The AIS Women's Team Diary 2008

The 2008 AIS women's squad
Photo: © Cycling Australia

Cyclingnews has been pleased to publish a diary contributed by the members of the Australian Institute of Sport's Women's team as they conduct their 2008 European campaign. A whole new crop of riders has filled the six prestigious spots on the team, and began the 2008 season with a number of top ten results.

Jocelyn Loane, Peta Mullens, Bridie O'Donnell, Tiffany Cromwell, Carla Ryan and Amanda Spratt will fill us in on their continuing adventures as they fly the Aussie flag in Europe.

Also see: Index to 2008 race reports and entries

AIS Women's Team - 2008

Riders

Jocelyn Loane, Peta Mullens, Bridie O'Donnell, Tiffany Cromwell, Carla Ryan, Amanda Spratt, Belinda Goss, Vicki Whitelaw

Head Coach

Warren McDonald

Tiffany Cromwell

Date of Birth: 6th July 1988
Place of Birth: Stirling, Adelaide, SA
Resides: Upper Sturt, Adelaide, SA
Favourite Meal Breakfast
Food Weakness Chocolate
Favourite movie The Devil Wears Prada
What foods do you eat to fuel your training Pasta, Risotto, Vegetables
What is your race day preparation Wake Up, have a good Breakfast, head to the race and get focused
What do you listen to when training The person riding next to me or anything on my ipod..
First experience on a bike Riding out at the Adelaide Super-Drome
Best experience on a bike Racing all of the world and meeting new people
Book you are reading Gap Press, a fashion magazine, I'm not a big reader
Country you most want to visit Croatia
Favourite item of Clothing Any of my special occasion dresses and my bathers
Nickname Tiffy, Little Aussie, Super Woman, Tiffinator
Best results:
2008 2nd – U23 Australian Open Road Race Championships
7th – Geelong World Cup, Round 1 (1st U24)
8th – Australian Open Road Race Championships
2007 3rd - Stage 5 Tri-Peaks Challenge (USA)
6th – The Advertiser Women's Criterium series
8th – Australian Criterium Championships, Brisbane – AUS
8th – Australian Criterium Championships, Brisbane – AUS
15th Overall GC – Trust House Women's Tour of New Zealand
2006 1st - Grand-Rechain U19W road race, Belgium
1st - Australian U19 Time Trial Championships
1st – SA U19 and Open Criterium Championships
1st U19W Central Districts Junior Tour (QOM & most aggressive rider)
Best Young Rider Jersey, Geelong Women's Tour
2nd Grosser Preis der Stadt Schaffhausen U19W, Switzerland
3rd - U19 Australian Road Cycling Championships
3rd – U19 Australian Criterium Championships

Belinda Goss

Date of Birth: 1st June 1984
Place of Birth: Devonport, Tasmania
Resides: Melbourne, Victoria
Favourite Meal Chicken Salad or Steak with mushroom sauce.
Food Weakness Chocolate
Favourite movie The Green Mile/Prison Break, Grey's Anatomy
What foods do you eat to fuel your training Maxim Energy Bars and bananas
What is your race day preparation Nice and relaxed, try not to think about the race too much on race day.
What do you listen to when training What ever happens to be on my ipod at the time
First experience on a bike My first bike…a pretty pink one when I was 2.
Best experience on a bike Riding in Switzerland. It lived up to all my expcetations and the landscape was just gorgeous.
Book you are reading The Da Vinci Code
Country you most want to visit France
Favourite item of Clothing Dresses, dresses and more dresses.
Nickname Bel or Bim
Best results:
2008 1st Points Race Australian Championships NSW
7th Scratch Race Australian Championships NSW 8th Points Race Track World Cup USA
2007 1st Points Classification, Tour of Chongming Island China
1st Stage 2 Tour of Chongming Island
1st Stage 3 Tour of Chongming Island
1st Australian Points Race Championship NSW 1st Stage 2 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic VIC
2006 1st Stage 2 UniSA Women's Criterium Series SA

Jocelyn Loane

Date of Birth: 8th Sep 1980
Place of Birth: Nowra, NSW
Resides: Brisbane, QLD
Favourite Meal French toast with grilled bananas, bacon and maple syrup.
Food Weakness The above!
Favourite movie Along came Polly
What foods do you eat to fuel your training Leda Bars, De Vine gels and Apple juice
What is your race day preparation Get organised and travel to race. Good warm up.
What do you listen to when training Ipod on shuffle!
First experience on a bike Riding down the hill we live on, on my friend's mountain bike. I didn't know that some bikes have two brakes so I ended up doing a sumersault over the handle bars!
Best experience on a bike In 2007 I was in a break in the Holland Hills Classic, it was a good memory as I felt really strong and had a fun race.
Book you are reading The Stone Key by Isobel Carmody
Country you most want to visit Russia
Favourite item of Clothing My Wrangler Jeans, they're thrashed but I love them
Nickname Jose, Jock
Best results:
2008 1st PEI Stage 4
2007 5th Holland Hills Race

