Our 2024 SBT GRVL Team
Mona Noor (she/her)
Mona Noor is a first generation Pakistani immigrant to Canada. She moved there as a teenager and now calls Ottawa home. Mona is a former Muay Thai enthusiast and competitor and made her way to mountain biking while searching for that adrenaline rush again. Mountain biking opened up the whole world of cycling to her and she now enjoys and cherishes gravel rides as a sort of moving meditation.
One of the highlights of her week is riding as a volunteer with a local group called Trips for Kids Ottawa whose mission it is to enrich the lives of economically disadvantaged and at-risk youth through outdoor activities.
Jo Cauthen (they/she)
Hi I’m Jo, and I’m an introverted extrovert and overall delight enthusiast. My introverted self is a contemplative melancholic who loves to write and whose soul constantly screams “can’t we all get along!” My extroverted self loves finding delight in everything from soap bubbles, deep conversations and connections, to anything nature.
I love biking, kayaking, wandering in nature, writing, telling stories, taking photos, and art. I’m the one that stops to smell the roses, and points out the skyline, or the teeny flowers on a path.
Last year my partner of 36 yrs and I discovered the inclusive gravel bike community and I’m thrilled to be on a team that helps others feel comfortable with who and where they are in life. Let’s ride!!!
Professionally I provide space for people to explore how self-acceptance, tolerance, and playful curiosity can transform their body, mind, and relationships. I do this by helping them manage their pain and stress levels through massage, bodywork, yoga and sound therapies, breathwork, meditations, energy work, and Socratic inquiry.
Bianca Lecompote (she/they)
Bianca (she/they) is Venezuelan Canadian cyclist aficionado, and a photographer currently living in Montreal. What initiated as a means of transportation ended up being a deep dive into the biking world and currently learning about bike mechanics.
Looking forward to meet people from the broader biking community !
Lucas Wiester (he/him)
I likes bikes! Even though I'm new to the cycling world I have fallen in Love with gravel riding. I've have been an educator and coach for 20 years. I played college football and love lifting weights.
If you want to join me on this adventure- @captain_party_pace I look forward to this journey and what I will find at the end.
Daniella Alavi-O’Fahy (they/them or she/her)
I’m Daniella!
Bikes have been a constant in my life and riding alone when I was younger gave me time and space to be myself, free from judgement and bullying. I am so happy that as an adult I am finding more and more spaces where I can be myself with people who love the silly fun of riding bikes!
Kia Rivera (she/her)
Kia is an avid runner, looking to get into the world of gravel. She has completed two marathons, and countless other road races. She is always looking for a way to take up space in endurance sports, and that's when she found All Bodies on Bikes. Having looked for an inclusive community in the running space (shoutout to Pioneers and TrailblazHers), Kia knew it would be important to find a space where folks represented all aspects of inclusion on the bike.
Kia is excited to take on the challenge of a gravel race, all while building a community with her team. When she's not taking up new sports, Kia can be found around Boston with her wife, their dog, and their running community-turned-family.
Steve Smitka (he/him)
My name is Steve and I'm excited to be a part of the All Bodies on Bikes team. I'm a high school engineering and robotics teacher and live in Troy, Michigan, which is about 30 minutes north of Detroit.
When I ride, I notice that I'm usually the biggest guy on the trail and being a Clydesdale cyclist has shown me its challenges, but time has shown me that I’m able to overcome them and ride at the speed and capabilities that fit me! SBT will be my first ever gravel race and I’m super stoked to work with all of our amazing team members!
Cissimarie Juan (she/her)
Cissimarie is member of the Tohono O'odham Nation from the New Field Community, located in Southwestern Arizona.
Tohono O'odham, translates to Desert People in her traditional language. She also has maternal ties to the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Currently Cissimarie resides in Phoenix, Arizona where she works as a Project Coordinator for the Arizona Governor's Office on Tribal Relations.
Cissimarie is a scorpio, loves baseball (go Giants!), bike riding, live concerts, and playing softball. Her favorite snacks are, popcorn, banana chips and hot pickles.
Her passion for bike riding came when she STRUGGLED through the 60mile El Tour De Tucson bike ride 10 years ago. She thought, how hard is it to ride a bike? With no training or real preparation she crossed the finish line in tears and exhaustion. It was that experience that made her feel invincible!
Denise Shrum (she/her)
My name is Denise. I have lived in the St. Louis area most of my life. I currently live three miles from the Katy Trail, which is my playground. Cycling was my freedom as a kid. I started cycling again in 2019 while I was training for my first backpacking trip. I was an assistant scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts and participated in two backpacking trips to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. I transitioned out of scouts in 2022 when my son earned Eagle rank.
I bought my first gravel bike a month before the pandemic and haven't looked back. I ride and travel with the St. Charles Gravel Girls and also enjoy mountain biking, bikepacking, hiking, camping, Zwifting, spending time with my family, and an occasional road ride.
I live with my amazing and supportive wife, son, and three dogs, Bruce Wayne, Thor, and Valkyrie.
Kristen Owenreay (she/her)
Howdy! I'm a bike-nerd, roller derby player (skating under the name Betty Merckx) and homesteader living and riding with my partner in the Willamette Valley of Oregon where we raise a sweet little flock of sheep and chickens.
My love for bikes began with the freedom to escape my childhood home but really became an obsession when I watched my first Tour de France 23 years ago (as a latchkey kid in the 90's there wasn't much else on TV in those long summer mornings home alone).
Road cycling has been primary transportation, hobby or fitness program at various times in my life but as a slow rider, it's never been something I've felt comfortable sharing with others so this experience will introduce me to new riding surfaces as well as overcome a long held fear of group rides!
I've long been an advocate for fat bodies in all sorts of settings and I'm really looking forward to bringing that energy to the trails.
Emily DeLisle (she/her)
Emily started cycling 5 years ago as a way to be active outside after her knee vetoed her love of hiking. Her first ride was to the library a mile away where she spent 10 minutes in the bathroom splashing water on her face trying to get control of her breathing. After several months, a friend invited her to go 10 miles. With an insane runners high and unable to walk upstairs to shower after going so far, she saw an ad for a bike event in her town and signed up for the 35 mile route.
Since then Emily has participated in many cycling and triathlon events and on occasion isn't last. Steamboat Gravel will be her first gravel event and the kick off for the month long celebration of turning 50!
Emily has been a homeschool mom for 23 year and with her youngest graduating this year, she is heading to college to study the intersection of youth sports and families.
Asher Shepherd (he/him)
I have always been an outdoorsy person. I started out as a hiker, which led to camping and eventually backpacking. In 2020 I left the food service industry to become a gear specialist at my local outdoor gear consignment store, Gear Goat Xchg. Through my work there I began to branch out to new activities, including paddling, climbing and of course, cycling.
I acquired a road bike in January 2023 and a gravel bike in June. This is still very new for me, but I am excited to explore all the opportunities!