{"id":157,"date":"2024-10-17T08:33:05","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T08:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleycyclingfoundation.org\/svcf\/?post_type=news&p=157"},"modified":"2024-10-24T07:50:02","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T07:50:02","slug":"svcf-european-academy-huge-success","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleycyclingfoundation.org\/svcf\/?news=svcf-european-academy-huge-success","title":{"rendered":"SVCF European Academy, Huge Success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Inaugural Silicon Valley Cycling Foundation European Academy a huge success<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inaugural Silicon Valley Cycling Foundation (SVCF) European Academy was held this past July in Sittard, Netherlands.  Linda Jackson announced the formation of the Academy earlier this year to fill a void that was left when her team, sponsored by TIBCO and SVB for almost two decades, came to an end.  \u201cFor almost 20 years we were focused on identifying and developing promising female cyclists in North America.  Our goal with the SVCF European Academy is to continue to provide developing riders with the skills they need, in a team agnostic environment, so they are prepared and confident for the challenges of racing in Europe when they do get selected to UCI teams\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program is run by Rachel Hedderman, assisted by Adrian Hedderman as the Academy mechanic. Rachel has directed several UCI women\u2019s teams and made history in 2014 as the first woman to direct a men\u2019s world tour race at Milan San Remo. Rachel is also a certified cycling coach, UCI certified sports director, directed the USA women\u2019s team at the 2023 and 2024 world championships and continues to work with the USA Cycling Federation.  Adrian has decades of mechanic experience, was the TIBCO-SVB mechanic and also works for the USA Cycling Federation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riders selected for the inaugural edition of the Academy were: Katie Aman (United Cycling), Kayla Davis (Cynisca Cycling), Elizabeth Dixon (Fount Cycling), Lucy Hempstead (The Cyclery Racing), Chloe Mauvais (Monarch Cycling) and Minori Minagawa (Fount Cycling), see \u201c<\/a>Inaugural SVCF Academy Participants<\/a>\u201d    <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe inaugural edition of the SVCF academy was a huge success and achieved the goals we set out to accomplish: to give a group of up-and-coming North American riders a taste of kermesse racing, whilst teaching them the skills needed to make the step up to the European peloton\u201d Rachel said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt was encouraging to see the way the riders embraced the opportunity and soaked up all the learning that they could; and very rewarding to watch them learn and grow in confidence from race to race.  To have multiple riders achieve podium results far exceeded our expectations\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Elizabeth Dixon, winner of the Vrasene kermesse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to getting valuable skills and racing experience, Jackson surprised the riders with an unannounced trip to Paris to watch the women\u2019s Olympic Games road race.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cWe thought what better inspiration for the riders than to take them all to Paris to experience the Olympics”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“We felt it would give them something to aspire to.  The riders got a chance to ride the course pre-race (on city bikes) and experience the feel of the Olympics.  <\/p>\n\n\n

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We were able to chat with Kristen Faulkner (TIBCO-SVB 2021 and 2022) before the road race and she graciously took some time to offer some motivational words for our riders” <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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