2020 Team Roster
The Levine Law Group Elite Women’s Cycling team celebrates their third season racing as a U.S. domestic level program in 2020. The race calendar will mainly focus on domestic criteriums including the USA CRITS Series, as a member of their D1 team program, and Pro Road Tour events. Riders will also attend gravel and fondo events, as well as track and mountain bike events.
The 2020 roster will include five returning riders, including last year’s USA CRITS Series 3rd place finisher Emma Bast (Washington, D.C.) who continues with the team for a third season. Also returning for a third season will be Rachel Canning (Bowen Island, B.C.).
Hayley Bates (Monrovia, CA) and Kate Kirkpatrick (New Bern, NC) both return for a second year.
Meet the whole team of new and returning riders!
The 2020 team roster:
Emma Bast
Rachel Canning
Hayley Bates
Abby Krawczyk
Arley Kemmerer
Kate Kirkpatrick
Ava Hachmann
Allison Schroeder
Dakota Topp, Development Team
Lauren LeClaire (Team Director)
Meet them all below!!
Emma Bast
Hometown: Hinesburg, VT
Currently resides in: Washington, DC
Pets: Scout, a cranky but wonderful calico cat WHO IS OUT TO PLOT YOUR DEMISE
On the bike accomplishments:
2nd, 2019 Salt Lake City Criterium
3rd, 2019 USACRITS Individual Season Overall
1st, 2016 Detroit Cycling Classic.
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: Off the bike, my jerb is being an energy law attorney in DC. I also cook the best pancakes (sorrynotsorry Bates) and chocolate chip cookies, but make the worst puns.
One weird/interesting fact about yourself: I’ve got a weird knack for correctly pronouncing words in non-Germanic languages that I don’t speak. Take me out to your favorite ethnic restaurant.
Why do you race bikes: Straight up, I love me some bike racing. Being in the race, the competition, figuring out how to do the thing, the training. Also, racing and the community and my team are my refuge from life.
How did you get into cycling?: I stopped rowing in college and looked around, and found my school’s cycling club. Racing in the ECCC got me hooked! #ECCC4lyfe (yeah I graduated slightly over 10 years ago [oof], the ECCC is the best conference, what of it?)
Favorite color: Green, probably.
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: I’m really good at french braiding hair, which is funny, because my own hair hasn’t been long enough to braid since 9th grade.
What is your favorite 90s jam: Yes.
What are your 2020 goals?: Podium hunting and finding time to train while being a newly-minted lawyer.
Rachel Canning
Hometown: Lions Bay, BC
Currently resides on: Bowen Island, BC
Pets: Barclay the Golden doodle, Jacob the cat
On the bike accomplishments:
4th 2019 Littleton Twilight
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: Running, hiking, camping, kayaking. Spending as much time as possible with Barclay. I work as a Kinesiologist, and as a Personal Trainer.
One weird/interesting fact about yourself: I don’t like cinnamon buns
Why do you race bikes: To go new places and meet new people. I’m competitive by nature, so to challenge myself in ever changing environments.
How did you get into cycling?: As a way to rehab my knee after a skiing accident. I had a friend who introduced my to a racing club, and I was hooked.
Favorite color: Green
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: Handstand push ups
What is your favorite 90s jam: Anything Tragically Hip
What are your 2020 goals?: Putting Pink on the top step.
Hayley Bates
Hometown: Long Beach, CA
Currently resides in: Monrovia, CA
Pets: two fish and every dog I ever meet
On the bike accomplishments: I started racing ultra endurance mountain bike races and did Leadville at age 18 with zero training (big ouch). Since then my races lengths have gotten progressively shorter, from xc mountain biking to road racing, now to crits and track racing. I snagged an elite natty champ in the team pursuit last year and I’m hungry for more!
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: cook pancakes, eat pancakes, and think about pancakes. Also, I work in commercial real estate, enjoy napping, making playlists, reading, lifting, yoga, and spending lots of time at the beach.
One weird/interesting fact about yourself: when Lauren (team mom) can’t find me all of a sudden, she looks for the nearest dog Why do you race bikes: two reasons! I love the people I meet and the places I get to go. I can’t imagine where I would be without the cycling community. I’m also very competitive with myself. I like seeing how hard I can push myself and how much I can progress.
How did you get into cycling?: my parents are cyclists and basically bribed me into the sport when I stopped playing soccer
Favorite color: blue! What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: I can do a double digit number of pull ups.
