About Velo Bella
Velo Bella is a non-profit, grassroots, multidiscipline cycling team based out of Watsonville, CA. But we’re popping up in spots all over the country.
The Velo Bella mission is to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle through cycling and laughter. We inspire women to get out and ride a bike, race a bike, and to eventually grow the pool of talent and have a lot of fun along the way. While the core Velo Bella Team is a committed group of female racers, membership includes female cyclists interested in completing their first race, century, or even group ride.
Velo Bella started because a few of us local racers wanted to do something to jazz up our race season. We needed the inspiration and motivation that only a really fun jersey could provide. Fortunately we found the artist known as P@zzo and through many intense collaborative Morgan’s coffee sessions, the whimsical design was born. The design was so fun and so popular it took on a life of its own. Before we knew it, we had a website and sponsors and clinics and an exciting opportunity to invite newcomers to the sport we love.
We have no idea where this will take us now, but we do plan to enjoy the ride!
Who are We?
We are understaffed and a bit disorganized, we have no money and it shows, and winning isn’t always the top priority. And so we’ve always focused on the fun parts of racing and let the rest just happen. Maybe that’s the secret?
There are 3 parts to Velo Bella:
- Recreational Riders
- Amateur Racers
- Elite-level Racers
…and it all works in some cool synergy kind of way to make for a great team! Here’s some info on all of them.
Recreational Riders
We realize its not all about the racing and that racing is not for everyone. We want to make sure that women who aren’t interested in racing feel like they can join in the party. Velo Bella welcomes recreational riders to be a part of the fun. Wear the jersey! Join the email list and training rides! Contribute ride reports! For more information on how to be a part of Velo Bella without the stress of racing contact us.
Amateur Racing
If you are looking for a team focused on teamwork and fun, we are the team for you. Oh sure, we win races and stuff, but our main focus is on having one hell of a good time whether we are winning or off the back.
We foster an environment that encourages risk taking, team work, and laughing till your belly hurts. We keep the racing no stress, and racers do not need to commit to any certain # of races to be a part of the team. We race in just about every cycling discipline, road, track, cross country, downhill, cyclocross and triathlons.
While we offer our racers a lot in the way of fantastic pro deals, training opportunities, discounts, and fun, we do not participate in a race payback program for amateur racers. Why? We believe in investing our tiny budget to support developmental programs for juniors and emerging elite level racers. But the benefits we do offer mean a whole lot more than a 20 buck entry fee anyway!
Racers may join at any time during the year. For more information on joining the team or specifics on the discounts and other rewards to racing for Velo Bella , contact us.
Elite Racing
Velo Bella seeks to support emerging elite level racers. More information on our Pro level cycling programs are here.
