister, Kerrie, Anna is truly an inspiration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Meares

> more to come!

little bit of history again.

Getting to know... Sara Carrigan

A couple of years back, girl+bike had the pleasure of talking to Aussie cyclist Sara Carrigan, winner of the Women's Road Race at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Thought you might like to check it out!

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Everyone knows Sara Carrigan since she outsmarted her opponent in the finishline sprint to take the gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics. If you're anything like me, you were screaming in your loungeroom in the middle of the night, watching on TV as the world's best women cyclists sweated it out on a heady Mediterranean day. Riding a tactically perfect race, with the support of her fantastic Australian teammates, Sara became what every athlete dreams: Olympic champion.

So, somewhere in her sock drawer sits a reminder of the fact that she did, in fact, win the pinnacle of prizes. (Well, I can't say for certain it's in her sock drawer, but to tell you the truth, I forgot to ask her where it's kept.)

You'd probably forgive her if somewhere along the line her head got a bit swelled with the fact that almost every Australian knows her name, or because she has the letters 'OAM' after her name. Or because she has gone into the history books as an Olympic Champion.

But the thing about Sara Carrigan is she's a bloody nice chick. She's articulate, friendly and passionate, and always willing to have a chat. She's not just a champion of elite sport, but of everyone who aspires to a dream.

She rocks out to ACDC, misses her fam and friends when she's away racing and loves ice cream. And you know the best thing? She truly loves riding her bike.

girl+bike spoke to Sara about cycling, bikes and life in general, at the bike show held in Melbourne in October 2006. Here's what she had to say...

It’s been two years since you won the women’s road race in Athens. How’s life as an Olympic Champion?

What has been totally incredible after having achieved my Olympic dream is how absolutely everyone has wanted to share and live the emotion with me! It is such a personal achievement and to have so many people in Australia and from overseas wanting to share it with me is wonderfully amazing and makes it all the more worthwhile! I didn’t realise just how much an achievement such as this could touch so many far and wide.

Was winning the Olympics something you always dreamed of, or was it a case of 'let’s see how far I can take my cycling'?

To represent Australia at the Olympic Games and to win Gold has always been a dream of mine since I was in primary school. Back then, I wasn't sure in which sport but when I found cycling and loved it, it went from there.

Tell us how you started cycling and how you ended up a professional racer?

I was always sporty and I guess growing up on a farm contributed to my love of the outdoors but I was actually introduced to cycling through a talent identification program when I was 15. It was run in conjunction with the local cycling Club, Gold Coast CATS and my school, Somerset College where 15 students were chosen, given bikes and all the necessary equipment for 10 weeks. Cycling is not as easy to become involved in as other sports so presenting the opportunity to young children through a school program is beneficial in more ways than one! Learning and riding together as a group was so much fun. I had no idea the whole world of cycling existed until I became involved and found that I loved riding and racing my bike at the same time!

What’s the hardest thing about being a professional cyclist?

The hardest thing for me has been spending 7 months away from home each year. I do love the travel and living the European lifestyle but there’s nothing better than flying back home to Oz!

From the outside, professional cycling (men’s in particular) seems quite glamorous... What’s it really like?

A lot of our time is spent on the road, living out of a suitcase. Of the 7 months that I was away last year, I counted 5 weeks that I was actually at my ‘home’ base in Holland. It is so nice to stay in one spot for a period of time after having travelled so much.

Do your friends ‘get’ what you do and why you do it?

I do believe that many know and understand just how much commitment, perseverance, dedication and hard work is required to achieve such major goals in life. However, to receive the backing and support from those closest to you is crucial and something I truly cherish. The acceptance and understanding of my loved ones of what I have set out to achieve is truly irreplaceable and without it, would make my journey almost impossible.

What is the most encouraging thing that someone has ever said to you throughout your cycling career?

I can list a number of quotes that have really inspired me at different times throughout my career, however a couple that seem to stick with me the most is that, ‘The power and strength to achieve anything is within you. You must take yourself wherever it is you want to go. Do not compromise yourself because you are all you’ve got. The first and best victory is to conquer self.’

Where is the most beautiful place you’ve ridden your bike?

Cycling can be a very social sport and provides the opportunity for many to travel overseas. There are so many beautiful places to ride your bike whether it is through the Swiss Alps, through Tuscan villages, the Gold Coast hinterland or along the beautiful beaches by yourself or with a group. I do love riding my bike and love to schedule in a coffee shop stop every now and then.

Tell us a bit about what you are up to these days?

I made the decision to have a break for the remainder of 2006 after the Commonwealth Games and experience a ‘normal life’ of full time uni and work, combined with enjoying other activities that have not been possible due to the heavy workload of training commitments. Something that has been really exciting during this time is becoming involved with Teschner Bikes in designing a women’s specific bike, called the 'Diva'. Whilst cycling has been largely a male dominated sport, women are now enjoying the fruits of cycling more than ever! Compared to men, women traditionally have a shorter trunk length relative to leg length, narrower shoulders and a different pelvic structure so there is a real demand for bikes that give us (women) the same choices in performance, speed and fit as the men so we too can enjoy cycling with no limits. The Teschner 'Diva' now provides the opportunity for young junior girls and ladies alike to purchase an off-the-rack bike with the appropriate frame geometry, crank lengths, handlebars and saddle to suit a woman’s body, thus eliminating the need for expensive alterations.

OK, now for some fun... Fill in these gaps!

rides a Blue and Gold Teschner Diva

listens to AC/DC

raced bikes for 10 years

wishes for everyone to be happy

thinks about Beijing Gold

likes dancing

laughed at Carl Baron

hates drug cheats

eats Baskin & Robins Ice cream

misses my friends and family when I’m away for 7 months each year.

A 'herstory' of cycling?

1. In the 1890s, one-third of those in the market for a bicycle were women.

2. Cycling aided the shift from tight corsets and long dresses, to shorter skirts and bloomers - much more sensible to cycle in!

3. In 1894-5, Annie 'Londonderry' Kopchovsky is the first woman to ride around the world.

4. The first womens cycling world champion was crowned in 1958 (50 years ago).

5. Susan B. Anthony commented: “Let me tell you what I think of bicycling…I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride on a wheel. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.”


6. The bicycle was considered by some to be a threat to the 'proper' social order. Women were travelling more freely and away from the surveillance of her husband!

7. Women cycled in the Olympics for the first time in 1984.

8. The first mountain bike world championships were held in 1990, in Durango, Spain.

9. This year there are 37 professional women's road cycling teams registered with the UCI (cycling's world governing body).

10. Cycling group 'Women's Mountain Bike and Tea Society' (WOMBATS) was formed in 1984 to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for women who like riding off road, but weren't sure how/where/who with.