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Mike Valente

Name: Michael Valente (Mike)

Age: 25

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Sign: Pisces

Disciplines/ Current Categories: Mountain Bike (Sport with Comp sized dreams), Road (4/5)

Goals for the upcoming season: Win a Sport Race and then immediately upgrade to Comp class. Race some crits, not die.

Why did you start racing? All the cool kids (Tinker Juarez, Jan Ullirch, and Missy Giove) were doing it.

First Race Story: Fall Color Festival, in the Kettle Moraine. It was like 1993, and I just wanted to be like the people in Bike magazine - which was harder than it looked (something I'm reminded of every race)

1st Bicycle: My first "bike shop bike" was a GT Outpost Trail. I got it after my previous bike was stolen out of the garage. I will say, having a decent bike really got me into cycling. Thanks bike thieves! (probably the first and only time that has been said)

Current bikes: Old GT Rebound (my 8th grade graduation present) that has been built up about seventeen different ways - currently a 1x8 with only a rear brake, a old steel Trek Elance 400 frame (found on a curb) that has been reincarnated as a winter commuter, Bianchi Campione d' italia (currently on eBay, regrettably), Klein Attitude Comp (w/ extra attitude), and a Trek Madone 5.0.

Favorite Bicycle story (Does not have to be related to racing): Has to be told in person, as hand gestures are required. Ask me about it sometime.

Bicycle superstitions: I wish I had one.

Dumbest thing you've done on a bike: Tried to teach a speeding car a lesson by crossing into his traffic lane.

Special Talents? I can gleek. Does that count?

Strengths: Climbing

Weaknesses: Not going to lie, the off road technical skills could use a little work.

Final words of wisdom? The use of parentheses in a bio looks really unprofessional (oops)