7 Questions with Allison McCurry of Automatic Racing
For our second feature on “7 Question With” we are heading straight into the heart of the country with 20-year old Allison McCurry of Automatic Racing. She is a senior in college but even though she is not old enough to belly up to a bar, she has already been tossed into the deep end of team management and leadership. In 2021 there was there was an opening in her team’s “C-suite” and she stepped in to fill it and did so with skill and poise. At the same time she was battling it out with collegiate racers and the elite of the elite of the women’s criterium peloton. We knew we had to sit down with her and find out how she did it. So let’s go back to school with Ms. McCurry and get her story.
Criterium Nation: At just 19 years of age, in 2021 you stepped into the role as a team director for the women's team on Automatic Abus. The team ended up doing a USACRITS calendar, Armed Forces, TOAD and several other races. You did this all while being a college student and athlete. What was your secret, how were you able to do what so many other, much more experienced people, cannot?
Allison McCurry: I really just had to wing it. When Lauren left the team in 2020 the women's program was going to fold, but I couldn't find a team that wanted to sign a new rider after a year of no racing so I asked Tom if I tried to find a few sponsors and pick some new riders if could I take over the women's program. I got lucky and he agreed to let me go for it. The learning curve was really steep, and I definitely screwed up housing a few times, but I kept it alive long enough for the program to continue which is good enough in my book.
CN: The rumor is that you have a super power, or at least that is what your teammates tell us. You have the ability to fall asleep basically anywhere. Where are some of the strangest places that you've been able to catch some Zzzzzz?
AM: I'd say the most memorable place I've fallen asleep would have to be inside the bottom of a desk at Tulsa Tough in 2021. The whole 12 person team was together in one house for the first time, and we quickly learned some people had stricter sleep requirements which led to me camping on the floor. I'll never forget one of my teammates waking up and looking for me thinking I'd run off only to find me in the underside of a desk.
CN: In 2022 you were a cat 2 racing in races with not just cat 1s; but, because of the way our sport is structured, with Olympians, riders who have raced professionally in Europe, and even riders who have represented their respective countries' national teams. How do you manage growing into the sport against competitors like that without losing your eagerness to train and race?
AM: I’d say racing with some of the best in the world only fuels the fire for training more. When I do well, I get to say “wow I just finished ahead of an olympian” and it makes me hopeful for my future in racing. On the flip-side, when a race doesn't go exactly to plan it's a lot easier to shrug off a loss when the girls in front of you were getting medals in Tokyo last year.
CN: You just recently started at the University of Louisville in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, what do you want to study, and what will you do with that degree once you graduate?
AM: I just transferred in my senior year from Marian University to the University of Louisville. I am on track to graduate next fall with a degree in Health and Human performance with a handful of minors because I was indecisive when I started college. Right now, I am still undecided on what to do with my degree, but I know it will have something to do with cycling.
CN: As one of the better cooks on your team, what are some go to dishes to prepare at the host house or AirBnB?
AM: When I cook for the team, I really like making food I grew up eating since we have people on our team from all over. I grew up in Kentucky WHICH IS THE SOUTH (there's a debate), so I make a lot of comfort food that isn't always as healthy as some people on my team might choose to eat, but I haven't had any complaints on the taste of it so far.
CN: Where is this sport going to take you in 2023?
AM: Hopefully to a podium? I managed to finish 3rd in the young riders competition in the ACC last season but they only recognized first place on the podium so that really fueled the fire to get better so I can be on one by the end of 2023.
CN: We are now entering into the holiday season and a lot of people, whether they like it or not, have holiday traditions. Do you have any holiday riding traditions or something that you are really looking forward to doing on the bike this month?
AM: December is always chaos as far as on the bike training goes. I like to add what I call ~pizazz~ to some workouts which is basically either exceeding expectations or the opposite of what my coach is wanting. So, I may set 5 power records in workouts, but I also might skip the workout entirely and go run 10 miles in the woods. It really just depends on what I want to do, so my only real December riding tradition is being a nightmare to coach. So, thank you Tom (the Automatic coach) for putting up with my nonsense. :)
