Tag: Rob DeMartini

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Show #575 – October 2, 2021

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Guests: Frank Yohannon; Marlon Lee Moncrieffe, Rob DeMartini

This week, we have three conversations for you.  I hope you enjoy them all.

Sea Otter 2020 was, of course virtual only, so when Sea Otter director Frank Yohannon decided an in person event was a go, we decided to needed to talk.

The Sea Otter Classic is over 30 years old and one of the most exciting events on the cycling calendar each year.  Usually held in April, the festival was postponed until October kicking off next Friday, October 7th, and running through the weekend.

Although the expo will be smaller this year than in the past because of travel restrictions for overseas exhibitors, there will be no lack of fun or interesting things to do and see.

Then I speak with  Dr. Marlon Lee Moncrieffe.  He’s a professor of education at the University of Brighton in the UK,  he’s a cyclist who used to race at a professional level, and he’s black.

During his time racing and since, he has asked the same questions we do – why aren’t there more black cyclists in the pro peloton and even more pertinent – where are all the black cyclists anywhere and everywhere?

As such, Dr Moncrieffe’s work has been centered around black cyclists and his new book, Black Champions in Cycling, is a fascinating look into some places you might not be comfortable looking – discrimination, prejudices, and the abominable treatment of young athletes.

And yet, there is desire and determination and ultimately, there are successes!

Marlon and I talk frankly about what it’s really going to take to see black and brown riders racing freely in the pro peloton and especially in Europe. And, as he asks, at what point does the talented black cyclist find him or herself reaching the proverbial glass ceiling in racing?

Lastly, we bring USA Cycling’s Rob DeMartini back to the show to unpack the first in the inclusion conference series. It’s a raw look at what cycling needs to do to change the status-quo and welcome EVERYONE into the sport.

The conference is hosted by the organization but run by Ashland Johnson, founder of the Inclusion Playbook.  Originally planned as an in-person event, USAC decided it would be prudent to pivot to an online presentation and from there broke the conference up into a once-a-month, 2-hour series to which anyone who is interested is invited.

NOTES:

WATCH & LISTEN TO THE OPENING OF THE INCLUSION CONFERENCE

REPORT HARASSMENT AND ABUSE AT USA CYCLING’S SAFE SPORT ANONYMOUS TIP LINE

SIGN UP FOR THE INCLUSION CONFERENCES:

 

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Show #544 – February 27, 2021

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Guests: Elizabeth McGowan; Rob DeMartini

This week, we meet journalist and long-distance cyclist Elizabeth McGowan.

In addition to her work – she’s a Pulitzer prize winning journalist – she’s also an ardent adventurer and a cancer survivor.

I found her to be one of the most articulate, interesting, and candid people I’ve spoken with over the many hundreds – nope thousands – of interviews on the show.

Yes she wrote a book – a really good one about her cross-country bike tour. But, it was her reasons for taking the trip and then teasing out the whys that became the real story.

Elizabeth fought melanoma for many years. Her father died from the disease at the age of 44. Some of the treatments Elizabeth experienced were experimental – all were brutal. So, when she received her 5-year clean bill of health, she decided to celebrate with a cross-country bike tour.

Her book, Outpedaling the Big C is the telling of the story of that trip.

Then, I welcome USA Cycling’s CEO Rob DeMartini back to the show. Rob wanted an opportunity to respond to some of the comments that George Mount made on the show two weeks ago.

According to Rob, George’s assumptions were based upon outdated knowledge of the organization and Rob DeMartini l wanted to offer a more current explanation of how the organization works.

So… equal time…

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Show #533 – December 19, 2020

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Guests: Gary Fisher; Rob DeMartini

As promised, Gary Fisher is back to talk about his new book, Being Gary Fisher And The Bicycle Revolution well, we SORT of talk about it. Let me explain.

There is no one quite like Gary Fisher – and from the time he was a little boy, he’s marched to the beat of his own drum.

He says his new book, Being Gary Fisher – And The Bicycle Revolution – isn’t a memoir; rather a collection of stories and ideas.

If you remember the original “Whole Earth Catalog,” – a loose compilation of all sorts of things hip and natural – it’s kind of like that… only in full, explosive color, teeming with photos and commentary, with the bicycle stitching it all together.

The conversation shoots off in a variety of directions – sometimes seemingly disconnected; but, he always comes back to the bicycle – for what it is, what it does, and what it can portend for the future. In fact, after you hear this and read the book, it will all become very clear!

After our break we head to Colorado Springs.

There was a lot of twisting and shouting about the new Olympic Development Academy, a program USA Cycling is rolling out for 2021. When a Velo News article appeared about the ODA, social media lit up like it was 4th of July.

Aimed at finding and training young riders, 16 and up, in the hopes of drawing in a more diverse body of talent, the fact that there is a price tag attached to the program seemed to upset a lot of people. I think you’ll understand it a lot better from the source.

I wanted to hear about it straight from the source, so I rang up USA Cycling’s CEO Rob DeMartini to give us the low down on the program and what he and the organization is hoping it means for the future.

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Show #524 – October 17, 2020

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Guests: Rob DeMartini; Tia Martinson; Ben Serotta

We turn to racing this week with a keen eye to the future. Rob DeMartini, the new CEO of USA Cycling, didn’t come from a cycling background and brings what I believe will be a fresh and welcoming approach to a national organization that we all can and might finally want to embrace.

From his forward thinking about the 2021 Olympics to every day riders being proud to display a USACycling sticker on their cars, Rob is asking that we take another look at what bicycles mean to us here in the U.S.

Then, as many long time listeners know, as we approach the holidays, I like to speak with non-profits that are doing really important and heartfelt work with an eye toward the giving season.

This week, it’s FreeBikes4Kidz Minnesota. A couple of weeks ago, Allina Health, which is a not-for-profit health care system based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and owns or operates 12 hospitals and more than 90 clinics throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin as well as employing over 27,000 people, and which sponsors FreeBikes4Kidz collected 7,000 bikes in a one-day effort. 7,000!

Tia Martinson, Executive Director of Free Bikes 4Kidz joins me to talk about the organization and how you process what is more than 10,000 bikes in total for the holidays.

Finally, and as promised, it’s a check-in chat with Ben Serotta – the iconic frame builder talks about what people are asking for from him, his thoughts on how the pandemic has affected cycling – not all for the bad – and what the future might hold.