The Iceman Cometh Challenge is for everyone. We want to do more to increase the diversity of our field, and this year, we’re taking the first step to get more women racing.
Women have played a part of this race since its very beginning. For more than thirty years, the race day experienced has been enriched by female athletes at every level and in every age group. Behind the scenes, women are our most valuable volunteers, our smartest committee members, and the real reason we have a race that’s turned into one of the largest in the country.
Still, we need to more to get them involved not just in the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge but into our sport as a whole. As of right now, 13% of our field are women, and we want to do better. We’re looking at long-term solution to meet a goal I set back in 2018; I want to have 100 women in the Pro field.
It’s not just about being fast. Women do a far better job in building community and connections that support and empower. By getting more women from this level of the sport in Traverse City and connected to our event year-round, we hope to foster those same connections, that same camaraderie, and that same inspiration riders like Katherine Nash, Chloe Woodruff, and others have offered in years past.
That’s why this year, women can race in our Pro event for free. There are some caveats; the offer is open only to those who would be making their first start in the Pro category; if you’ve raced with us before at that level, you know it’s a great experience and we hope we can get you back even if you need to pay. You also must have a valid annual Pro/Cat 1 USA Cycling license, which is a requirement for all our Pro athletes.
We hope this might encourage more women to make the trip to Traverse City and join us on November 6, 2021 for the first time. Additionally, we also hope this might lure some of our strong and consistent age group winners to step up to the Pro race, which will in turn open up new competition and podium spots for other women. That’s always encouraging!
Our hope is that the best and fastest from both the men’s and women’s fields will slowly make the move to the Pro races; it should be a point of pride to be one of the top hundred fastest riders and to storm into the finish at Timber Ridge Resort the shouts and applause of 10,000 spectators!
If you’re a Pro woman ready to take the start line with us, please contact icemaninfo@iceman.com or csovis@iceman.com.