November 14, 2006; Conshohocken, PA, USA: Newly-crowned BikeReg.com Women’s Champion Lisa Vible took a few minutes to answer questions recently, and we learned that the secret to her success is support.

MABRACross Champion Lisa Vible



Q: Congratulations. How does it feel to be champion?

Lisa Vible: It’s a surprise. I didn’t even realize until the Friday night before last weekend’s races that I was in the running. I was checking the entries, and when I realized Dee Dee (Deidra Winfield) wasn’t going to be there, I suddenly thought ‘hey, I could have a shot at this!’ I was lucky. I saw her today and she came up and congratulated me.

Q: It’s not as if you totally backed into it though, you did win a race.

Lisa Vible: Right, the Breast Cancer Awareness Race in Hagerstown.

Q: So is this your first major championship?

Lisa Vible: Actually I won the National Tandem Road Race Championship this summer.

Q: How was that?

Lisa Vible: It was fun. Tracy Lea contacted our team and said that Paul Curley needed a stoker and asked if I would ride Nationals with him. I had never ridden with him or raced a road tandem before. All the classes started together and we attacked at the start. We got a good break up the first hill and then dropped our timing chain and got passed by everyone! We caught back up after 3 laps and it came down to a sprint for the win.

Q: Was it nerve wracking on the back of a tandem?

Lisa Vible: Not too bad. My first race ever was on a tandem mountain bike with my husband, Paul, seven years ago. Since it was my first race, I didn’t know any better (she pauses at this point and flashes a wry grin). I haven’t been on one since.

Q: Were you targeting the BikeReg.com MABRAcross Series Title?

Lisa Vible: No, I had just peaked for the Road Nationals. And now I’m working on my second peak for ‘cross Nationals. I raced a lot this year. By the end of the season, I’ll have done 50 races. One of the really great things about that series, though, is the support you get from so many people. We have a group called the Delaware Cross Coalition of Delaware. People are from all different teams and they just help and support each other. People like Richard ‘Slik Rik’ Mihills, (2006 BikeReg.com MABRAcross Masters Champion). He’s helping and giving encouragement every week. And Dennis Smith, our photographer extraordinaire is out there catching the action week after week, after he races. Fatmarc, Ddub, T McD, Etown and the list goes on and on.

Q: 50 races is a lot. It’s a good thing your husband races.

Lisa Vible: Oh, without a doubt. Paul is my best supporter. He’s always been there for me and vice versa. Without the support, all this racing wouldn’t be possible.

Q: You’re a Masters rider too, aren’t you?

Lisa Vible: Yes, I’ll be racing the 40-44 Masters category at Nationals.

Q: Tell us about your team.

Lisa Vible: It’s called C3/Athlete Development Group/Joe’s Bike Shop. Kris Auer created it out his road team. C3 stands for Charm City Cycling and Charm City Cyclocross, our race that Kris promotes in Baltimore. Athlete Development Group is Kris’s coaching company and Joe’s Bike Shop is our shop in Baltimore that sponsors several Mid-Atlantic teams. The Hostetter Agency is another one of our great sponsors. It’s a really great team. And for a first year team, we have top riders in every division. That’s really good for a first year team. I came on board to race with the elite women’s road team and we had an awesome season this year.

Q: Had Kris coached you previously?

Lisa Vible: I had worked with Kris years ago, then I went without a coach for a few years. Now I’m back with Kris for ‘cross. Having coaching has definitely improved my racing this year. It’s so much more support.

Q: “Support” is something that’s big for you…

Lisa Vible: Oh yeah. My husband, the team, my coach, the DCCoD -- everybody. Without support it just wouldn’t be possible.

Q: Are you going to defend your BikeReg.com MABRAcross championship next year?

Lisa Vible: (looking pensive) I don’t know, it’s so hard…

Q: I meant are you going to TRY to defend the championship, not a prediction…

Lisa Vible: (bursting into laughter) Oh yeah! Of course I’ll be there next year!

Q: Thanks, good luck at Nationals

Lisa Vible: Thank you!