The Kwik Journey Tour of America’s Dairyland professional biking race is on June 13-23 in Wisconson. Forward of one of many premiere occasions on the US racing calendar, Lauren Dodge of the Automated|Abus Biking workforce took a couple of minutes to share some ideas on what makes this race particular.
Interview Questions
1. Please introduce your self and provides us a bit background on you and your workforce.
I’m Lauren Dodge, and I’m the supervisor of AUTOMATIC | ABUS Racing. Tom Gibbons is the co-founder and efficiency director. We based the workforce in January of 2019 as a twin squad (males’s and ladies’s) crit workforce. The entire athletes on our workforce are coached by Tom. We’ve got discovered that this mannequin has considerably elevated the variety of podiums annually. Our workforce tradition recruits spectacular and sort athletes who search for an area the place they will work exhausting and have enjoyable. We name this mannequin “supportive competitors” and it has labored properly for our workforce.
2. What’s your historical past with this race and what do you suppose makes this race distinctive from different races?
The primary time AUTOMATIC got here to ToAD was in 2021 as a mini squad. We returned once more final 12 months with a full squad for the total sequence and had a blast! ToAD is exclusive due to the communities the place every race relies. We get to see all kinds of Wisconsin will get to supply, and every metropolis has its personal taste and fascinating choices.
3. Any particular recollections or tales from racing right here up to now?
My favourite recollections from final 12 months have been grilling on the facet of the course at every race. I discovered that it might generally be exhausting to get dinner for the athletes after some late nights. Plus, the ladies’s workforce needs to remain near the course to look at the boys race which might delay their restoration. For a multi-day sequence like this, it’s necessary to remain on high of fueling and hydration. So, after a race, the racers will drink Skratch restoration whereas they modify and debrief, however after that, we’d prepare dinner rice, veggies and a protein to have an actual dinner inside an hour of ending the race. This made for enjoyable, low-key block events the place we received to share meals with different race workforce workers and ToAD workers. A selected stand out was providing Invoice Koch a hunk of rooster over the race barrier.
4. Targets for this weekend – what do you and the workforce hope to realize?
The workforce hopes to win each dash jersey’s this 12 months for the P/1 fields. (Look out 54-11!). The sub objective is to take pleasure in this expansive period of time collectively taking within the surroundings and the beer 🙂
5. What would you say to riders and followers who haven’t seen this race earlier than?
I might say that in case you are a racer and also you haven’t finished this race but, that you must. The vibe is not like some other race within the nation. Listed below are the upsides: These are skilled grade races with nice prizes and cash. We, as a criterium circuit, get to see one another all summer season, however we hardly ever have THIS a lot time to talk and stumble upon one another. It’s like returning to your school hometown, however your school dwelling city has each bicycle owner you understand. You come together with your group of pals, however in all places you flip in Milwaukee, you bump right into a pal who lives in some distant place. You have got the chance for extra espresso spins, extra submit race beers, and hugs than anyplace else.
As for followers, Milwaukee and the encircling cities have SO a lot to supply. When you stay out of state and are a biking fanatic, that is truthfully price placing in your calendar as a trip. 1) you get to see a TON of motorcycle racing. 2) the meals and drinks are inexpensive and scrumptious. 3) the beer and low scene are unbeatable. The primary time I got here to Milquakee was as an intern with Snap-on Integrated. I didn’t have a clue what to anticipate, and I used to be blown away. I sit up for returning right here yearly.
The pictures are despatched by means of as a google hyperlink – please let me know for those who want them despatched in a different way.
Thanks!
Lauren Dodge
• The Tour of America’s Dairyland web site
• See the newest information from North American highway racing on the PEZ Hub Calendar
• See extra AutomaticRacing.org
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