Pedaling Pros MISSY GIOVE Missy Giove is a real champion in the world of biking. She is proud of her many accomplishments. She is someone who went from delivering Chinese food to being the winner of the World Cup Downhill Series in Hawaii. Missy has always been a daredevil. She skied before she began biking. When she was in college in 1990, she and a friend were skiing. Her friend was dared to bike down the snowy hill. Being one to never let a dare go unchallenged, Missy borrowed a bike a rode down the hillside. She crashed once and then got up and crashed again, but made it down the hill.  She was always fast but she kept crashing when she raced. "I went fast for maybe 50 yards and then crashed. Then I went 100 yards and crashed. Finally one day I made it across the finish line without crashing and won. I never got faster. I just made it down farther."  Her specialty is the downhill race. She is nicknamed "The Missile" and she has a title as the fastest mountain biker in the world. She has broken her left wrist three times, her right wrist twice, and she broke her kneecap and heel. She landed herself in a wheelchair for three months, recovered, and won the world championship. She has also broken her collarbone, fingers, tore her rotator cuff and cracked her ribs. During her races she has an interesting lucky charm. She wears her deceased dog's ashes and her pet piranah's dried remains. She keeps these with her to remind her to be aggressive. At 24, Missy Giove has won the women's title at the World Cup Downhill Series and has lifted the standard in downhill racing by making it more dangerous and daring. She also earns about half a million dollars a year not including her winnings and merchandise. Missy believes that bicycling should remain a soul sport and not be one for only the elite.  Back to Pros Page   HOME | Preferences | Protection | Parts | Pros | Past | Pleasure | Performance | Puzzles | About Us | Bibliography | Links