Click here to watch the video: http://m.ktvu.com/news/entertainment/2013-world-champion-womens-cycling-team-visits-sou/ncxRZ/
Click here to view the Gallery: http://m.ktvu.com/gallery/entertainment/team-specialized-lululemon-takes-hills-south-bay/gCHCP/
By Evan Borders
MORGAN HILL, Calif. —
Team Specialized-lululemon, a women’s professional cycling team made up of 11 inspiring athletes from around the globe, took to the hills around Specialized Bikes in Morgan Hill to showcase their skills.
Lululemon is a self-described yoga-inspired athletic apparel company who, along with Specialized, took over the elite road bicycle racing and track team in 2012 from the HTC Corporation.
On Tuesday, January 21, Specialized hosted the 2013 world champions in Morgan Hill during their annual team training camp. KTVU got a behind-the-scenes experience with the athletes who are propelling the growth in women’s cycling.
The historically male-dominated sport of cycling is shifting gears to engage women in big numbers. According to Specialized, from 2003 to 2012, the number of women in bicycling grew 20 percent compared to 0.5 percent among men, and between the ages of 17 to 28, 60 percent of bicycle owners are now women.
“Be empowered, be empowered by what’s happening in the cycling world, what’s happening with companies like Lululemon, and keep having a voice,” said Lululemon teammate and Marin local Tayler Wiles. “…And those group rides where you’re with men, keep fighting; keep fighting it out. Don’t ever say ‘aw, I’m the woman, I’m going to sit in the back of the group ride’. Go to the front, show your stripes, be yourself.”
The growth in women’s cycling has transformed the lives of many young female riders to become pro-cyclists. Leaving behind successful careers in investment banking and education, among others, these women have become Olympians and are the dominant force behind the world’s best pro women’s cycling team: Specialized-lululemon.
For more, see the associated video and slideshow.
