some chicago women's elite riders and directors: Francine haas, sarah szefi, daphne karagianis, dani arman, jannette rho, cathy frampton

A BIG thank you to all of those who attended the Key Concepts clinic this past Saturday. With over 40 participants the conversation was lively and very educational. Everyone asked questions, shared stories, and got excited to ride. If you couldn't make it, fear not! Our next clinic is April 11th and will focus on "Bike Handling" —more details coming soon.

Incase you missed it, here are some key take aways from the Key Concepts Clinic No. 1:

Chicago Women's Elite Cycling is a collective designed to support Chicagoland Elite Women racers and develop future talent (YOU!) in women's cycling.

Cathy Frampton thought being a "Master" meant you had mastered the sport of cycling. (We all have our newbie moments from back in the day...)

Francine Haas was a great presenter and has a lot of info in her jersey pocket. Check out her blog and sign up for her email list! https://francinehaas.wordpress.com/

Manuel and Johnny Sprockets have the best space in town and we are forever grateful and hope to return again soon.

Half Acre Cycling 's Gapers Block series is a no brainer for beginning aspiring bike racers. You can register and get more details here: www.bikereg.com/gapersblock. Chicago Women's Elite racers will be out there to cheer you on and watch your mad skills.

Important basics to consider when becoming a bike racer and attending races were discussed at length. The topics of discussion included:

BIKE PREP

REGISTRATION

LOGISTICS

PRE-RACE

Photos by Ronit Bezalel www.thechainlink.org/photo/albums/chicago-women-s-elite-cycling-cweC — Photos by Ronit Bezalel www.thechainlink.org/photo/albums/chicago-women-s-elite-cycling-cweC

RACE LENGTH

RACE START

Key Concepts were then presented and discussed. These key concepts are important to keep in mind when racing. They all feed off of each other and help you become a better bike racer.