Bio

Name: Alison Marie Starnes
Racing Age: 25
Birthday: April 4th, 1985
Height: 5’9”

A little bit more about me…

It is hard to explain how I began bike racing.  I often find myself saying that I did not find cycling, but cycling found me.  It is in my blood you could say.  Growing up on a ranch in California my entire life, I learned to ride a horse long before I considered riding a bike.

College Life
I was a tennis player by trade, although with a late start, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to play at the NCAA top-ranked school, Abilene Christian University.  This was amazing experience where I not only learned dedication to a sport, but also how to balance school, life, and athletics.

Life After College
I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry with emphasis on Molecular Biology and a minor in Nutrition and graduated summa cum laude. Those who knew me in college have no difficulty labeling me as a nerd.  I spent countless hours in the Biochemistry lab doing research on various enzymatic pathways. Not only did I sit in the lab creating mutant enzymes, but this work was also published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Biochemistry. This lab experience and knowledge enabled me to work for Amgen in their Chemistry Research and Drug Discovery Department working on High Throughput Screening.  Because of my education and employment, I will always perk up when someone has a diagram of a metabolic pathway.

My First Bike
Upon graduating, I became fixated with triathlon, and bought my first bike.   I immersed myself into the sport, and even went to the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. However, as I dabbled in triathlon, I started bike racing to cross train for my triathlon endeavors and raced for a local women’s racing team before joining Team TIBCO.  The USA Cycling Development Foundation generously asked me to attend a Women’s Talent ID Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.  Little did I know that I was on a journey to a career in cycling, and a passion for the Olympics.

Professional Cycling
For my first two years of professionally racing, I was a member of Team TIBCO.  This gave me an opportunity to continue to build on my racing experience.  I raced on the historic USA National Team that won the Giro Donne, and Tour of New Zealand.  I wore the yellow jersey at Nature Valley Grand Prix, after winning the time trial, and I was on the podium at US Elite Time Trial Nationals.  My professional career had accelerated quickly, and I was ready for a change in 2011.

PEANUT BUTTER&Co TWENTY12

I will be racing for Team TWENTY12 for the 2011 season, and I could not be happier with this decision.  I will continue racing for the US National Team abroad.  TeamTWENTY12 is a special women’s cycling team that believes in fostering the development of riders for the World Championships and the Olympics.  I will be able to race alongside the best riders in the world.  I am looking towards an incredible 2011, and I will continue to focus on the 2012 Olympics.