A Soigneur Story: Tales From the Feed Zone

5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda Tires. Kit: Hincapie Sortswear Glasses:...

amourdevelo — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:19:19 -0800

5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda Tires.

Kit: Hincapie Sortswear
Glasses: Smith Optic
Helmets: Catlike

Thank you, Manual For Speed, for this awesome shot of the guys...

amourdevelo — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:08:45 -0800

Thank you, Manual For Speed, for this awesome shot of the guys at Cascade Cycling Classic!

9 DAYS 3 HOURS 8 MINUTES

amourdevelo — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 10:40:34 -0800

LAX -> ATL

Oh snap! Sneak peak of what’s in store for 5 Hour Energy...

amourdevelo — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:58:00 -0800

Oh snap! Sneak peak of what’s in store for 5 Hour Energy Pro Cycling p/b Kenda 2013’s season… Christmas in February is upon us!

The end of the Beginning.

amourdevelo — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:09:28 -0800

I know it’s the start of the new season and everything, but I want to to take a second and thank everyone involved with the Monster Media Racing p/b MRI (Medical Research Institute) for everything that they did for us in the 2012 season (I can’t believe it’s been 4 months since Nationals already!)

First of all, I’d like to thank Derric, Chris, and Kayle for giving me the chance to work full time with the team. Without you guys, I’d prolly be stuck at job that made me really unhappy. I learned a lot this past season, got to experience some amazing cities, make life long friends, and helped me get closer to my dream. Without you guys, none of this would’ve been possible. Period. This team developed me into a much better person, both personally and professionally. I seriously cannot thank you enough for everything that you’ve done for me.

And who can forget our sponsors? They are freaking sweet! MRI, you guys have been so great to this team. It’s awesome to see sponsors so involved with the riders and get excited at the races. Thank you for supporting the junior program and now the U25 program as well. It’s people like you that the sport needs more of. SPY Performance, thank you for letting me able to finally see after not having glasses for almost 4 years. Even more so shipping them to a host house all the way in Arkansas in 5 days. I was blind, but now I can see!!! Masi Bicycles for the most comfortable bike I’ve ever ridden that still makes my friends jealous. Mercury Wheels with the sickest, bomb proof wheels out there! Thank you JLvelo for the vibrant super comfortable kits that definitely turned heads for us at all the races (I still get comments on the pink kit!) Zoot Sports with the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever worn. And thanks to Surfers Healing, Incycle Bicycles,Litigation Services Corporation and Mammoth Mountain for supporting the team as well! Without our sponsors, the team wouldn’t be here today. Thank you for believing in us!!!

And last but not least, thank you to each and every rider for being awesome this past season. Thank you for riding with heart, integrity, and dedication. Thank you for being friends, no… I take that back. Thank you for being my second family. Thank you for the laughs, the talks, the wins, the happiness and experience. 2012 was a great season filled with many memories, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

I’m really sad to be leaving, and will miss you all this season (especially the kids). But I’ll always be there for you guys. You’re my family, and family is most important. I wish each and every one of you good luck this season, and I hope the wins stack up even more than they did last year. I hope I see most of you guys this Sunday at Ontario. I love you guys!!!!!

On Bike Riding and Screw You's.

amourdevelo — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:46:00 -0700

You know what I think the best feeling in the world is? Being so emotionally and mentally exhausted, yet pissed to the fullest extent… And getting on your bike and riding. Just turning all your anger and frustration into this fuel that pumps through your system, causing you to dig deeper in every pedal, to put yourself deeper into that pain cave… And having this… Just… Overwhelming wave of satisfaction come over you when you dismount your bike, to sit back and be like, “Holy crap, if I went any harder I could’ve hurt myself.”

With all the recent amazing news regarding next year coming to my attention, I didn’t think it was possible to fall off Cloud 9 so hard and so fast like I did. Now don’t mind me, because I’m going to be going on a little emotional ramble. So grab some popcorn because it might get interesting. Or not.

Prolly not.

