Jennifer Valente

“Some of the worlds greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible.”  - Doug Larson

Name: Jennifer Valente

Nickname: Jenn

D.O.B.: December 24, 1994

Birth city and state: San Diego, CA   

Current City: Colorado Springs, CO

Height: 5’9”

Specialty: Track

Previous sports: Water Polo

Years racing: 9

Colleges attended: University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Degree: Still working on it

Instagram: instagram.com/valentejennifer/

Facebook: Facebook.com/ValenteJennifer

Twitter: @ValenteJennifer

Growing up in Southern California, Jennifer had been around bikes her entire life. She rode around her San Diego-neighborhood on mountain and BMX bikes since she could remember. In 2008, Jennifer began taking kids classes at the San Diego Velodrome. She started racing, first on the track and then in local critiriums, about a year later. In 2011 Jennifer won the scratch race at the Junior Track World Championships in Moscow and was nominated to the 2012 Olympic Long Team. Shortly after, she put aside her water polo and focused solely on riding bikes. In the years leading into the 2016 Olympics, Jennifer moved to Colorado Springs, CO to train and to start college at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She currently resides in Colorado. 

Career Highlights

  • Rio 2016 Olympic Silver Medal
  • 3x Elite World Champion – Team Pursuit
  • 7x Elite Pan American Champion
  • 6x UCI Track World Cup Medalist
  • 9x Elite Track National Champion
  • Junior World Champion – Scratch Race
  • 12x Junior Track National Champion

2018

  • Gold UCI Elite World Champion – Team Pursuit
  • Sliver UCI Elite World Championships – Points Race
  • 5th UCI Elite World Championships – Omnium
  • Bronze UCI Elite World Cup v – Omnium

2017

  • 1st UCI Track World Championships – Team Pursuit
  • 4th UCI Track World Cup I
  • Silver Elite World Cup I – Omnium
  • 1st Elite Pan American Championships – Omnium, Scratch Race, Points Race
  • 1st USA Elite Track National Championships – Omnium, Scratch Race, Points Race
  • 1st Colorado Cycling Classic Stage 1
  • 1st Andersen Banducci Twilight Criterium
  • 1st UCI U.S. Sprint Cup – International Omnium
  • 5th Cascade Cycling Classic – Final GC

2016

  • 2nd Rio Olympics – Team Pursuit
  • 1st Track World Championships – Team Pursuit
  • 3rd UCI Track World Cup, Hong Kong (2015/16 season) – Team Pursuit

What inspired you to become a bike racer?

Riding bikes for fun + competitiveness = bike racer

Who is an inspiration to you in your life, both on and off the bike?

Anyone who works hard, never gives up, and stays true to themselves.

Favorite meal when training?

Eggs and coffee.

The best thing about being a bike racer is?

The speed and adrenaline.

What is your biggest accomplishment on the bike?

Becoming an Olympian.

Favorite place you’ve raced your bike and why?

Southern California. It’s my home and my family can be there.

Favorite cross training or off season activity?

Going to the beach when I’m in San Diego, hiking, sleeping, going to the gym.

Best tip for a new bike racer?

Keep a balance between training and recovery, and in life outside of cycling.

What are one or two things that you do daily that are the key to your success?

Allotting enough time for recovery each day.

If you weren’t bike racing what would you be?

Finishing school faster. Finding cool adventures to go on in the mountains or near a beach, probably with my brothers.

If you could spend 10 days anywhere, where would it be?

At home.

Favorite things to do off the bike:

  1. Sleeping
  2. Hiking with friends or doing something outside
  3. Watch movies/Netflix/tv
  4. Sleeping
  5. Getting lost in cities that I think I know
  6. Finding actives like lazar tag, comedy shows, escape rooms, museums.

Top 5 warmup/pre-race songs on your iPod:

Spotify, it makes my playlists for me.

Favorite things to eat.

  1. Burgers
  2. Coffee
  3. A good burrito
  4. Trader Joe’s cookie ice cream sandwiches

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