Rally Cycling announces three new signings in Americans Abby Mickey (Colavita-Bianchi), Summer Moak (Sho-Air Twenty20) and Heidi Franz (Keller Rohrback Cycling). The trio further strengthen a program that won 46 races in 2017.

Mickey is a veteran of the professional peloton and an accomplished stage racer, with podium finishes at the Tour of the Gila, Cascade Cycling Classic and Steamboat Springs Stage Race. This season, she finished third in the final stage and third on general classification at the Colorado Classic. The result was particularly meaningful for the Colorado native.

“I am most proud of my podium at the Colorado Classic,” Mickey said. “It came after two years of struggling to find my legs and even though I didn’t win, it felt like a win to me.”

Growing up in Aspen, CO, Mickey started racing for the University of Colorado in Boulder in 2010. While there, she split her time between road cycling and mountain biking. During her three years of racing at the university, she finished on the podium over 30 times. She graduated with a degree in History.

Mickey reflected on her time in the professional peloton and what cycling has taught her.

“Cycling has taught me the importance of patience and teamwork. It has also taught me a lot about myself and the person I want to be. Rally Cycling had a really incredible season last year, and I think that the sky’s the limit.”

Mickey’s experience will help the many young developing riders on Rally Cycling, riders like fellow new signees Summer Moak and Heidi Franz.

“The number one lesson I’ve learned is to keep having fun,” she explained. “Pressure is good but too much can do damage, so it’s important for young and developing athletes to have other interests and outlets while staying dedicated and professional.”

Joining Mickey are fellow Americans Moak and Franz.

Much like Mickey, Moak has enjoyed an extraordinary amount of success in her first few seasons of racing. Between racing on the track and on the road, she has over a dozen national titles and records. In June she won the Junior National Time Trial Championships and represented the USA at the World Road Championships in Bergen, Norway.

“It’s difficult picking just one result that I’m most proud of,” said Moak. “While I’m equally proud of all that I have accomplished as a junior, the hardest, most challenging races that I suffered through and finished are the ones that provide the greatest sense of pride, not necessarily the placing.”

Born and raised on Bainbridge Island outside of Seattle, Franz didn’t start racing until her third year of college. While studying Photography at Seattle University, she earned titles at the National Collegiate Championships in the time trial, criterium and omnium. Franz continued this success with a breakout ride at this year’s Redlands Bicycle Classic, where she won the Best Amateur classification and earned herself a guest rider spot with the team for the Cascade Cycling Classic.

“I signed with Rally Cycling because I have admired and respected the structure of the program,” said Franz. “The dynamics between teammates and the confidence of the staff made it an easy decision. Racing alongside the women this year, it was clear that they knew how to work together really well and that, as athletes, they were treated well.”

For Team Director Zach Bell, signing these new riders serves a dual purpose.

“The addition of these riders gives us more options in the overall general classification of stage races,” said Bell. “Our goal of developing the best young talents in North America remains while we look to take advantage of having increased numbers at the front of races.”

The women of Rally Cycling look to continue building one of the strongest cycling teams in the country by gathering for a winter team building camp in Winter Park, CO in December.