Bunki Bankaitis (Davis)

Bunki Bankaitis (Davis)

Bunki Bankaitis (Davis) was born on January 2, 1958. She was one of the top riders of her time, excelling in both the national and world competitions. Bunki's career spanned a decade winning many classics and stage races including the Coors Classic, Tour De Toona, Tour of Texas, Tour of Norway and the National Prestige Classic.

In 1992 Bunki was part of the winning team in both the national and world team time trial championships. The nationals took place at Altoona Pennsylvania, and the worlds at Benidorm Spain. The Worlds course was 50km, and the US team was led by Bunki Bankaitis-Davis, Jan Bolland, Jeanne Golay and Eve Stephenson. The French were highly favored to win with Jeannie Longo, Catherine Marsal and Cecile Oden.

Also the Italian brought their stellar stars with Antonella Belluti, Roberta Bonanomi, Alessandra Cappellotto and Maria Turcutto. Holland had Leontien Van Moorsel and Norway had Monica Valen. The Germans were led by Petra Rossner and the British by Marie Purvis.

The team time trial was the last time to be performed at the Olympics, and it was one of the greatest racing moments ever in history. Longo and Marsal were at the time, the best women of that era, and the American team won by a healthy margin of 13 seconds.

The American women all rode custom time trial frames designed and built by Koichi Yamaguchi to each rider's body measurements and specifications. This was certainly a fitting tribute and brilliant end to nearly a decade of racing, and Bunki Bankaitis-Davis will be remembered for being part of that brilliant effort at a time when women's cycling was really starting to flourish.

Bunki Bankaitis-Davis has a Ph.D. with a doctorate in chemistry from the University of North Carolina and a B.S. with honors in chemistry from Cleveland State University. Bunki is a research scientist and Senior Director for a Customer Laboratory.

Highlights

1986 - 1st place in Colorado Classic, USA.
1987 - 1st place in Tour of Texas, USA.
1987 - 1st place in Texas Cup Weekend, USA.
1988 - 1st place in Tour of Texas, USA.
1988 - 1st place in Tour of Norway.
1988 - 1st place in National Prestige Classic, USA.
1990 - 1st place in Tour De Toona, USA.
1992 - 1st place in Oranjeronde Van Tiel, Holland.
1992 - 1st place in Haasdonk, Belgium.
1992 - 2nd place in Omloop T Molenheike, Holland.
1992 - 1st place in National Time Trial Championships, USA.
1992 - 1st place in World Time Trial Championships (USA-TTT), Spain.

Links to articles about Bunki Bankaitis-Davis.

World's Champion jersey won by Bunki Bankaitis-Davis & Jan Bolland, in 50KM TT in 1992 World Championships, at Benidorm Spain.

Championship Jersey

Bunki Davis in the 1992 Olympics Trials.

Palmares
Country: USA
Bunki Bankaitis-Davis
winning stage 3 of the
1989 Tour De Feminin,
ahead of Jeannie Longo.

Teams

1986 - Centurion-Texas-Metros
1987 - 7-Eleven
1988 - 7-Eleven
1889 - 7-Eleven
1990 - USA National, (Boulder)
Team Bridgestone-Blackburn
1991 - Eastside Whim
1992 - Look

Palmares
1st - 3rd
Expand

1986
June 19-23, 1986 - Colorado Classic, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 1.
June 19-23, 1986 - Colorado Classic, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 3.
June 19-23, 1986 - Colorado Classic, stage race in USA - 1st place on the final GC.

1987
March 27, 1987 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place in the prologue, Leakey.
March 30, 1987 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 3rd place in the time trial (TT), Pace Bend Park, Austin.
April 2, 1987 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place stage 5, Austin.
April 2, 1987 - Tour De Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place on the final GC.
April 11, 1987 - Texas Cup Weekend, Stage race in USA - 1st place, De Soto.
August 22, 1987 - Coors Classic, stage race in USA - 2nd place in stage 9, Morgul to Mismarck, Colorado.
1987 - National Championships, USA - 2nd place, Morgul-Bismarck, Colorado.

1988
March 25, 1988 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 1 team time trial (TTT), Corpus Christi Texas.
March 26, 1988 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 3rd place in stage 2, Spohn Hospital Classic.
March 27, 1988 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 2nd place in stage 3, Tapatio Springs Texas.
April 1, 1988 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 4 time trial (TT), Leaky.
April 10, 1988 - Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place on the final GC.
April 28-30, 1988 - Vuelta De Bisbee, stage race in the USA - 2nd place on the final GC.
May 18, 1988 - Tour De La Drome, stage race in France - 2nd place in stage 1, Bourg les Valance-Romans.
May 20, 1988 - Tour De La Drome, stage race in France - 3rd place in stage 4, Die-Dieulefit.
May 22, 1988 - Tour De La Drome, stage race in France - 2nd place in on the final GC, Euromarche Grenoble.
May 22, 1988 - Tour De La Drome, stage race in France - 3rd place in the mountains competition on the final GC, Euromarche Grenoble.
May 26, 1988 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 3rd place in the prologue.
May 27, 1988 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 1st place in stage 2, Hamar.
June 1, 1988 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 2nd place in stage 6, Fagernes-Valdresflya.
June 4, 1988 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 3rd place in stage 9, Kongsberg.
May 4, 1988 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 1st place on the final GC.
May 4, 1988 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 2nd place in the mountains competition on the final GC.
August 16, 1988 - Tour of Colorado, stage race in USA - 2nd place in the prologue, Grand Junction Colorado.
August 19, 1988 - Tour of Colorado, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 5 criterium, Vail Village Colorado.
August 21, 1988 - Tour of Colorado, stage race in USA - 3rd place on the final GC.
1988 - National Prestige Classic, USA - 1st place.
1988 - U.S. Olympic Challenge, USA - 3rd place.

