January 13, 2008 – At the conclusion of the 2007 season Webcor Builders Pro Cycling Team received the prestigious #1 ranking for the women’s National Racing Calendar (NRC). In 2008, Webcor will be the only UCI-registered women’s team in North America. With an outstanding lineup of top riders on this year’s roster, the team will no doubt prove to be as fiercely competitive on the international circuit as they were on the NRC circuit.

Three of the newly recruited Webcor riders gracing the roster are top Canadian riders including 2005 National silver medalist (RR) Erinne Willock (who rode for Webcor in 2005 and 2006), 2006 double National Champion (RR and TT) Alex Wrubleski, and 2007 National Champion (RR) and 2006 Track Worlds Silver Scratch medalist Gina Grain (click here to read Webcor’s 2008 team announcement). We decided to interview all three riders and caught up with Erinne Willock first for our pre-season interviews with the Webcor Canada trio.

You were been a member of the Webcor Builders Pro Cycling Team in 2005 and 2006. How does it feel to be back on the roster for 2008, and what’s different this time?
I feel good about the upcoming season with Webcor. It’s a great team and management and I’m very excited to be back. I really enjoyed racing with Christine and Katheryn back in “˜05/06 and Gina in ’07 so I think it will be a really good mix of personalities and talent. Also, this year with the help of our new Canadian sponsor La-Z-Boy, Webcor Builders is going to Australia/New Zealand. And in May, the team is taking us to Europe. Both places will be new for us and will help individuals qualify for the Olympic Games, which is one of Webcor’s main objectives of 2008.

Are you doing anything differently in your training this year as compared to past years?
This year I’m once again living and training in Victoria with my same coach Houshang Amiri. The biggest difference is that Alex Wrubleski is living here right now and we’ve been training together. So that’s been great having such a strong training partner and teammate.

Which race/races will be your focus for the 2008 season, both personally and as a member of the team?
My focuses this year will be any UCI event (in particular the spring World Cups as those are Canada’s Olympic qualifications). But one of my best races has always been at the Montreal Road WC and this year will hopefully be the same. And of course in the middle of August there’s that race called the Olympics which is the main focus of the season.

Who is/are your mentor(s)/role model(s) and why?
I’ve always looked up to Alison Sydor. When I was Junior, it was always very cool for me to race with Alison locally. And in more recent years training and racing with her at times, I appreciate how strong and focused she can be on the bike. And she is always fun to race against as she will never just roll around or “˜race like a girl’.

What was your favourite race when you were still competing locally in BC and why?
I always liked the White Rock Road Race and Gastown. White Rock is a beautiful part of Vancouver and of course it’s hilly and Gastown is always a blast just because of the crowd and the fun cobbles on the technical course.

What advice would you give to women racing locally in BC?
My advice would be to make sure you challenge yourself every race. The harder you race the stronger you’ll get and also the racing becomes more interesting. Then the stronger you get the faster you can move on to bigger races and traveling more.

October 3, 2003 – There will be plenty of spotlight on RONA-Esker rider, Genevieve Jeanson next week, but just as important to the RONA-Esker success this year has come from another rider, Victoria B.C.'s Erinne Willock. The 21-year-old has been progressing by leaps and bounds these past few years and has been keenly noticed by many, including the coaches in charge of selection to the Worlds. Willock joins the five other women racing with Canada next week at Hamilton, and as Pedal found out, she is excited and ready to roll.

Pedal: This is your first senior world championships – how does it feel?

Willock: Oh it's great. I did the 1999 MTB Worlds as a junior but this is completely different. I'm really glad to be given this opportunity and I plan to support Lyne, Genevieve and Sue as best as I can.

Pedal: You're riding with the RONA-Esker squad this year. How did that come about?

Willock: Well the year before I had been riding with the Verizon-Cervelo team, which was a good team but obviously not quite the same as RONA-Esker. I had some ok results, such as Fitchburg, for example, and was looking for a team in the fall. I contacted Andre Aubut and he got back to me to say the team was interested!

Pedal: How is it different with RONA-Esker than with Verizon?

Willock: Well I have to race so hard always, but it helps to race your butt off every race. Its made me much stronger because you really have to be ready to ride as hard as you can every day for the team. And I'm learning so much being around these girls – training wise at training camps, or cooking, eating properly, thing like that. I have also learned a lot this year about tactics, about good moves and bad moves. It has really been a great year and it really helps to have the support – last year I had to work all fall but now I can just focus on training and school. (Willock is at the University of Victoria studying Phys. Ed and Biology.)

Pedal: How has your preparation been? You raced the GP Feminine last week.

Willock: Apart from the rainy and cold weather it was great. There was a strong field, great courses and we worked together as a team, because most of the Worlds' riders were riding with the national team. We kind of worked together with the Hamilton development squad too and it is great to see so many other young developing female riders.

Pedal: Tell us about your family's connection to cycling.

Willock: Well my dad Martin went to the Olympics in LA in 1984 for Canada in the Team Time Trial and my uncle got a bronze at the Pan Ams in 1979 in the team pursuit.

Pedal: Your dad must be really excited about next week then.

Willock: Oh yeah! He is flying out to watch!

Pedal: What are three highlights to this year?

Willock: Well going to Europe in August was fun. It was really cool riding with RONA-Esker. I have gone before with the national team but this was different going with girls I knew really well. I always enjoy training camp too and definitely the Montreal World Cup was a highlight. It is so incredible to ride it this year with RONA-Esker as there was just so much attention to us – the press would follow us training, and that sort of thing.

Pedal: Good luck next week Erinne!

Willock: Thank you very much!