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Milwaukee Cyclist Lindsey Kriete Is 'Not A Creature Of Habit'

Photo courtesy of Lindsey Kriete
Elite cyclist Lindsey Kriete

Many cyclists would agree that training for the sport can be labor-intensive and time-consuming. Milwaukee cyclist Lindsey Kriete manages to balance rigorous cycling training alongside working a full-time job. Her next races will be alongside nearly 500 other cyclists during the Tour of America’s Dairyland.

Historically Kriete is a runner, but came to discover her passion for cycling after suffering a foot injury. She says that her entryway to the sport is common, and many adult athletes begin cycling after injuries in other sports.

Kriete says she quickly fell in love with biking - both as a sport and the community. “The people that I have met through biking have been amazing, so I’ve kind of stuck with the sport."

She has more than simply "stuck" with the sport, Kriete enjoys the variety so much that she is efficient in its many forms - criterium racing, road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, and cyclocross.

Credit Image courtesy of Lindsey Kriete

"I wish I could say it gave me an advantage," Kriete jokes. "I don't think that's the case, but I like mixing it up so much that I don't care - it keeps it fresh and exciting for me."

When Wisconsin’s fickle weather isn’t ideal for sports with two wheels, she says she skis as a way to stay active. “I am not a creature of habit, so I like to keep variety in my life. A lot of cyclists spend their winter in their basements, or in gyms on trainers. That is a form of insanity for me.”

Kriete's day job is as the vice president of human resources at the Lutheran Home& Harwood Place. She says she's fortunate that the position allows her to maintain a work-life balance conducive to her intense athletic schedule.

“I can walk away from work at the end of the day, go about my life, and come back the next day,” says Kriete. “I haven’t had that in the past.”

Credit Image courtesy of Lindsey Kriete
Lindsey Kriete (center) with the women's Hollander-Benelux Racing Team.

Kriete says she also dedicates her time to getting more women and youth interested in the sport - something she admits is very challening.

Through her leadership of the Hollander-Benelux women’s cycling team, she says she's made a strong effort to recruit more female riders to the competitive racing level. But the fear of crashing, being “dropped,” and road rash, Kriete says, can intimidate potential cyclists, both men and women alike.

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Despite those barriers, she says  many people have recently began cycling as a hobby. Its popularity may pale in comparison to America’s most common pastimes, but Kriete believes cycling has the potential to become a more widely-enjoyed sport.

"It's all about the variety, the community, and keeping it fun," she says.

Audrey is a WUWM host and producer for Lake Effect.