Interview: Julie Beveridge

Interview with the very talented 20 year old winner of the Mt Hood Cycling Classic Julie Beveridge..

Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Julie Beveridge. I am a 20 years old and a Biological Science student at the University of Calgary. I currently live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I spent 4 years of my childhood in Muscat, Oman, where I started swimming competitively. When I returned to Canada I continued swimming for a time and then took up middle distance events in track and field. I started cycling at the age of 18.

Why did you choose cycling as your sport?
I injured my foot badly in my third year of track and was unable to continue running. My younger sister was training with a cycling group at the time, she talked me into joining in order to keep my fitness and let me borrow her old road bike. Since my injury was not improving enough to allow me to return to running, I ended up road racing that summer. I won the Junior National Time Trial, and was selected for Junior Worlds. At Junior Worlds I was not allowed to race the road race, because my bike handling was dismal. This was the correct decision, but I was extremely unhappy with it and decided that I was going to do whatever I could to become the best road racer possible.

Julie Beveridge
Photo © 2008 ActionImages

What kind of rider is Julie Beveridge?
I definitely see myself as still developing as a rider. I love to climb and time trial and am eager to learn all the race tactics possible.

Which hobbies do you have next to cycling?
I love to backpack in the mountains, if I have some time during the summer. Also, if given the chance during the off-season I run and swim and mountain bike as much as possible.

How do you look back on the 2008 season?
As a season to build on. I am extremely shocked and happy with my first season on a team. It was an amazing experience to be able to work for teammates one race and then have the favor returned the next race. I believe I surprised myself more often than I surprised my absolutely fantastic teammates and director. I could not have asked for a better first season.

In action during the 2008 Cascade Cycling Classic
Photo © 2008 ActionImages

What performance/achievement you are the most proud of?
Winning the GC at Mount Hood in 2008. The Mount Hood Cycling Classic 2007 was the first stage race I ever participated in. To come back to that race the next year and win it against a bigger more competitive field truly showed me just how far I had come as a cyclist in only a year. I am also so proud of the fact that I am currently pursuing my dream of becoming a M.D. at the same time I am managing a professional cycling career.

You competed for the Aaron's Cycling team in 2008. Do you stay with the team for the 2009 season?
Unfortunately, the Aaron's Cycling team no longer exists, so I have changed teams for the 2009 season. I will be riding for Team TIBCO Women's Professional Team. I am very excited about joining this super talented team and am looking forward to learning more about the sport with every race.

What do you prefer the most in racing?
My favorite part of racing is finishing a stage/race and knowing that you could not have done any more than you did that day.

On the podium as winner of the best young rider competition of the Cascade Cycling Classic. Next to her overall winner Kristin Armstrong.
Photo © 2008 ActionImages

What race has been a favorite of yours?
I don't have a favorite race. I prefer stage races to one-day classics. As long as the majority of the stages have some big climbs and there is a good time trial, I am more than happy riding any stage race.

You rode a few times in Europe the past season… will your schedule include more races in Europe in 2009?
Hopefully, the Canadian National Team will dictate, whether I am able to return to Europe in 2009. I would love to continue racing in Europe because I was just starting to get a feel for the racing over there at Worlds. European racing is a lot of fun but very different from North American racing.

What races would you like to race in Europe if given the opportunity?
I would absolutely love to do any of the summer World Cups, along with Tour de L'Aude and the major women's tours. I have heard such amazing stories from these events, and would love to be able to experience them first hand.

In action during the ITT of the 2008 Cascade Cycling Classic
Photo © 2008 ActionImages

What race will be the 2009 debut for you and the team? And how does your schedule more or less looks like.
The first race TIBCO will participate in is the Tour of California. I will not begin racing until Redlands in March, since I will still be in school. My schedule in 2009 will involve the major NRC stage races, along with the Montreal World Cup and Canadian Nationals. Hopefully, I will also be given the opportunity to return to Europe for a number of stage races with the Canadian National Team.

How does your ideal preparation looks like for the new season?
Since it is minus 30 in Calgary right now, I am heading down to Florida to train with a teammate from Aarons for a couple weeks. After I will return to Calgary and school. In February I will be heading out to British Columbia in order to get some more training in on the road. While I am in Calgary I ride the trainer. In March I will be headed to team camp in California. Although my offseason training is in no way ideal, I believe that the adversity I face in training through the cold Calgary winters aids in my mental toughness when it comes to the summer race season.

What are your goals for the 2009 season? and if you don't mind…. long term career goals as a person and cyclist?
I want to improve my skill set with every race I do, whether it be tactically, as a teammate, or my physical ability. I am focusing on winning the Senior Canadian National Time Trial, a goal I came close to achieving last year but did not quite attain. I also have a large focus on the Worlds Time Trial. In the long term, I want to be the World and Olympic time trial champion. Outside of cycling I have ambitions to become a sport medicine surgeon.

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