About Women Cyclists Web Site

This site was established as an outcome of the 2003 Yoplait Women's Cycling Summit. Sensing the need for a nationwide women’s 'call to arms,' David LaPorte (director of the Nature Valley Grand Prix) and Giana Roberge (professional cyclist and former coach of the Saturn women's cycling team) have establish the Women Cyclists Web site.

Cycling is a sport that women can enjoy and participate in no matter your location, age, or level of fitness. This site has been developed to:

• Inform, insight and educate women cyclists of all abilities
• Increase awareness of women’s cycling activities on a local and national level
• Improve recognition of women’s cycling as a sponsorship opportunity
• Encourage participation of women in the sport of cycling
• Provide tools that help better organize and promote women’s races
• Develop resources for the media which allow them to more easily cover women’s cycling
• Encourage growth in number of women’s cycling events (rides, races, seminars, clinics)

If you have ideas or suggestions for the Women Cyclists Web site, please contact us through the contact section of the site.

Giana Roberge
A professional cyclist with over 30 career victories, a heart condition forced Giana to retire in 1999. After retiring, Giana became the Coach and Manager of the Timex Women’s Professional Cycling Team, and eventually becoming the Assistant General Manager for the Saturn Professional Cycling Team, and the Coach for the Saturn Women’s Team.Under her leadership, the Saturn Women’s team became the top rated team in the United States and the World.

Editor and founder of the Team Speed Queen newsletter, Giana’s goal is to educate people about cycling. She founded and currently chairs the nationwide Women’s Task Force on Cycling. The Task Force is developing programs to promote women’s bike racing throughout the United States.
Prior to joining the managerial side of cycling, Giana owned Paradox Bicycle Center in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Giana’s experience as a professional cyclist makes her a knowledgeable and accessible coach. She is also an excellent public speaker blending the inherent themes of speed, teamwork and determination in both cycling and business together for intriguing talks to corporations, athletic clubs and women’s groups.

Giana is a current National Champion and was the Silver Medalist in the 2003 World Championships.

David LaPorte
David is the coordinator for the Yoplait Women's Cycling Summit Conferences. The conferences began at the Nature Valley Grand Prix, an NRC stage race in Minnesota that he directs. These conferences now take place twice each year: at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in June and at the Interbike trade show in October.

David founded a number of other organizations and events. Examples include a beginning roads racing program that trains 75 riders a year, a Youth Cycling League for kids ages 8 ­ 16, the Getting Kids on Bikes conferences a 2000 EDS Track Cup and the 2003 Elite Track National Championships. He is also the faculty advisor for the University of Minnesota Cycling Team.

In the "real World", David is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics program at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center in Minneapolis.

Lorri Lee Lown
Lorri Lee Lown is chair of the Yoplait Women's Grassroots Cycling Task Force, charged with helping women throughout the country begin and continue racing. She is a professional cycling coach and in 2002, founded the Bay Area Velo Girls, -- a women's club and race team based in San Francisco, numbering almost 300 members. Velo Girls, was selected by USA Cycling as the 2003 Women's Club of the Year.

Lorri is very active in the cycling community, coaching clinics and training private clients (cycling and non-cycling). She also presents cycling and fitness workshops focusing on nutrition, heart rate training, flexibility, strength, and cycling skills.

Lorri is a USA Cycling Expert Coach, a certified Spinning® Instructor, and an ACE-certified Personal Fitness Trainer. In her previous life, Lorri received a BFA in Theatre Arts Management from Ithaca College and an MBA in Organizational Management from Syracuse University. For 13 years, she managed professional theatres followed by a two-year stint in the corporate sector as a project manager and web developer.