What is your favorite 90s jam: What is Love? , It Wasn’t Me, or No Diggity
What are your 2020 goals?: Get Pink on the top step of the team, individual, and u25 overall
Abby Krawczyk (Craw-check)
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Currently resides in: Memphis, TN
Pets: Signe and Lily. Two rescue lab mixes that are often found at bike races. They love food and pets.
On the bike accomplishments:
2016 - 2nd overall Intelli Cup (p1/2), after winning stages 1 & 2. I took 2017 and 2018 off for hip surgery and have been on (what feels like) the slowest comeback ever since.
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: Internal Audit Manager for a large financial services company. I primarily work with our life insurance business. I’m fun.
Why do you race bikes: I need a fun outlet! See also, my off the bike job.
How did you get into cycling?: I swam for the University of Minnesota, dabbled in triathlon then found bike racing. Life without running is so much better. Emma was actually on my first team. She was and still is impressive!
Favorite color: my wardrobe says black, or grey. Thank goodness for cycling kits.
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: I say that I don’t swim anymore, and that I “just float.” But in reality, in the case of a shark spotting, I would definitely be the first one out of the water.
What is your favorite 90s jam: I’m an 80s child.
What are your 2020 goals?: MORE PODIUM PIZZA WITH THE TEAM
Arley Kemmerer
Hometown: Palmerton, PA
Currently resides in: Philadelphia, PA
Pets: Kali, a chocolate lab and the greatest dog of all time
On the bike accomplishments:
2014 Cyclocross World Champs Team
11th Valkenburg CX World Cup 2014
15th Tabor CX World Cup 2013
15th Trek Cup CX World Cup 2017
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: Criminal Defense/Family Law Attorney
Why do you race bikes: Because otherwise I’d get sucked into Crossfit competition, and I’m not ready to buy a whole new wardrobe of suits.
How did you get into cycling?: After “retiring” from NCAA Downhill Ski Racing at the University of New Hampshire in 2005 (and recovering from a stress fracture from doing a lot of running), I figured it would be fun to try a season of bike racing for UNH before graduation just for something to do. Collegiate cycling was SUPER fun, I was hooked instantly, and have continued ever since.
Favorite color: Blue
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: Single-arm pullups, cross-examination ninja
What is your favorite 90s jam(zzzz): Missy Elliot/NAS/Fat Joe/Warren G
What are your 2020 goals?: Having a nice time racing bicycles
Kate Kirkpatrick
Hometown: Bay Head, New Jersey
Currently resides in: New Bern, North Carolina
Pets: Max (AKA: MaxATTACK) an anxious mini doxie and Rocky (AKA: Rocky Raccoon) an enthusiastic Black Lab - he cannot be contained!
On the bike accomplishments: Workhorses don’t talk about results.
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: I namaste a lot and am learning to weld.
One weird/interesting fact about yourself: I dip my cheeseburgers in honey. (don’t @me!) WHAT??
Why do you race bikes: Yoga shouldn’t be a competition.
How did you get into cycling?: See above.
Favorite color: Blue, any shade.
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: Reading races and MINDS
What is your favorite 90s jam: How could I possibly choose just ONE? If I must: Here Comes the Hotstepper - Ini Kamoze.
What are your 2020 goals?: Putting Pink on the top step.
Ava Hachmann
Hometown: Durango, Colorado
Currently resides in: Durango, Colorado
Pets: The imaginary flock corgis in my dreams.
On the bike accomplishments:
3rd Collegiate Varsity TTT
8th Oklahoma City Pro Am #2
1st Joe Martin Amateur Road Race
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: I am studying Biochemistry at Fort Lewis College, when I’m able I still love to ski and do the other outdoorsy activities of Colorado.
One weird/interesting fact about yourself: It’s nearly a guarantee that I will know someone in every city I end up in.
Why do you race bikes: I race bikes to win… but the wonderful community and travelling with friends I’d never have met otherwise, going to places I’d never have visited if not for racing are pretty good too.
How did you get into cycling?: Riding bikes is what we do in Durango, programs start at the strider level here. My parents raced together collegiately, my mother went on to race professionally on the mountain bike for a couple seasons. The number of ex-pros and olympians that show up to our group rides is ridiculous, keeps you humble.
Favorite color: PINK
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: I’m taller than the pack and can see over everyone, I can carry many snacks and hide my tiny teammates.
What is your favorite 90s jam: No Diggity by Blackstreet. The song is two years older than me, but a bop regardless
What are your 2020 goals?: Go for that U25 podium, get all the points for the team overall, do all the leadouts for the individual overall and get the squad all the screen time!