I work my ass off 8-9 months out of the year. I bend over backwards for people. I don’t sleep. I run myself into the ground. I spend more time behind the wheel driving to races than I do in my own bed. But I don’t complain. Why? Because I love my job. I love everything about it. I love my riders, I love my friends, I love my sponsors. I have met some of the most amazing people ever while on the road. I’ve made friends for life. And over time I have even managed to make a name for myself in this industry that I love so much. I work hard. Literally blood, sweat and tears. And I ask for nothing in return.

You would think I could catch a break somehow with the stress of my job slowly being lifted off my shoulders during the off season; but it hasn’t been. Without getting into too much detail, I recently had a family tragedy that has sent me in what seems like a downward spiral and has completely broken me. Coupled with my anxiety, some really stupid arguments, and a recent increase of going out late at night, let’s just say things are going from bad to worse.

I love my friends who have reached out to me, it means more to me then I ever could explain. Because for the longest time, after I lost two really good friends for no reason, I sat there thinking that no one gave a shit. That I was just another fish in this huge pond. The long phone calls, the texts, the reassuring words that everything is and will be ok… It brought me back to reality. And while I’m still not sleeping well, and my appetite is slowly coming back; being able to get on my bike and just ride through all this pain and heartache while being able to talk to my friends openly about what’s going on has been the best form of therapy a girl could ask for.

And when on my ride on Thursday, and pushed myself to the point where I could barely breathe and almost puking, where my legs were screaming and I was damn well near cross eyed… I got off my bike, collapsed to the ground and cried. And cried.

Because sometimes, crying just helps.

And like I said before, I don’t ask for much. But I really do think I deserve to be happy. I deserve to be selfish sometimes. I deserve to smile, and laugh, and relax. I deserve to be stress free. I deserve to be care and worry free. So screw you if you think the opposite. Because you don’t know me, you don’t know my story, and you definitely don’t deserve to be part of this adventure called my life.

I’m freaking awesome.

On Bike Racing and Relationships.

amourdevelo — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:53:00 -0700

So I posted this on my other blog. I suppose it fits better here.

This time last year I was content with the non-committed relationship I was in with a guy we’ll call “Sam”. We dated during most of the off season, with him fully aware that my life was going to be chaos in less than 3 months. Things ended two days before team camp in January because I canceled our lunch plans in order to finish packing and do last minute errands. We argued over the fact that I was choosing a pointless dream over him. (A pointless dream, might I add, that ended up landing me a real job 6 months later) Sam didn’t like that I wouldn’t be home when he wasn’t at school; but he also hated doing ‘couple things’ which usually resulted in us sitting in his room watching Netflix.

Through out the season, there have definitely been a couple of guys who have made my heart flutter a bit. But all in all, it ends up being a distraction. Arguments make my head spin, and I’m not focused on the team of guys who need my attention more than some dude who looks good. Things happen, mistakes are made, and I realize I need to get my head in the game. I get pissy and throw fits, then regret it and live to see another day.

With the 2013 season slowly approaching, my life will be going into light speed a lot faster than it did this year. I’ll be the proud owner of a UCI Staff license next year (I’ll explain the significance of this when the last t is crossed) which means a) the possibility of me being home during some of the season just decreased and b) my commitment level will be in the possible negative numbers, more so than it was this year. My job comes first, and everything else comes in at a close second.

Trying to date someone while on the road is a mind numbing and emotionally exhausting thing, at least in my experiences. Someone always gets hurt, someone always gets frustrated, someone always gives up. Time differences suck. Especially when I start work when they’re still sleeping. Communication sucks when you don’t get much cell service driving through Texas or spending a week in Arkansas.

Then again, maybe I’m not geographically unavailable. Maybe I’m just not ready to let someone into this crazy world I live in. Maybe I don’t know how to balance my personal life with my career. Maybe I’m just self sabotaging all potential relationships.

But I’m really happy and satisfied with how things are going right now. And while I’m not trying form any sort of relationship right now, I feel like once the holidays start approaching, I need to reevaluate some motives. And realizing this gives me slight anxiety. All because of that license.

