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.

Our youngest member, Aidan Lemorande, tells us about his 2015 racing highlight and where he’d like to go for his dream ride.

Name: Aidan Lemorande

Home: Suamico

Occupation: Student

Disciplines: Mountain and Road

Years racing/riding: Four

2015 Highlight: First-place in the Middle School Division of the Wisconsin National Interscholastic Cycling Association League.

Why do you race/ride: It’s fun.

Most dreaded repair: My brakes

My “dream” ride destination is: Adelaide, Australia

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: All I Do is Win by DJ Khaled.

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 one of our newest official members, Morgan Fisher, talks about why she rides and her first (upcoming) season of racing.

Name: Morgan Fisher

Home: Green Bay

Occupation: Registered Nurse, Yoga Therapist, YMCA Youth & Family Program Staff

Disciplines: All-around. Bring it on! If I’m going to start doing this thing, I might as well try them all, right?

Years racing/riding: This is my first year of racing! I was waiting for the right team to come along for me to join.

2015 highlights: Becoming an RN. Cheering on the Gryphons at a variety of races. Riding my first century.

Why do you ride/race: I enjoy the team support with training. I want to become faster, and racing will challenge me to do that. I am scared to race, so I feel I should do it because I like to challenge myself to do things that make me uncomfortable. My past experience has proven that doing all of those uncomfortable, new things have given me wonderful new relationships, skills, and memories.

Most dreaded bike repair: If I had to do anything that required a chain braking, I would need a lot of guidance. I’m not scared to work on my bike, but if possible I would like to have an expert next to me to tell me what to do.

My “dream” ride destination is: I would love to tour in the Scandinavian countries. Less “dreamy”, and more realistic: I’ve been saying for years that I want to ride around the northern shore of Lake Michigan from Green Bay and come home on a ferry. (I hear there is a great bakery in Traverse City, and I’d like to see the Michigan beaches.)

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: “Closer I am to Fine” by the Indigo Girls or “This is Why We Fight” by The Decemberists.

Misc.: When I’m not riding a bike, you might find me riding my horse Lloyd.

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, Aaron Messenger talks about washing his bike and his “dream” ride in the Southwestern United States.

Name: Aaron Messenger

Home: De Pere, Wisc.

Disciplines: MTB, ‘cross, gravel.

Years racing/riding: Six years racing, but I’ve been mountain biking since high school

2015 highlights: Having to race my single-speed mountain bike in the Reforestation Ramble since my geared bike was just stolen and then making the podium in my first time in the SS class. Also more than doubling the number of cross races I was in compared to previous years.

Why do you ride/race: I enjoy bikes and the culture that goes along with being around other bike people. I also enjoy going somewhere by bike and the realization of all the stuff you noticed that you would have otherwise missed taking other transportation.

Most dreaded bike repair: None, I enjoy working on bikes almost as much as riding them. Well, maybe washing them, if that counts as a repair.

My “dream” ride destination is: I would someday like to race the Crusher in the Tushar in Utah. I love visiting that area but have never been able to ride out there.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: Groundhog Day…but I mostly relate to that because of my career.

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.

This week Robert Sorenson tells us about his 2015 (non-biking) highlight and lets us know which ’60s icon has a close connection to his life.

Name: Robert Sorenson

Home: Green Bay, Wisc.

Occupation: Nurse

Disciplines: ‘Cross, road, MTB, gravel, tri

Years racing/riding: 27

2015 highlights: The biggest highlight was not biking. It was earning my nursing license so I can start racing hard and regularly.

Why do you ride/race: I ride for the fun. I race to push myself and to hang out with my friends.

Most dreaded bike repair: Chain break in a snow storm.

My “dream” ride destination is: Belgium for the Spring Classics and/or ‘cross season.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: Mellow Yellow by Donovan.

Misc.: I have biking/racing for quite a few years. The best part about being with a team that has really good chemistry is the fact they can motivate you through the toughest of times. I have only been on three main teams during my racing career. Team Nordik, Big Ring Flyers, and now GVR. All three teams are great in their own ways and I have met great people along the way.

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.

This installment features Kris Tiles. She’s not afraid of mud and will ride just about anything with two wheels, but does draw the line somewhere:

Name: Kris Tiles

Home: Central Wisconsin

Occupation: Educator

Disciplines: If it has two wheels, I ride it. Except fat bikes. I don’t ride fat bikes

Tiles getting dirty at the 2015 Wisc. State Cyclocross Championships.

Years racing/riding: Started riding in 2002

2015 highlights: Finishing the Mt. Borah Epic and (mostly) surviving Wausau24.

Why you ride/race: To hang out with fun people.

Most dreaded bike repair: Anything that gets my hands dirty.

