club history:

"Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammeled womanhood." -- Susan B. Anthony

How it all started...

In 2003 pro mountain bike racer, Jilayne Lovejoy, noticed a distinct lack of women at the local road races she was now attending regularly. She also noticed no lack of women out riding road bikes. So why are so few women racing or even trying racing? In the process of trying to answer this question, Jilayne discovered that Title Nine had previously offered women's group rides in 2002. She contacted Title Nine and found out they had no one to lead their rides for 2003.

Jilayne had more to do than simply organize group rides. She wanted to provide a way for women to learn more about the sport, learn the techniques of riding in a group, and encourage women to try a race or two. Title Nine, a company self-professed to be evangelical about women's participation in sports and fitness activities (and eating chocolate), is an athletic clothing company for women. Their commitment to women's athletics is apparent in everything they do; from sponsoring running races to clinics and special events at their retail stores to the pictures of real life athletic women in their catalogs. The Boulder store already sponsored the Title 9K Mother's Day Run. Adding cycling clinics was a logical next step to expand the company's community involvement.

The result of this relationship in 2003 was a series of 4 weekly outdoor clinics lead by Jilayne and other local racing women. They met at the Title Nine store in Boulder, talked about various riding topics, and then set out to practice skills. Much information was exchanged, new riding partners gained, new friends made, and, at the end of it all, eight women who had never raced before tried their first race!

Beyond expectations

Since these humble beginnings, the Title Nine Women's Cycling Club has grown beyond all expectations. Members of the club can be seen at various organized rides in Colorado, such as the Triple Bypass, Ride the Rockies, and Tour of Colorado. Ultra-endurance minded members have tackled brevets across the nation, as well as representing the club at the grandmother of all brevets, the 1200km Paris-Brest-Paris . The racing contingent has dominated local Colorado events and set an example for other teams and clubs of how to get more women into the competitive side of the sport. Around Boulder, on any given day, the hibiscus flowered gals can be spotted on the roads, trails, and track striving to be stronger and having fun. True to its roots, the club continues to teach cycling skills and support new rides through clinics and a spirit of helping each other. With the loyal support of Title Nine and Jilayne at the helm, the Title Nine Women's Cycling Club has become the largest, most successful, and most diverse all-women's cycling club in the greater Rocky Mountain region.