In 2005, Nicola Cranmer was a competitive mountain bike rider in North California when she decided to take action. Racing for a mixed team, she had had enough of seeing the women taking the back seat.
“The women (in the team) were more accomplished than the men, but the men were getting all of the support,” she says. “I realised I needed to start a women’s team. I had no idea what that would take, but quickly discovered. It consumed my life over the next 10 years.”
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?”
“It was purely passion driven, it was all new, challenging and stimulating, and it just felt like the right endeavour.”
This year, the team celebrates its 10th anniversary and has given Nicola Cranmer many reasons for satisfaction. Standout names that have emerged from the team’s ranks include Shelley Olds, who catapulted from a category 4 to category 1 rider in her first year with the team, and Megan Guarnier: “It’s been incredible to see where she has gone.”
The team showed its colours last month at the inaugural Amgen Tour of California Women's Race presented by SRAM: Lauren Komanski finished third overall and wore the leader’s jersey for a day. The team finished the three-day event with three riders in the top ten.
“We had a relatively young and inexperienced team at the race but we had a great race,” says Nicola Cranmer proudly. “One of the most rewarding aspects of working with development athletes is that you don’t know where the ceiling is.
“Our athletes continue to surprise us with great results. It inspires our teams as well as the sport.”
Nicola Cranmer’s priority this year is qualifying as many of her athletes as possible for the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond. Carmen Small (Pan American time trial champion) and Kristin Armstrong (USA national time trial champion) have already secured their spots.
“A top-three at Richmond is automatic for the Rio 2016 squad, so as you can see, our short-term goals link to our long-term goal of Rio.”
In 2009, the team was renamed Twenty 12 in a clear statement that it was looking towards results at London 2012. Mission accomplished with two Olympic medals: a gold for Kristin Armstrong in the road time trial and silver for Lauren Tamayo in the team pursuit.
No need, therefore, to look very hard to find the message behind their current name.
“The journey to the Olympics motivates us all, and our results have positioned us well for Rio 2016.
“In Rio we are optimistic that we can have two athletes in the time trial, at least one athlete in the road race and two on the team pursuit squad. All will be medal capable, yet if we come away with one medal it will be mission accomplished.”
Also high on her priority list is the development of the next generation of riders. This autumn, Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air aims to launch a junior scholarship Race for Education programme. This will provide financial assistance to junior athletes, to supplement their college fund while continuing to pursue cycling, thus encouraging higher performance both on the bike and in education.
“Even if these young ladies don’t go on to be professional cyclists, they will learn valuable skills that can carry over into school or the work place.”
Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air also has two accomplished para-cyclists on its team. Jamie Whitmore and Greta Neimanas have had a successful opening campaign to the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Maniago (Italy) at the weekend. Whitmore won gold in the WC3 class time trial and silver in the road race, while Neimanas won silver in the WC5 time trial and finished fourth in the road race.
“We have a comprehensive strategy which sometimes presents training and scheduling challenges, but we do get as many of the team together as possible at spring training camp, including para-athletes and juniors."
Finding and securing sponsorship was one of the challenges for the team as it grew. The biggest low for Nicola Cranmer was when the team’s title sponsor pulled out mid-way through the 2013 season.
“We kept the team together but I didn’t know if I would have a team in 2014 so I recommended that they seek other contracts.”
In true Cranmer style, she rebounded and recruited development athletes, which she now sees was a blessing in disguise.
“We discovered some shining stars and our experience illustrates that teams go through cycles which make them stronger and more resilient.”
That strength, she is using to focus on this year’s World Champs and next year’s Olympic Games.
And after Twenty 12 and Twenty 16, can we expect another name change for the team after Rio?
“We have the Twenty20 URL registered and expect to be in Tokyo.”
The cards are on the table.
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