I’m better at drinking shitty beer than racing cyclocross.

amourdevelo — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:52:13 -0700

I’m better at drinking shitty beer than racing cyclocross.

I'm bringing this blog back.

amourdevelo — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:43:00 -0700

It seems like I have developed somewhat of a following here, so I guess I’ll just turn this into my personal written words blog. I won’t be posting many photos. Feel free to judge me by the things I say, because I simply don’t care. I feel like I need to show more raw emotion that I can’t really put on my other blog simply because it’s become it’s own thing.

This is my life. My emotions. My feelings. The stress, the build up, the excitement of the 2012 off season and going into the 2013 road season at light speed. It might get boring, but like my good friend Adam has said, “I’m still gonna rip on shit I don’t like on my own Twitter, though. ‘CAUSE IT’S MY PARTY”

Hey guys, I suck a updating this. So you should follow my personal blog.

amourdevelo — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 16:48:20 -0700

Amourdevelo.tumblr.com

@bonedeth decided to take a flyer off the front today and pick...

amourdevelo — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 19:48:32 -0700

@bonedeth decided to take a flyer off the front today and pick up a $100 prime. No big deal.

Today the guys took 1st and 2nd at Stage 3 of Tour of...

amourdevelo — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 19:35:34 -0700

Today the guys took 1st and 2nd at Stage 3 of Tour of America’s Dairyland. Rafael from CRCA-Foundation took 3rd. I think it’s safe to say that he’s our biggest threat for the overall.

I got excited when our host family gave me Star Wars sheets to...

amourdevelo — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:18:26 -0700

I got excited when our host family gave me Star Wars sheets to put on my massage table!! (Taken with Instagram)

Nature Valley Grand Prix update: Stage 3 was canceled today due...

amourdevelo — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 23:12:55 -0700

Nature Valley Grand Prix update: Stage 3 was canceled today due to tornado warnings, lightning, and massive amounts of rain dumping on the course. Hoping for better weather tomorrow going into Stage 4. Wish us luck as we aim to defend Murphy’s position in the yellow jersey!

After driving 24 hours in a 29 hour span, I finally made it back...

amourdevelo — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:51:02 -0700

After driving 24 hours in a 29 hour span, I finally made it back to California where I quickly did my laundry and boarded a plane to Minnesota for Nature Valley Grand Prix. I was in California for less than 24 hours before heading to my gig with Kenda 5-Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder.

First stage of Tulsa Tough ended up being the same day as my...

amourdevelo — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:42:00 -0700

First stage of Tulsa Tough ended up being the same day as my birthday, so you could only imagine how happy I was when our rider, Kayle LeoGrande, won the Men’s 1/2 crit. Kayle would go on to place 3rd on the second night, and getting top 10 in the overall omnium.

The two day drive to Tulsa Tough consisted of a stop to hang out...

amourdevelo — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:38:02 -0700

The two day drive to Tulsa Tough consisted of a stop to hang out with Reptar, a bike orgy in our hotel room, breakfast at Waffle House and our tire blowing 15 miles inside of Oklahoma.

Had a late start on rubs last night (started at midnight), didn’t get back to our host house...

amourdevelo — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 10:12:27 -0700

Had a late start on rubs last night (started at midnight), didn’t get back to our host house until 2am and managed to get roughly 5.5hrs of sleep before waking up and starting my day. Grabbed coffee and breakfast, returned a moldy loaf of bread, purchased ice and water for today’s hot stage, filled 50+ bottles of water and now sitting at the tire shop waiting (after being there for 90 mins yesterday) to get our new tire put on the van. Last race starts in 3 hrs then we head back to California! It’s been a good trip.

My parents’ garage turned into a temporary bike stable.

amourdevelo — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 18:36:49 -0700

My parents’ garage turned into a temporary bike stable.

Heading to wheel pit at Barry Wolfe GP.

amourdevelo — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:13:58 -0700

Heading to wheel pit at Barry Wolfe GP.