Wow, it’s hard to believe how fast 2022 went by! Probably because our team of dynamic women hit the road pedaling in January and never looked back! Now, as 2022 is behind us we’re looking back to savor the successes and getting ready to go forward into the new year with a great deal of excitement.
We Continue to Grow & Support Women Cycling
Again in 2022 we saw a record number of women involved in cycling, and taking part in Velorosa club events, supporting women in cycling and the cycling community. Our website membership is over 250 women actively participating in 2022, that's again our biggest team yet! We hope to keep growing participation and team community involvement. Not only did you see the women in pink at races and on rides but we also biked to feed the homeless with the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, provided race event support at various events, raised funds by biking 100 & 200 miles for Hope for Justice to help break the cycle of human trafficking, provided Des Moines marathon support, mentored Dream Team athletes and so much more!
Velorosa Is Making A Difference & Doing Good Things
There were alot of stand out moments and events for our team and members but here’s some we want to share that are definitely noteworthy!
We’re helping to build a bridge! Velorosa, as an ambassador in the cycling community, wanted to contribute to the success of the Raccoon River Pedestrian Bridge. We were the first group to get the word out and partnered with the City of West Des Moines to kick off the campaign to build the bridge that would span the beautiful Raccoon River. This iconic bridge will serve as a seamless connection for cyclists and pedestrians from Raccoon River Park to Walnut Woods State Park , Brown’s Woods, Purple Martin Lake Water Recreation Area, Hidden Valley Soccer Complex and dozens of miles of future greenway trails. We successfully raised and donated the first $5000. When the bridge is completed, our team will be included on a commemorative plaque.
Hosted the 10th Annual Sip & Swap, which has become a signature event of the Des Moines cycling community. Once again Velorosa partnered with Jasper Winery to invite the Des Moines cycling community to bring gently used athletic and cycling apparel and/or accessories and swap them while browsing and bidding on cycling related silent auction items. We’re thrilled to share that silent auction proceeds topped $2800 that was donated to the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, 10 bags of cycling apparel that was donated to the Des Moines Dream Team while the remaining parts and bike gear were donated to We-Cycle, which redistributes used and refurbished bicycles to homeless or at-risk members of the community.
28 Velorosa cyclists joined with Justice for Hope to volunteer and take part in the 2nd annual Break the Cycle Challenge. Our team members were present for the entirety of the day starting with early morning set up, sending off the riders, aid station volunteers and many tackling the 100 mi ride challenge itself. We're thrilled to share the event doubled in size since 2021, and helped raise over $10,000 to stop human trafficking!
762 hours of volunteer work was completed by Velorosa team members in 2022! We don’t just ride our bikes, but are active community volunteers too! Each team member is asked to contribute 4hrs yearly. We’re proud of the impact that our team has. Volunteer hours include Trail Work with CITA, Des Moines marathon support, Bike Month volunteers, Meals from the Heartland, Dream Team mentors, Market to Market relay volunteers, Urban Bicycle Food Ministry, Waukee Food Bank, We-Cycle and many more!
Of course Velorosa athletes were out in full force on bikes in 2022 doing big things and having epic adventures on every surface including gravel, mountain biking, time trials and ultra races ranging from 150 to 444 miles non-stop! Our athletes topped podiums, set records and three ladies earned the distinct honor of being Race Across America Qualifiers. Velorosa is proud to be inclusive, provide support and encouragement to female athletes. We’re unique in the fact that we offer something for every rider type and skill. Whether a woman rides for social fun, general fitness or to or chooses to race, we welcomed her and cheered her on! (Check out our Team Blog for details, stories and photos!)
Thanks To Our Sponsors!
All of this is made possible with help from our team Sponsors. We're grateful for their generosity and support, it's what allows us to make an impact in Women's cycling and the Des Moines cycling community. If you haven't already, visit their websites, social media pages or thank them with your patronage.
Let’s Keep This Going, We Make a Great Team!
Planning for 2023 is almost completed and if 2022 is any indication you can see Velorosa is going to keep the momentum going! We kick off the 2023 season with our 16th annual Members Winter Party & meeting on Sunday January 29. Be sure to RSVP and save the date, it's always a terrific time!
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