By Marc Thaler
Staff Writer

Stephanie White of Bedford, covered in mud, is all smiles. She's also our Super Shoes Athlete of the Month. (Courtesy Photo)

BEDFORD – She closed out 2004 by winning the junior women's national cyclocross championship in Oregon back in mid-December.

For that first-place finish – in her first year competing in the 15- to 18-year-old division – Bedford's Stephanie White, 15, is the Neighborhood's first Super Shoes Athlete of the Month for 2005.

When contacted to chat about her tremendous accomplishment, White, a sophomore at Manchester West, had to push back her phone interview by 30 minutes.

Naturally, she was finishing up her ride on the indoor bike.

"I was really nervous before the race," White eventually said. "I was worried about (competing against) an 18-year-old from South Carolina. She had gone to the world championships and placed third in the time trials."

Off the starting line, White said her South Carolina competition bolted to the lead. White just stayed on the leader's rear wheel.

And then it happened. This super sophomore saw her opportunity to take control of the race.

"The 18-year-old faltered and she fell about halfway through the first lap," said White, who completed her two-lap ride at nationals in 23 minutes. "But it wasn't until I crossed the finish line that I knew I was gonna win. So many things can happen."

The reason there are so many variables that can affect the outcome of a race, White said, is largely due to the outdoor elements and number of obstacles on a cyclocross course.

The sport, which calls for athletes to use road-style bicycles with dropped handle bars, combines off-road mountain biking and road riding, White said.

The courses aren't very long, anywhere from one to two miles in length. But riders encounter barriers along the way, which are shorter than track and field hurdles, White added.

Each time a barrier presents itself, riders have to hop off their bikes and jump the 1-plus foot "speed bumps."

"Competitions are done in the fall and winter," she said. "There tends to be rain and snow and mud (on the course). All sorts of insane things."

White, however, said she doesn't mind getting dirty. Because she started out as a mountain biker at the age of 10, trekking through sections splattered with mud don't bother her. She also admitted a certain fondness for pedaling in the snow.

Still, there is one mental hurdle, as White described it, that will forever give her a good amount of grief.

"Coldness," she said. "I really hate being cold."

It takes a lot of self-discipline and concentration to be successful in the sport, White said. Competitors are very serious about their performances because only the best in the country bother coming to nationals.

Nonetheless, White has that determination to do well, even in the face of adversity. Out in Oregon it appeared, momentarily, that this young champion would have to race on her back-up bike.

"The day before the race, I was on the course to do my pre-ride," White said. "My rear derailer ripped totally off my bike. It was totally unexpected and I was panic-stricken. My spare bike was my dad's, but I preferred not to use it. Luckily, we found a bike shop the night before the race to fix it."

While everything worked out on her trip to the Northwest, White said it wouldn't have been the end of the world had the outcome been different.

"Alot of junior athletes tend to get carried away (with the need to win)," White said. "I'm coached by my dad and my family emphasizes long-term goals over short-term goals. And the most important thing is to have fun."

(Editor's Note: The Athlete of the Month receives a $50 gift certificate, courtesy of Super Shoes.)