By Cynthia Lou

Cycling is a demanding sport: from race-time suffering, to weeks away from home traveling, to the relentless hours of training in all kinds of harsh weather conditions.

“Fans make all the difference,” said Kristin Armstrong, with recent friend and protége Veronica tucked under her arm. “Veronica sent me half-birthday cards, wished me good luck for the Olympics….fan mail makes a difference.”

At a recent speaking engagement at General Mills, Kristin shared, “[They gave me] a DVD that was pretty much a tribute to me, with all of these photos and pieces from races in the last few years. I almost cried!” (She says this as her eyes water, so it’s safe to say she probably did cry. )

“There’s so much more than just racing a bike.”

Kristin adds that with a full race schedule and so many races all vying for her attention, it’s because of the community, support, and fans that has her choose some races over others, including one of her favorites, the Nature Valley Grand Prix

With her racing career is winding down (she announced that she will retire at the end of this year), Kristin is ready to step into a new phase of her life by mentoring the next generation of women cyclists through The Kristin Armstrong Academy.

As a fan, it’s nice to know that your favorite racer takes notice – even when you think they may not see you.

Be encouraging. Show your support!

Because your enthusiasm makes all the difference.