In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

In this edition, Danny Schierschmidt mentions his favorite mechanic.

Name: Danny Schierschmidt

Home: Green Bay, WI

Occupation: Insurance adjuster

Disciplines: MTB, Cyclocross, Fat-Bike

Years racing/riding: Entering my fourth year of racing and a life time of two wheeled fun

2015 Highlight: Missing two mountain bike races for the birth of my son Zach.

Why do you ride/race: I enjoy the camaraderie and friendships gained through cycling. People who know me well may say even more importantly is that it allows me to get a small fix for my competitive spirit!

Most dreaded bike repair: Hmmm..bike repair?? Isn’t that what teammate Aaron Messenger is for?!

My “dream” ride destination is: alpe d’huez- Of course I would need the crazy European spectators to be present heckling me on.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: O.A.R. – That was a Crazy Game of Poker.

In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

And, who doesn’t like like ice cream?

Name: Nate Phelps

Home: De Pere, Wis.

Occupation: Reporter

Disciplines: Road, cyclocross, and mountain.

Years racing/riding: 11

 2015 highlights: Scored my first win (with the help of teammates) in the Diablo Crit. Never thought I’d see the day. Our five-man Wausau24 team was in another tight battle last year (again) and pulled off the win, that’s always a satisfying result to add to the palmares.

Why do you ride/race: Because I still like eating ice cream on the drive home from races.

Most dreaded bike repair: Disc brakes. Love ‘em when I’m riding and they’re working, but nothing drives me nuts faster than hearing some sort of scraping sound from the brakeilogical areas of the bike.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: Apollo 13. They make a bodily function reference (“Constellation U-rine”) and I giggle every time.

Sun and warmish temperatures? A non-competitive ride with folks from central Wisconsin is pretty good way to start the #grand2ers season.

A full run down of team results from the weekend can be found here.

In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

One word for this installment: Mustache

Name: Johnny Sommers

Home: Pulaski

Occupation: JB Cycle

Disciplines: Road, Mountain, Touring and Clunker rides.

Years racing/riding: Since about ’85, give or take (Ed: That’s about 30 years. Three decades).

2015  highlights: Making the podium couple of times and riding to Hayward to do the Cheq 40 – got a ride home though.

Why do you ride/race: Use to be for beer and pizza, now mainly pizza.

Most dreaded bike repair: Getting my mustache caught in the drive train.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: Right now (Mid-March): Fatty Fatty by Bobby Rydell.

Name: Mike Le Beau

Home: Green Bay.

Occupation: Working-class schlub.

Disciplines: Road, Mountain, CX and general shenanigans.

Years racing/riding: 28 years riding. Started racing in 2003.

2015 highlights: A couple Single Speed wins in the sport cat. The biggest highlight though, was playing teammate at the Diablo crit that helped a teammate get his first win! (Oh, and I won four primes that day).

Why do you ride/race: I ride and race for escape and to burn off frustrations. And comradery, relaxation, health benefits… wait, I can’t think of a reason not to ride.

Most dreaded bike repair: Cracked frame.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: I have very eclectic musical tastes. Right now I would say Marty Robins Saddle Tramp because “I’m as free as the breeze and I ride where I please”. As the season progresses it will lean more toward the album “Brothers” by The Black Keys and then probably drum and bass house music. The season usually winds down with hardcore punk: Sex Pistols, Bad Brains, NOFX, ect.

Misc.: I think I’ve rambled enough. Have a great day!

In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

Chris Conrad is bouncing back in 2016 after a mid-season injury in 2015 kept him off the bike most of the summer and fall.

Name: Chris Conrad

Disciplines: ‘Cross and road

Years racing/riding: 10

2015 highlights: Bruising my tailbone — Grrrrr

Why do you ride/race: For the pure enjoyment of fellow camaraderie and peacefulness.\

My “dream” bike destination is: The Blue Mounds area (wisc.); Horribly Hilly Hundred, and the Dairyland Dare

 

In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

Matt Becker is in his rookie season with GVR, I’m sure he’ll get to use his tire changing skills often on our (cursed) team rides.

Name: Matthew Becker

Home: Green Bay, WI

Occupation: Green Bay Packers Assistant Team Photographer, and ESPN Associated Photo Editor Digital Media

Disciplines: Road biking is all I do, but I’m hoping to get into mountain biking this year.

Years racing: 0

2015 highlights: Horribly Hilly Hundreds, Menominee River Century, Titletown Bike Tour, and Door County Century

Why do you ride/race: I ride for the long distances and views along Lake Michigan.

Most dreaded bike repair: Putting on a new tire — IT’S SO TIGHT!

My “dream” ride destination is: Alpe d’Huez, I even named my dog (d’Huwey) after the climb.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: Fort Minor – Remember the Name

This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!

 

In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

Bob Callaway had to do some serious fact checking on this one to make sure he got the date of his first mountain bike race correct.

Name:  Bob Callaway

Home:  Westby, WI

Occupation:  Chaos Control.

Disciplines:  Cross, Mountain, Fat, Gravel, BMX, and Commuting.

Years racing/riding:  Raced BMX bikes on and off for 8 years or so before buying a mountain bike and entering my first race in 2006.  Started racing cross in 2010.

2015 highlights:  Best Event weekend was Ore to Shore.  The race was fun, but the company and the city made for a great weekend.  I had a pretty solid cross season, and exceeded all of my expectations.

Why do you ride/race:  Mostly to hang out with like minided people.

Most dreaded bike repair:  Shifty bits make me sad.  I’ve been know to just remove them to make life easier.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life:   Lots of great songs…  I’ll go with Cloud Cult – Complicated Creation.

In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

Diane takes the team bio to a new level with her prose. It’s real good and stuff.

Name:

Diane Callaway

(To keep this interesting,

Can you find the theme?)

Home:

Westby, Wisconsin

Heart of the driftless region

We have Amish here

Occupation:

I say I am an

Information Specialist

Whatever that means

Disciplines:

Mountain, gravel, fat

No matter what you may say,

I think fat does count

Years racing/riding:

Riding since ‘06

Started racing in ‘08

Lots has happened since

2015 highlights:

Many fun races,

Ore to Shore, Borah Epic

To name a couple

Why do you ride / race:

Go to new places

And meet like-minded people

And because it’s fun

Most dreaded bike repair:

Racing in the mud

Leads to broken bicycles

Shifty bits are bad

Movie or song that best summarizes your life:

You forgot TV

It was about nothing but

Seinfeld changed my life

In an effort to give readers/followers a look inside the team and its partners, we’re launching the occasional question and answer feature called “The Last 200 Meters.”

The idea is to take a two minute interview, or emailed Q&A, and see what happens.

Who knew the insurance industry would lead to racing bikes. Apparently Quentin Gniot…

Name: Quentin Gniot

Home: Where the antelope and buffalo roam

Occupation: Underwriter (it’s not as cool as it sounds)

Disciplines: Mountain, road, ‘cross, gravel, TT, and virtual — you know Zwift and stuff. (Anything except fat biking)

Years racing/riding: Five

2015 highlights: Wausau24 five-person team that took first; WORS overall (age group);  getting lost at the Marji Gesik 100; and riding in the rain at Chequamegon 100.

Why do you ride/race: Do you have any idea how boring underwriting is?  I enjoy pushing myself to see what is possible, where your limit is, and meeting new people and seeing new places.

Most dreaded bike repair: Loaning out a tool for one of Schindel’s mid-ride repairs.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: Mr &Mrs Smith

Misc.: #doepicshit