Allison Schroeder
Hometown: Granville, OH
Currently resides in: Chicago, IL
Pets: A super derpy pittie named Hazel, who recently broke a nail skerping around the park and racked up a pretty costly vet bill (whatta princess)
On the bike accomplishments:
4th place Barry Roubaix,
1st Intelligentsia Niles Cycling Classic 2 / 3
IL cat 2 state champ
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: I’m an actuary (math nerd) at a big four consulting firm. I also love swimming, lifting, playing with my pup, going to concerts, and random acts of kindness!
One weird/interesting fact about yourself: I grew up in England and still incorrectly spell colour
Why do you race bikes: I love pushing my limits and have found racing to be a great atmosphere to find those. Also having been an endurance athlete in mostly individual sports my whole life, I love the team aspect of bike racing.
How did you get into cycling?: The classic swimmer -> triathlete -> triathlete that hated running -> cyclist! In terms of getting into racing, my boyfriend races and I started bringing my bike with when I went to spectate his races, jumped in some myself, had some fun, here I am!
Favorite color: Pink or bust!
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: staying happy and optimistic
What is your favorite 90s jam: semi-charmed life cuz the only thing to be is happy when singing along to that one
What are your 2020 goals?: Fearless dedication to team goals, have fun and always be SENDING IT
Dakota Topp
Hometown: Anthem, Arizona
Currently resides in: Mars Hill, North Carolina
Pets: 3 dogs (pitbull Kona, great pyrenees Quinn, aussie Oakley) and 3 cats (maincoon Gulliver who I rescued on my way home from a bike race and 2 tabbys Theia and Bitty)
On the bike accomplishments:
1st San Rafael 3/4/5 2018
4th 17-18 nationals scratch race 2018
9th Collegiate Points and Scratch race 2018
9th ITT Collegiate road 2019
1st place Giordana race series 2019
- also most likely to be smiling in a picture while racing
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: I’m a double major in biology in chemistry at Mars Hill University to become a trauma surgeon in the navy. I am a big fan of all things coffee related. I do a lot of nerdy things like reading and studying.
One weird/interesting fact about yourself: I do not sleep with pillows.
Why do you race bikes: I enjoy competition, and riding my bike, combining the two is the perfect mix. Also, the atmosphere (and the dogs) and getting to learn from my teammates and others is such a valuable experience.
How did you get into cycling?: I was a swimmer for 7 years and my younger sister started doing triathlons, and I wanted to do them too, but was really bad at running and didn’t want to swim anymore, so went to cycling. Found track racing that summer after stumbling on the velodrome
Favorite color: Pink!! (For reference check my bikes)
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: I'm really good at making people laugh (or so I’d like to think).
What is your favorite 90s jam: Well, I was not alive yet, so maybe I want it that way by Backstreet Boys or I got friends in low places by Garth Brooks
What are your 2020 goals?: race bikes really fast and have fun. Get some team W’s!!
Lauren LeClaire
Hometown: Sutton, MA
Currently resides in: Sutton, MA
Pets: Bruce and Norman, cats that are basically Statler and Waldorf of the muppets
On the bike accomplishments: I used to be fast and now I just herd cats. I mean…. Bike racers.
School/Job/Stuff you do off the bike: By day… I work in insurance. It’s a 4th generation family business in a small town that I’m really proud to be continuing.
Why do (did) you race bikes: I have always been competitive, I used to run, and like having an outlet. I love the emotions of it, the highs and the lows.
How did you get into cycling?: I started cycling by commuting to work when I lived in Boston. It was easier than walking or taking the bus. I worked in the music industry so doing either one of those things late at night was not ideally. Biking felt safer, go figure. I got into hanging out with the fixed gear/bike messenger crowd, so I went from racing bold sprint races in bars and alley-cats to to promptly going out for a 53 mile bike ride. On my fixed gear bike. I got a geared bike after that and never looked back.
Favorite color: You’d think from this team that it was pink. But it’s actually blue.
What is your secret (or not so secret) strength: CAT HERDING
What is your favorite 90s jam: SO HARD TO CHOOSE? SPRICE GIRLS? BSB? N*SYNC? POSSIBILITIES. NO WAIT IT’S DESTINY’S CHILD 4LYFE - YES THAT IS CORRECT.
What are your 2020 goals?: CRUSH EVERYTHING 5EVAR
*All-caps contributions courtesy of the LLG squad*