Movie or song that best summarizes your life: Real Genius, but only because I love that movie and “Everybody Wants to Rule The World“. “It’s a moral imperative”

Misc.: We are all human beings, whether on a bike or in a car, and we need to respect each other and be safe.

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.

This installment features Matt Lemorande. Matt’s working his way into being a roadie, though his racing has thus far been focused on trails. Look for to get talked into doing some super-long MTB events in 2016.

Home: Suamico, WI

Occupation: Director of North American Sales for Virgin Cellulose Fiber

Disciplines: Mountain, road (training) and I just started gravel riding.

M. Lemorande (center)

Years racing/riding: Very new to racing, only in my third full year of racing.

2015 highlights: Riding my first Chequamegon Fat Tire and watching my 12-year-old  progression as a competitive cyclist. Ah, to be young again.

Why do you ride/race: I find riding is the best exercise to keep you in shape without pounding your joints or bones. Cycling is also a great family sport and I enjoy the competitive aspect of racing.

Most dreaded bike repair: Bleeding hydraulic brakes.

My “dream” ride destination is: Whistler, British Columbia, Canada (Been there. Done that. Want to go again).

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.

Here’s the next installment in a series of GVR team rider profiles featuring Brian Trybula. Brian has been known to seek team advice about styling his facial hair. Do you have a suggestion for him? Let us know, it might just happen.

Name: Brian Trybula

Home: Wausau, WI

Occupation: Ski and bike retail

Disciplines: Mountain bike and ‘cross.

Always enthuastic

Years racing/riding: Three

2015 highlights: Getting up on the podium at WORS Cup riding on a bent front rim. And then starting cyclocross racing and absolutely loving it!!

Why do you ride/race: It’s an awesome experience racing with others and then hanging out after races to share some laughs with friends. It’s all truly a communal thing and it’s awesome to be a part of.

Most dreaded bike repair: I hate fixing front derailleurs! That’s why most of the bikes I own are 1X. I also have a problem with bending and/or breaking rims. 🙂

My “dream” ride destination is: the down hill trails at Whistler Blackcomb.

Song that best summarizes your life: Young Blood by The Naked and Famous.

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.

We’re debuting the first in a series of GVR team rider profiles today featuring Steve Tramp. He contemplated writing a profile on par with The Iliad, but opted for this instead:

Name: Steve Tramp
Home: Green Bay
Occupation: Banking (don’t hate)
Racing/riding discipline(s): Road rider. Everything else I seem to get injured.

Tramp at the finish of Race The Lake in August 2015.

Years Racing: About 10 years seriously. That means when I started spending a lot of money.

2015 highlights: Finished Race the Lake under 4 hours 6 days after breaking my collar bone at the Ore to Shore. Broke 5,000 outdoor miles again.

Why do you ride/race?: I love the camaraderie of a good group to ride with. It’s also some of the best stress relief I know.

Most dreaded bike repair: My shifting gets messed up every year because I’m a grinder. Gonna have to bite the bullet next year and go automatic.

Your “dream ride”: Kaanapali mountain on Maui. 30 miles up 10,000 ft of climbing.

Song that best defines your life: Dare You to Move by Switchfoot.

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 and see what happens.

For our first installment we’re talking to Andy Tegge, a self-described “shop rat” at JB Cycle & Sport in Howard, Wisc. (JB is one of GVR’s partners). Andy is one of the guys who keeps our bikes in working condition and handles all sorts of special orders for exotic (and rather mundane) equipment.

Q) What’s the best thing about coming to work every day?

A) I’ve worked here five or six year. It’s not like a real job. I get to hang out in the shop, talk bikes all day, work on bikes and help people get set up with bikes. The best part is when people don’t even have a bike and you get them on a good, decent, bike-shop quality bike for the first time and they just fall in love with it.

Q) How much riding do you fit in during the summer?

A) Our busiest season is when I want to be out riding and really don’t have the time to ride. I’m here working on (customers) bikes when I want to be out riding just as much as them.

Q) Let’s talk about supporting your local bike shop. In the day and age of online commerce, how important is it for customers to give some love to the brick-and-mortar shops in their communities?

A) It’s very important. People are pretty loyal to their bike shop, too… they go to the people they trust.

We’re basically a community bike shop and get a lot of people from the area who are able to ride to the shop, get something done, and then ride home.

Q) What are some of the more common, correctable, maintenance issues you see on a regular basis?

A) Make sure tires are properly inflated before people go out for a ride. We see a lot of pinch-flats in here. And cleaning your bike. Simple things like that.

Q) Muttonchops, beard or mustache?

A) Mustache for sure. John (Sommers) is the mustache king.

Q) How about for you?

A) Beard. I’m just too lazy to shave.

Look at that, your two minutes are up.