June 26, 2010 (Banff, AB) – Alison Testroete is the 2009 Canadian Road Race Champion. Since winning the 2009 National Championship she’s been racing primarily at NRC races for the Team Vera Bradley Foundation. We caught up with Testroete during the Banff National Park Bicycle Festival a week before the 2010 Nationals in Edmonton to ask her about her season so far, and how she’s feeling leading up to championships.

What have some of the biggest changes been for you since moving to Team Vera Bradley Foundation and racing in the USA?
Alison Testroete: There was a big change for me in the sense that there are bigger, harder races, and lots of strong GC riders within NRC scene. The schedule is also different – much busier, with so many NRC races to go to.

What is your role on the team?
AT: Since I’m not a strong time trialist, my job is to ride breaks. Allison Powers is our GC rider – we’re usually working to keep her in the leader’s jersey.

How do you like riding for Vera Bradely Foundation?
AT: It’s great riding for the foundation, and fund-raising for breast cancer. I think all of the team members have someone in their life who has been affected by breast cancer, so I think it does add some cohesiveness. Racing can get pretty self focused – for example “I need a disc wheel, I need this, or that,” so it’s nice to be able to impact something beyond yourself! Fund-raising is a really feasible way to do through cycling. The representative we work with at the foundation is a cancer survivor and she’s really inspiring – that sort of positivity really impacts other people.

What’s the race highlight for you so far this season?
AT: We put Alison Powers on the podium at numerous NRC events, as a team goal – I like to think that I contributed to that. As for my own riding, I’d say racing Grand Prix Gatineau two weekend’s ago was a highlight – I’m starting to come on form now.

How has your season gone so far?
AT: I’m happy with the season so far, and I’m excited for the 2010 Nationals! I tend to ride into the season generally, I’ve never been an early season type rider. I was in Florida and then San Diego this winter, working on getting some base fitness – I took a bit of a break last year and worked full time for part of the year, and I felt like I lost a lot of base. My goals are more targeted to now and late season, I know I can’t carry peak fitness all season, so I wasn’t in a rush to perform too early.

How are you feeling coming up to Nationals?
AT: I think I’m feeling pretty good – I’ll have to see the course. And there are a lot of strong women here in Canada, with many itching to win the title!

What are your goals for the rest of the season?
AT: Ultimately the goal is to do UCI races. In terms of the CCA, the selection is based on UCI points, so that’s my direction. The National Team might send some projects to Europe later, so it would be ideal to get selected. When you win at Nationals doors open, but it doesn’t guarantee automatic selection for projects. Nonetheless, Nationals is always good event to do well at!

Thanks, and good luck at Nationals!
AT: Thanks – I might just need a little bit of luck!