Amy Dombroski had a strong World Championship race in Tabor. File photo ©Bart Hazen
by Amy Dombroski
After the Portland USGPs I met with Andrew Herrick at Crank Brothers, and a great meeting it was! I am wicked stoked to announce I will be riding for Crank Brothers next year. Together we are working to build a premier women’s off-road team with an emphasis on style and forward-thinking design. “Style and design?” you may ponder. Just have a look at the Crank Brothers website for a taste of what you’ll be seeing. Imagine all that yumminess on one skinsuit. I couldn’t be happier to be a part of the Crank Brothers family. When I shook hands with Andrew, it was as if he handed me the keys to the kingdom. Other pieces of the puzzle fell into place, and I am surrounded by sponsors who share my excitement and vision.
There is a Subaru repair shop in Boulder, Super Rupair, which has provided me with a car for the season. Those guys are the encyclopedia of all things Subaru. This white Outback will be receiving a make-over wrap job in January, and you will see the logos of this network of sponsors glimmering in the Colorado sunshine.
A few sponsors have been behind me since day one. Webcor Builders may have discontinued their pro road team for 2011, but the company’s enthusiasm and desire to support cycling (especially women’s cycling) is as strong as ever. This in itself gives me the warm and fuzzies, as Webcor was my first pro team, my first paycheck as a bike racer. I am lucky to have Webcor’s support again. Also from pedal stroke number one has been the massage support of Ed Westhead, aka KneadEd. If in Boulder or Denver, he is your man.
The body needs love, but so do the bikes. Again, from day one, Excel Sports gave me my first ‘sponsored’ bike with my first teammates who taught me my first racing ploys. Excel keeps my bikes going when I’m not going.
What on my bikes will the Excel crew be maintaining with Pedro’s goodness? SRAM Red and XX, because I want to ride the best product out there produced by people who care about and value their riders. Crank Brothers pedals, stems, bars and seatposts are not only eye candy, but they’re designed by wizards. I’ll be rocking Crank Brothers’ sexy wheels on the MTB (stay tuned for their carbon temptation) and Zipp 303’s on the ’cross bike. Rotor rings will keep my pedal stroke smooth like butter.
I first received a Lazer helmet when I raced for Webcor, and it quickly became my favorite, if for no other reason than the handy ponytail hole! Lazer has become the helmet of ’cross with intuitive design, easy adjustment and now the helmet cover to keep your head dry in Belgium rain. In keeping with an off-road focus, Schlamm clothing will be keeping me warm and dry. I’ve known of Pedro’s from when I lived in VT and watched my big bro work on his bikes, but I only used their stickers then. Our Luna mechanics used Pedro’s this year, and I was impressed by the company’s products in relation to environmental awareness. Luckily they’re willing to support me in my attempt to love and care for my bikes.
There’s a farm up the canyon from Boulder, off of Magnolia Road. That farm hosts five saved horses and three abandoned dogs, in addition to CrossPropz. Paul McCarthy is the mastermind behind these and, for the sake of less catastrophic crashes in training, I am happy to have his support. I’m sure you’re wondering who created my beautiful website. That’d be one half of the British duo that runs Schlamm … Dan Ellmore with Ellmore Consultancy. I’m lucky that he’s a two-job guy, because he can solve my computer issues in addition to hauling my bikes in the Schlamm bus all over the country. With that wrapped car I’ll need something to hold my clean bikes on the roof – that’d be up to Bobby Noyes at Rocky Mounts. Well Bobby won’t be on the roof holding the bikes, but some fancy matching roof rack will!
The major reason for my parting with Luna was my goal in aiming at the 2013 Cyclocross World Championships when they come to the US for the first time. It was a good season with Luna, but as the team’s main focus is on the mountain bike, personally I needed a bigger emphasis on cyclocross racing. Following my journey in pictures and stories will be Cyclocross Magazine. These guys eat the mud and breathe the cyclocross smog; they’re out in the cold and rain because they love the sport and they love the riders who comprise the sport.
Though no longer a “Luna Chick”, I still love the product and Clif Bar will continue to sponsor my eating habits. As the Clif Mojo bars keep my tum satiated, Chamois Butt’r will keep me seated comfy for long rides on Crank Brothers’ sister company, Fizik’s saddles. Steve Blick and Oakley do their best to keep me looking sharp, and considering what he has to work with for a rider, I think he does OK. There’s this wool clothing company called I/O Bio, and the president is Tim, and he and his wife took me under their wings in Boulder when I had nowhere to go. Once I found a bed and a roof, they moved to the headquarters of I/O Bio in Boise, and the soft and stylish wool will keep me warm and cool.
It’s the support of believers, my friends and family who share my vision that make my goals and dreams possible. I’m very excited to have you all along for the ride as I get thrown over rocks on my mountain bike, stomp in puddles and smile mud on my ‘cross bikes, and even bump elbows in a crit or sprint finish on my road bike.
