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      September 1, 2022

      Big things have been happening this summer for the Cardinal Classic Cycling Womens Development Team.  Our women have been traveling the globe to compete in various road races and are really showing their strength in the field.  

      Highs And Lows From Belgium...

      Two of our riders headed across the pond and into some serious European road racing this summer.  Allison Mrugal and Florence Howden represented the team in several road races - or kermesses as they're known in Europe - in Belgium.  In the two weeks they were there, these ladies hit nine road races and experienced varying degrees of success that lead to thrilling wins and many opportunities for honing their strategies as a team.  

      Alli jumped right off the deep end at Heusdenkoerse, which she discovered was the unofficial world championships of kermesses at the start line.  Even though she missed the breakaway, she traversed the tight turns and cobbles and still managed a 10th place finish.

      Continued...

      Florence joined Alli abroad at the last minute to support her team, and was thrilled at the chance to test her training against riders from other countries.  "It’s amazing to have such challenging and competitive races multiple times a week.  I put up a good fight every day and I'm slowly learning to have confidence in myself and my legs," Florence said of the experience.  

      Having the pair working together paid off mightily throughout the series.  Working strategy together, they were able to rack up one 15th place finish, one 10th place finish, one 6th place finish, two 4th place finishes, one 3rd, one 2nd, and a first place finish at the GP Jolien D’Hoore!

      Florence and Alli worked together to pull out the win with an attack by Florence that was then countered by Ali, who was able to stay away for much of the race.  Great job, ladies.....now off to Ireland and the Ras na mBan!

      April 13, 2022

      The North Carolina mountains have always played a special part each year in getting the Cardinal Classic Cycling Women's Team ready to race each season. Here's a word from Sky Ridge Yurts, who hosts our spring training camp each year.

      A Word From Sky Ridge Yurts...

      Sky Ridge means a lot of things to me. It’s a way to provide for my family. It’s a way to do what I love to do, and that’s sharing the mountains with others. It’s a lot more, too. But once every year, it’s a way for me to rekindle a connection to something I’ve lost. Once a year, I get to host the spring training camp for the Cardinal Classic Cycling Women’s Cycling Team. Unless you’re deep into it – or love someone who is – you may not know all the details of what the sport of cycling is all about. For most of us, encountering a cyclist is either a surefire way of backing up traffic or a chance to marvel at how anyone can brave hills and miles without a motor. Cycling is so much more than that. Cycling is a team sport, and one that takes countless hours of training to master. I know that because my late husband used to be on a team. . So, when the ladies of Cardinal Classic Cycling rolled up on the Ridge this past March, I couldn’t help but smile. It just seemed natural to sponsor this team. It’s my friend Shane’s baby. The winding roads and rolling hills of the mountains will surely whip any team into shape. And the relaxing backdrop of the yurts can foster camaraderie in just about anyone.

      Continued...

      They spent four days here, using Sky Ridge as a base camp for some brutal climbing, field sprints, and endurance training. They got all new gear for the season from Classic Cycling. They took John, their title sponsor from Cardinal Partners Real Estate, on a team ride. But what they really did was bring me back to a time when cyclists were always front and center in my world. Seeing their bikes and bike stuff scattered around, watching the enormous amount of carbs being consumed to fuel the day’s ride, hearing the coaching between new riders and old, and seeing the smiles of all involved was probably way more valuable to me than the cost of the sponsorship was to them. Cycling produces the best people in the world. I know this because I’ve seen it proven true time and time again. And somehow, pouring into the best people in the world makes you feel guilty by association. And I’m very proud to be associated with the Cardinal Classic Cycling Women’s Team. .

      April 14, 2022

      HCOur Hors Category Century Bib Short has quite the story behind why it exists.  And it starts with a really bad ride to DC by our owner.

      A Short Built Out Of Suffering...

      When you spend four days in the saddle and over 500 miles are rolling under your wheel on the way from North Carolina to Washington DC, you have a lot of time to think. I love riding, and I’ve done my fair share of it over many years. And this particular ride was fantastic, but the saddle time sucked. It didn’t suck because of the distance. It sucked because of the chamois time. Over ten hours in my bibshorts on some days, and frankly, it hurt. Being in the cycling gear industry, I had the best bibs at my disposal to use for this ride. But what I noticed was that even with the “best” bibs on the market, as the hours passed, the shorts relaxed and loosened. And you know what happens next. Yep, the chamois started moving around down there. Which started chaffing. Oh, and it was hot, too from the start, which meant the chamois stayed moist from the first hour on. A wayward and wet chamois do not the best riding conditions make. I think Shakespeare said that.  

      Continued...

      Anyway, with miles and time to think through this problem, I formulated a plan. With over 140 miles to cover in a single day, I decided to change into new bibs at every rest stop. I changed them three times that day, and it worked like a charm. Goodbye loose bibs, hello saddle comfort. But three wardrobe changes? There had to be a better solution. And there was. When I came back from that epic ride, I started working on developing a bib that wouldn’t lose its shape even after long efforts. And thus, the Century Bibshort was born.