About Giana Roberge
Poster >>
I entered the world of cycling in 1992 when I worked for Paradox Bicycle Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. After two years as manager and purchaser, I bought the shop. Simultaneously to owning the shop, I began my foray into road and mountain biking, quickly rising to the top of the women’s road peloton. In 1996 I turned pro with the Timex Women’s Cycling Team, and was met with good successes. I was a member of the US National Team and raced with Timex until 1999 when a heart condition determined my premature retirement.
I was hired August of 1999 as the manager of the Timex Team, and in 2000 was both manager and Director Sportif of the team. In 2001 I merged the Timex Team with the Saturn Team and became the Assistant General Manager of the Saturn Team as well as the women's Director. Under my directorship, the Saturn Women's Team was ranked the #1 team in the world two years in a row and won the Women's World Cup Series two years in a row.
In 2003, I was given a clean bill of health and returned to racing when I had time between directing the Saturn Women to the #1 ranking in the US and managing both the men’s and women’s teams. In my personal racing program, I won the Master’s National Time Trial Championships and was Silver Medalist at the Master’s World Championships. In 2004, I focused on winning the World Championship title, which I did in August. I also won the Etape du Tour, a stage of the Tour de France. (Please see results below). Along with racing in 2004, I focused on my new coaching and consulting company, Team Speed Queen. I also lead European coaching tours, which included five weeks in Spain and four weeks at the Tour de France.
In 2003, with the help of David LaPorte, I founded the Women’s Prestige Series, the Yoplait Women’s Summit and the Women’s Task force on Cycling. I also created a website specifically addressing women’s cycling www.womencyclists.com
After a three year sabbatical from racing, I returned in 2007. With only 11 weeks of training under my belt, I celebrated nine race wins in my abbreviated 2007 race schedule, including the Silver Medal at the Master’s World Time Trial Championships, a Gold medal at the District Time Trial Championships, and the State Climbing Championships. I won the infamous Everest Challenge, breaking the course record by over 40 minutes.
Within the cycling industry, I am a spokesperson for women’s cycling and have been called upon as an expert in the industry in magazines such as “Parenting,” “CA Outdoor,” “Horizon Air,” “Bicycling,” several newspapers leading into races, as well as within the industry “VeloNews,” and “CyclingNews.com.”
Cycling Career Highlights & 2007 Results
• Silver Medalist Master's World Time Trial Championships (Austria) 2007
• First Place District Time Trial Championships 2007
• First Place Mount Shasta Hillclimb 2007
• First Place Everest Challenge 2007 (CA Climbing Championships) (Winner both stages)
• First Place Deutchlandsberg Criterium (Austria) 2007
• First Place Deutchlandsberg Time Trial (Austria) 2007
• Second Place Overall Deutchlandsberg Series (Austria 2007)
• Fourth US Masters Time Trial National Championships (PA) 2007
• Gold Medal World Master's Time Trial Championships (Austria) 2004
• Silver Medal World Master’s Time Trial Championships (Austria) 2003
• First Place Etape du Tour (France) 2004
• Master’s National Time Trial Champion (Kentucky) 2003
• First Place overall Fitchburg/Longsjo Classic 1998
• First Place Tour de ‘Toona 1994
• First Place Tour le Fleur 1998
• Top 20 overall at Tour de Snowy, Tour Feminine, Tour de L’Aude, Women’s Giro, Tour of Holland, New Zealand Women’s Tour
• Member of the US National Team, represented the US National Team at numerous World Cups and World Championship events
Other Career Highlights
2003 Sea Otter Classic Mountain Bike Classic-Sport - Winner
2000 Wisconsin Spring Series Champion
1999 Elite National Time Trial Championships – fifth
Retired from July 1999 – April 2003
1998 Tour de Snowy, Australia – top 15 overall
1998 New Zealand Tour, Hamilton New Zealand – top 15 overall
1998 Team wins at: Inaugural World Cup Series, Tour de France, Giro
D’Italia, Tour of Holland, Tour de L’Aude, HP Women’s Challenge, Tour of
Willamette, Tour de ‘Toona, Killington Stage Race, Redlands Classic
1998 Stage wins at Tour de ‘Toona, Killington Stage Race, Tour of Willamette
1998 2nd McClane Classic, CA
1998 Climber’s and Sprinter’s jersey wins at Tour de ‘Toona
1998 Elite National Time Trial Championship – Bronze Medal
1998 Top American Finisher at the Tour de France
1997 Fitchburg Longsjo Classic – overall winner (1 stage win)
1997 Winner Tour Le Fleur
1997 Winner Tour of Pocono’s (2 stage wins)
1997 Stage Win Grand Prix de Feminine (Canada)
1997 Second place Tour of Willamette (1 stage win, Climber’s jersey)
1997 HP Women’s Challenge – Team Win
1997 Redlands Bicycle Classic – Team Win
1997 National Time Trial Championship – Fifth place
1996 Turned Pro with the Timex Team
1996 Team victories at Redlands Sea Otter Classic, 89er Stage Race (finished
top 20 overall), helped qualify teammate for 96 Olympic squad and finished
12th in the five race Olympic Qualifying Series
1996 National Criterium Championships – Fifth place
1996 Howard Bank Criterium – Winner
1996 Concord Classic – Winner
1996 Johnstown to Gloversville Road Race – Winner
1996 Gloversville Criterium – Winner
1996 Adirondack Trust Classic – Winner
1996 Tour de ‘Toona – Eighth place overall, Team Win
1995 Tour of the Sun, Florida, Third place overall (in pros as a category four)
1995 Howard Bank Classic – Winner
1995 Tulip Festival – First place
1995 Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic – Third place overall
1995 Ocala Race Series – Second place overall
1995 NY State Mountain Bike Championships – First place
1994 Began racing (all results below are as a category 4)
1994 Tour de ‘Toona Overall winner (one stage win)
1994 Concord Criterium – First place
1994 Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic – Second place