1989
March 31, 1989 - Branders Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place in the prologue, Trinty Park at Fort Worth Texas.
April 9, 1989 - Branders Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 8, Zilker Park, Austin Texas.
April 9, 1989 - Branders Tour of Texas, stage race in USA - 2nd place in combined mountains-sprint points on the final GC.
May 20, 1989 - Revco Cleveland Criterium, USA - 3rd place, Cleveland Ohio.
May 28, 1989 - Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, stage race in USA - 1st place in criterium, Durango.
June 11, 1989 - Rocky Mountain News Bannock Criterium, USA - 3rd place, Denver Colorado.
June 26, 1989 - Subaru Cycling Series, USA - 3rd place, Dallas Texas.
July 14, 1989 - Tour De Feminin, stage race in France - 1st place in stage 3, Martigues-Marseille.

1990
May 18, 1990 - Omloop Van Het Molenheike, Holland - 1st place in the in the team time trial (TTT), Diessen.
May 31, 1990 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 1st place in the stage 5, team time trial (TTT), Tjome-Ton-Sberg.
May 31, 1990 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 1st place in the stage 5b criterium, Tonsberg.
June 2, 1990 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 2nd place on the final GC.
June 2, 1990 - Tour of Norway, stage race in Norway - 3rd place in the points competition on the final GC.
August 24-26, 1990 - Tour De Toona, stage race in USA - 1st place in the stage 1 time trial (TT), Suburu Staight Shooters, Altoona Pennsylvania.
August 24-26, 1990 - Tour De Toona, stage race in USA - 1st place in the stage 2 - JC Penny, Altoona Pennsylvania.
August 24-26, 1990 - Tour De Toona, stage race in USA - 1st place on the final GC.

1991
March 22, 1991 - Natural State Stage Race, USA - 2nd place in stage 2 time trial (TT), Little Rock Arizona.
April 19, 1991 - L 'Etoile Vosigienne, stage race in France - 2nd place in stage 1, Epinal-Chantraine.
April 19, 1991 - L 'Etoile Vosigienne, stage race in France - 2nd place in the points competition on the final GC.
April 21, 1991 - Ster Der Vogezen, stage race in France - 2nd place stage 1.
August 3-4, 1991 - G.P. Cycliste De Hull, stage race in Canada - 3rd place in stage 2, Quebec.

1992
April 23, 1992 - La Vuelta De Bisbee, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 1, Arizona.
April 30, 1992 - Oranjeronde Van Tiel, Holland - 1st place.
May 1, 1992 - Haasdonk Belgium - 1st place.
May 14, 1992 - Omloop T Molenheike, stage race in Holland - 1st place in stage 1, team time trial (TTT), Diessen.
May 15, 1992 - Omloop T Molenheike, stage race in Holland - 1st place in stage 2.
May 16, 1992 - Omloop T Molenheike, stage race in Holland - 2nd place in stage 3.
May 17, 1992 - Omloop T Molenheike, stage race in Holland - 3rd place in stage 5.
May 17, 1992 - Omloop T Molenheike, stage race in Holland - 2nd place on the final GC.
May 17, 1992 - Omloop T Molenheike, stage race in Holland - 2nd place in the points competition on the final GC.
May 17, 1992 - Omloop T Molenheike, stage race in Holland - 3rd place in the sprints competition on the final GC.
June 12, 1992 - National Time Trial Championships, USA - 2nd place, Altoona Pennsylvania.
June 14, 1992 - National Championships, USA - 1st place in team time trial (TTT), Altoona Pennsylvania.
June 25, 1992 - International Women's Challenge, stage race in USA - 1st place in the team time trial (TTT), Treasure Valley.
June 27, 1992 - International Women's Challenge, stage race in USA - 1st place in stage 3, St. Luke's Criterium.
July 5, 1992 - International Women's Challenge, stage race in USA - 3rd place in stage 12 time trial (TT).
1992 - World Championships, Spain - 1st place in the team time trial (USA-TTT), Benidorm Spain.

Articles are written in my own words, researched from a variety of sources from Europe and the United States, including seeing things first hand at races, researching race videos, books, magazines, libraries etc. Stats and career highlights, palmares were confirmed as much as possible from several sources worldwide so that they can be as accurate as possible. In some instances the riders have contributed to the quality of the articles, and photos were taken at various races worldwide. Photos provided by a number of sources, from the riders to professional journalists, and courtesy of donors. Thanks to Cyclingnews for the quality of their archives approximately since the year 2000 helps to validate other sources worldwide. Special thanks to Alfred North for his tremendous contribution to the women's cycling over the last 30 years, which his archives dating from 1984 to the present day has been an overwhelming contribution to women's cycling worldwide. This is the first time that in depth compilation of the women rider's palmares have been well researched and posted to the Internet for the whole cycling world to see. They are comprehensive and cover several decades. If you use my work, please give credit.

Article Written by Bruce Johnston.