Peta Mullens

Date of Birth: 8th March 1988
Place of Birth: Sale, VIC
Resides: Traralgon, VIC
Favourite Meal Steak and roast vegetables
Food Weakness Smartie cookies
Favourite movie Any Denzil Washington movie and Con Air
What foods do you eat to fuel your training Steak and pasta
What is your race day preparation Lowan multiflakes followed by music and eating jam sandwiches
What do you listen to when training Jay Z/Linkin Park
First experience on a bike … saw me in trouble from the police for riding without a helmet
Best experience on a bike … saw me conquering Mount Baw Baw without walking
Book you are reading Deception Point- Dan Brown
Country you most want to visit France
Favourite item of Clothing VIS tracksuit pants, unbelievably comfortable
Nickname Mullo, Petski, Poppet
Best results:
2008 12th UCI Geelong World Cup
4th Geelong Women's Tour - Stage 3
10th Geelong Women's Tour - Stage 2
2007 3rd 2.1 La Route de France Feminine - Stage 4a
3rd 2.2 Tour de Bretagne Feminin - Stage 4
3rd Oceania Road Race Championships

Bridie O'Donnell

Date of Birth: 29th April 1974
Place of Birth: Corina, QLD
Resides: Melbourne
Favourite Meal Salt and pepper barramundi with eggnet thai salad at Longrain
Food Weakness Haigh's chocolate caramels
Favourite movie Too many to name
What foods do you eat to fuel your training Shotz sports nutrtion
What is your race day preparation Early morning pre-start, the rest is a secret!
What do you listen to when training The Killers, Audioslave, Powderfinger, Snow Patrol, Madonna, Eskimo Joe.
First experience on a bike Getting swooped by a magpie on the way to school.
Best experience on a bike Rolling off the start ramp at the Chrono des Nations in front of a crowd of thousands of French cycling fans
Book you are reading Clinical Biomechanics - chapter 1 Sports Medicine's greatest hits!
Country you most want to visit Italy
Favourite item of Clothing Sass n Bide skinny leg jeans (if I had skinny legs)
Nickname Bird
Best results:
2008 National time trial champion
Oceania time trial champion
2007 2nd Chrono des Nations
7th Chrono Champenois Victorian time trial champion Victorian road champion
Winner, Tour de Bortoli
2006 National record 180km TT - 4h48m
Finisher, Ironman Hawaii - 10h52m Finisher, Ironman Austria - 10h37m

Carla Ryan

Date of Birth: 21st Sep 1985
Place of Birth: Nathalia, Victoria
Resides: Brisbane, Qld
Favourite Meal Steak and red wine
Food Weakness Baskins icevcream, peanut butter chocolate flavour
Favourite movie Sex in The City episodes
What foods do you eat to fuel your training Peanut butter and nutella sandwhiches, coffee
What is your race day preparation Lollies, coffee, leg rub before the start.
What do you listen to when training Ministry Of Sound, Teagan and Sara, alternative
First experience on a bike May 05, first road race ever was in Mooball tour. 50km in I crashed and broke my wrist.
Best experience on a bike Winning National TT 07
Book you are reading Richard Branson, 'Losing My Virginity'
Country you most want to visit Maldive Islands
Favourite item of Clothing PJ's
Best results:
2008
2007 1st Australian National Time Trial Championship
2nd Oceania Road Championship
3rd Oceania Individual Time Trial Championship 3rd Australian National Road Championship (U23) 2006 1st Overall Canberra Kowalski Tour
1st Individual Time Trial Kowalski Tour
1st Individual Time Trial Australian Grand Prix 2nd Stage 2 Kowalski Tour
2nd Grafton to Inverell Road Classic
3rd Australian Grand Prix Road Race

Amanda Spratt

Date of Birth: 17th Sep 1987
Place of Birth: Sydney, NSW
Resides: Springwood, Blue Mountains.
Favourite Meal Italian pizza and mango (on separate occassions!)
Food Weakness Lollies
Favourite movie Music and Lyrics, Walk the Line.
What foods do you eat to fuel your training Muesli bars and banana
What is your race day preparation Wake up, eat then relax.
What do you listen to when training Nova radio or latest chart songs
First experience on a bike Started out BMX racing when I was 9yo then started road and track at age 12.
Best experience on a bike Winning Junior World Championship in the points race, Los Angeles 2004
Book you are reading The Power of One
Country you most want to visit Croatia
Favourite item of Clothing My jeans
Nickname Spratty
Best results:
2008 1st Australian U23 road Timetrial championships
4th U23 Australian Road race.
2007 2nd Australian U23 Road Timetrial

Vicki Whitelaw

Date of Birth: 2nd Jan 1977
Place of Birth: Hobart, Tasmania
Resides: Canberra
Favourite Meal Is chocolate a meal?
Food Weakness chocolate
Favourite movie Power of One
What foods do you eat to fuel your training er,,,,,chocolate, cashews, chocolate
What is your race day preparation Sleep and lots of it.
What do you listen to when training my husband
First experience on a bike Dad pushing me on my red repco, no training wheels required.
Best experience on a bike 1st date with my husband
Book you are reading More than a carpenter
Country you most want to visit China
Favourite item of Clothing My silver Nike poggio shoes
Nickname Tigger
Best results:
2008
2007 1st Oceania Time trial championship
Series winner Australian National Road series
8th Geelong Womens Tour
8th Trust House New Zealand Tour
2006 Series winner Australian National Road series
1st Grafton- Glenn Innes