Founded in 2002, Velo Girls fielded our first little "race team" for the Livermore Hills Road Race in 2002. In the fall of that year, we announced the formation of the Velo Girls Racing Team. The team, comprised of almost 40 brand-spanking new racers, was developed as a true grassroots program. We provided skills clinics and training all fall before making our racing debut in 2003.
That team has continued to develop, now completing six full seasons of racing action! And we've grown beyond the development phase, with women competing in national pro events and regional CAT 2 through CAT 4 races. We've also got a strong masters presence. In 2004 and 2005 Velo Girls was the winningest women's team in northern California and Nevada, with individual racers ranked at the top of the NCNCA BAR, the Bay Area Women's Cycling Association Points Series, and the USA Cycling national rankings. Since 2002, Velo Girls has developed close to 200 new women racers through the team and our highly successful racing development program.
In recognition of our commitment to developing cycling in the United States, Velo Girls was selected by USA Cycling as the 2003 Women's Club of the Year and the 2004 Division II Club of the Year.
In 2006, Velo Girls was once again honored by USA Cycling as Women's Club of the Year, and further recognized as the top team in Northern California and Nevada for developing and retaining more new racers than any other club in the district, winning the NCNCA Club Challenge. It just doesn't get any better than that!
As introduced in 2007, Velo Girls took an entirely new approach to the team concept. We expanded our current road racing program to include road, mountain, and cyclocross racers, along with non-competitive endurance riders, Team Velo Girls™ is active in all aspects of riding and racing in Northern California. Team members approach the sport with a love of cycling and the desire to be active with Velo Girls™ and the cycling community as a whole.
In 2008, Velo Girls was honored for the fourth time by USA Cycling as the Women's Club of the Year, and nominated for a Nike Changemakers/Gamechangers award.
We can't wait to see what 2009 will hold!
