No Admittance for ladies



"In Holland the lady riders are not allowed to take part in men’s races, not even at old bikes!
Well, everybody has to accept that - exept from the Norwegian Elite lady rider Anita Valen de Vries, who WANTED to take part in a criterium in Sloten/Amsterdam.

Her husband, the ex-pro rider Gerrit de Vries, bought a one-day-licens for her under the name of ’Antonio Valen’. Anita ’modified’ the female anatomy - tightened a little here and bulged a little there, hidding her hair under the helmet and wearing big dark sun glasses! She finished the 1 1/2 hour race in the peloton, and the organizer did not find out.

But a Dutch lady rider, standing next to Gerrit de Vries as a spectator, said to him: ”There is a girl in that race, and she looks very much like your wife, Anita” - and he had to agree with her.



The race was a preparation for the National Championships in this summer, the World Championships in the autumn and the Olympic Games in 2008.

After the race Anita and Gerrit dined at a restaurant, Anita in gown, on stiletto heels and with red lips - probaply exactly as beautiful as on their wedding.

Source: Syklingens Verden (NOR) and Anita Valen de Vries.
John Tønnesen