Audrey McElmury grew up in La Jolla California and she was the first America woman to win the World Road Championships on August 23 1969, at Brno Czechoslovakia.
This marked the beginning for American women by being the first women to win a world title. Audrey was America's first National and World Road Champion of either sex, amateur or Professional, a modest champion who is virtually unknown. Audrey represents a milestone in the history of bicycle racing and she is honored here with one of the most underrated achievements ever in women's cycling. No America women has won the road race since except Beth Heiden.
Audrey won the World Road Championships in 1969 and she won both the National Pursuit title and first National Road Championship in 1966. In 1969 she won the track Omnium, which are races based on the best overall or points. In 1970 she again won the Pursuit and Road Championships. She held the U.S. National Hour Record on the track for over 20 years (1969 to 1990), along with several on the road.
Audrey also always raced the track events to calm her nerves, and opted to race at the world level rather then the national level, which could of gave her better representation. Audrey raced against the men often instead of easily winning the women's divisions, since she wanted to achieve excellence in world class fields.
Audrey's husband got her into bike racing and she started road racing in San Diego while doing track at the Encino Velodrome. They didn't have a state road championship for women back then and track racing was the only venue to become a state or national champion. Track racing was the only way to become a national champion in 1964, 65. The first national road race didn't start until 1966, which Audrey won.
In 1968, Audrey rode the Worlds in Italy instead of the nationals. In 1969, Audrey failed to win the nationals because of an accident she had in the Track Championships, but she won the track due to disqualification of the other rider who knocked her down. 1972 was the only year she didn't ride the track events.
Audrey set the Hour Record at Encino on a tiny 250 meter track, and held the pursuit record as well. Audrey trained often with track bikes that had brakes added on, to allow for cars which rode by in Quivira Basin where she trained. Audrey rode with the San Diego Bicycle Club in those days, the track at Encino was too far to travel, so they trained in the Basin.
Audrey has rode tracks at Northbrook, Dorais, Kissena, Encino, and Mexico City but she never had time to set up the record attempts there. When Leontion set the hour record at Mexico City, they has to spend an extra day or two to allow for workers to rebuild the track surface. When Audrey lived in Colorado, she rode on the oval at Colorado State University which she also used for the criterium.
Audrey missed a lot of nationals because back then the worlds were being staged at the same time. Frankfurt was the only Worlds she didn't attend. Audrey had to learn how to take her bike apart and put it all back together because when they traveled to Europe they had to dis-assemble the bike completely and carry it. There were weight limits on the plane, 20 kilograms per person, so everything had to be stripped down.
Audrey usually paid her own way, and with some help from family members. It costs her around $10,000 to go to the Worlds with plane fair, lodging, meals and such for six weeks. The Amateur Bicycle League also helped pay her fair to England one year, although they preferred she race the nationals.
Since there was no national team at the time, everybody pretty much rode for themselves. The San Diego Bicycle Club had a team but they split up in groups sharing expenses, so everyone were pretty much on their own.
During that time Audrey raced with the men, although it wasn't allowed, some of the ABL staff helped her get into those races. Racing with the men gave her the challenge to race with much stronger riders, and in turn made her stronger. She rode the Denver criterium, which the women's winner was given a hot air balloon ride. Audrey was much more interested in getting better then obtaining prizes.
Audrey liked winning and being in the limelight, especially racing against the men. Audrey also raced with the men in Europe and this proved the be the toughest of any training techniques. She even did track races at Encino with the men, as well as the Madison and Italian pursuits.
Audrey won races by visualization, reading and listening to tapes. She visualized it, and then believed she could do it, and went out and won races. She always had it in her head to win and thrived on adversity and competition. Audrey didn't really have a coach back then or the team tactics and regimentation that comes with that, so she was pretty much always on her own, when it came to winning races.
Audrey enjoyed winning track much more then road racing because of the tight quarters and condensed crowds allowed her to shine in the spotlight. Unlike road racing which needs thousands of fans strewn along the course like the world road championships. The condensed environment of track racing allows everyone to see everyone else race, and you can talk with people much more then the lonely route of the road race.
Most of Audreys trophies were donated to be recycled in bike racing, but she still has one of the climbers trophies from Italy and a crystal vase from the Worlds in Italy as well as her induction plaque into the Bicycling Hall of Fame.
Today, Audrey like fishing, whitewater rafting, backpacking and skiing. She lives with her husband Michael Levonas in a log house at West Yellowstone.
Links to articles and Photos about Audrey McElmury.
Audrey McElmury - Finish - (World Road Championships - 1969)
Audrey McElmury - Podium - (World Road Championships - 1969)
How it all started, (Nationals)
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Article Written by Procyclingwomen.com.
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