The Ann Arbor Velo Club (AAVC) has been a part of the cycling scene in Southeast Michigan since the 1970s. Over that time it's had many different race teams develop, grow and transition but has focused primarily on supporting riders new to the sport.
Membership
To become a member or renew membership, download the membership form (PDF), fill in your information, and send payment as noted on the form.
There are no requirements for membership in the AAVC other than an interest in bicycle racing. The AAVC is a member club of USA Cycling, and we focus on road racing, with cyclocross a big interest of many riders, and track and mountain bike racing as secondary foci. While most members hold a racing license issued by the USA Cycling and race on a regular basis, we also have members whose major interest is in supporting the Club and its members. Racing experience is not a requirement and we especially work to encourage new riders who have an interest in learning about bike racing in a safe and organized manner.
The AAVC is directed and governed by four elected officers and a Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is open to all AAVC members, and members are encouraged to participate. Meetings are held "as required" and notices and agenda items will be given on this web site of upcoming Steering Committee meetings.
Brief History
The AAVC started in the mid-70’s with about 30 riders. We grew significantly in the early 90's to become the largest racing club in Michigan (with about 100 licensed riders). A strong Junior (under-19) development program was begun, including dedicated coaching and weekly Junior training rides. A highly popular event for Ann Arbor’s children was also created: the Tour de Kids. A complete coaching staff was created to focus on developing women’s and men’s racing teams. The Club also organized some of the major races in Michigan, including such well-attended events as the yearly Spring Training Series, the Cone-Azalia road race, the Ann Arbor Festival of Cycling, and the Kensington Metropark road race. Many such activities brought the AAVC to prominence in 1996 as the United States Cycling Federation’s Club of the Year (Division 1). We were also recognized by the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association with an award. In keeping with the club’s development history, some of these activities have spawned other clubs and events being managed by other groups. The AAVC remains one of the more dedicated racing clubs for developing young and beginning riders.
More Club History
This account of AAVC history is from an email interview where Paul Alman answered Paul Kundrat's questions.
How long has the club been in existence?
The Club started in the mid-70s as a spin-off of the Wolverine's. Phil Farber, Andy Overmire, Phil Woolsley, Mark Nobilette, Ken and Dave ?, were among some of the original riders. It grew in prominence during the late 70s with about 30 riders. Things leveled off, went into decline, changed its name to the Great Lakes Cycling Club for a year or so (the president was from Jackson and we were trying to attract more riders from that area). It started to grow significantly in the early 90's and has continued to be the largest USCF club in Michigan (in terms of licensed riders) since about 1997.
Have we ever done any charity work?
Define charity, I guess. A lot of the activities we were involved with have had a "charity" element, and we have donated significant money to a variety of groups. In the mid 90's the Club was the "sponsoring club" for the Tour de Kids (actually it has been the sponsoring club for the Ann Arbor Festival of Cycling which I started in 1985 and is still the umbrella name for the Tour de Kids). We (Tour de Kids/AAVC) gave many thousands of dollars to the JUMP Foundation in the mid 90's. We have put on seminars for kids, had open training and skills clinics, did a special AA Public School team in the pre-Jr Development days, etc.
I read somewhere that we've previously been the USCF Club of the Year. (of which I am attempting for '05) Can you give me the year/s and any other information on this?
Now you are testing me. In either 1997 or 1998 I applied for USCF Club of the Year in Division I (the large Club division) and we won it. The award was both for our racing and our community activities. We, (Brad Chick and I, then Doug Heady became our coach) had started the Junior Development Program a couple of years before that, and it was a model that a lot of other Clubs followed. We were one of the first Clubs to sponsor a Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Race, again in the mid-90's, and that was factored into the award as well. Our coaching program which was started around that time by David Myers, Jim Levinsohn, among others was also a large factor. I can't find the info I kept on it, but we went through a series of awards in those years, winning a special award from the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association for our activities with the Festival of Cycling and Tour de Kids. The AA Parks and Rec. were a "co-sponsor" for the races I did in Ann Arbor during that time, and they nominated us.
Who started the club? Paul Alman...I think?
Nope, I wasn't involved with the beginning of the Club. (See above) I moved here from eastern Pennsylvania in 1977 and continued to race for the Doylestown Wheelmen for the first couple of years I was here. I "formally" switched clubs (on my USCF license) in 1980, but was a member of the Club from about 1997. I was president a couple of times and on the Steering Committee since the beginning. As a "payback" to the sport, I started the Festival of Cycling in 1984 to try to bring racing back to downtown Ann Arbor, and then the Spring Training Series in 1986, both with the support of the Club, and have always permitted my events under the Club's name, even when we started doing the race promotion under Quick Release Event Promotions.
Have there been any stellar performances, or people who are now more widely known, that are worth noting on the homepage?
Stellar performances. Boy it is hard to remember. Some of the earlier riders, Phil Woolsley for example, became an outstanding senior rider when he moved to California in the early 80s (raced with Bob Roll among others), and I will try to recall some of the others. We have always considered ourselves a "development" club, and many Club members have moved on to larger and better funded teams. The Team Ann Arbor (Cat 1/2) riders of the '91-'94 era, all did well in State and regional races, competing well against some of the larger and better known teams of the time.
Anything else you think would be apropos?
The Club has made great strides in the past 5 years, and the while the Club/racing scene has changed (much more professionally run and managed, more emphasis on sponsorship, teams within the Club, etc.,) it still retains it's local roots and feel and commitment to attracting new riders. One of the things that has distinguished us for a lot of other clubs, is the continuity of our vision and philosophy, where we have tried not to let the "latest sponsor" dictate who we are and what we stand for. We have had many very supportive sponsors during the years, and they all (except for one) understood what we were trying to accomplish (new riders, development of the sport, etc.). As David probably told you, there are two reasons we have the Ford sponsorship: they support the use of their funds in developing programs that encourage young and new riders, and the person behind the funding was a AAVC member and Team Ann Arbor member who remembers what we were trying to accomplish even way back then. (Plus I guess, the fact that I pushed for the Club to accept the idea of a Team within the Club and helped them get started. They did it right, IMHO, by staying deeply involved with the Club, leading rides, helping new riders, and "tithing" a portion of their sponsorship (Mercury) to the Club.) This sense of continuity is one of the strongest things we have going for us, and I think you guys are doing a super job of honoring that continuity while bringing the Club up to date.
