DAVIS, Calif. (August 25, 2022) – Four legends of American cycling have been voted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. The Class of 2022 inductees are: Kristin Armstrong (Modern Road & Track Competitor), Les Barczewski (Veteran Road & Track Competitor), Melissa "Missy" Giove (Off-Road Competitor), and Dean Crandall (Contributor to the Sport). Including the Class of 2022, there are now 169 Inductees in the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame.
"The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame is proud to honor these talented individuals," said Bob Bowen, Board President. "Each of them were selected by the voters because of their supreme accomplishments in cycling. Their induction into the Hall of Fame will serve as a perpetual reminder of their dedication and sacrifices related to pursuing the sport of cycling at the highest levels."
The 36th USBHOF Induction Ceremony for the 2022 Inductees will be held in 2023 at a date and location to be announced later. Induction Ceremony information will be available in early 2023 at usbhof.org.
The Class of 2022 Inductees are:
Kristin Armstrong - Modern Road and Track: Undoubtedly one of the best American performers in modern history, Kristin Armstrong is the most decorated U.S. women's cyclist of all time and the best Individual Time Trialist in sports history. She is a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist (in 2008, 2012 & 2016 in the Time Trial), two-time World Champion (2006 & 2009 in the Time Trial) and has won six U.S. National Championships: four in the Time Trial event and two in the Road event.
Les Barczewski - Veteran Road & Track: Les Barczewski came out of the powerhouse speed skating community of Wisconsin to excel in track sprinting on the velodrome, qualifying as a member of the 1980 Olympic Team and winning silver in the match sprint at the 1983 Pan American Games. Barczewski was also often paired on the tandem with his brother, Hall of Famer Leigh Barczewski and with Hall of Famer Nelson Vails. He was a four-time member of the US Worlds Team and a three-time member of the US Pan American Team.
He sped to the US record in the 200 Meter Time Trial in 1981 and eventually claimed the World Professional 200-meter TT record in 1986. When paired with Nelson Vails on the tandem, Barczewski and Vails won the 1985 US National Championship and took silver at the Tandem Sprint at the World Championships.
Melissa “Missy” Giove - Off-Road Competitor: Throughout her career Missy “The Missile” Giove won 14 NORBA downhill titles and 11 World Cups. Her speed and skill led her to three overall NORBA downhill crowns, two World Cup overalls, and the 1994 World Championship title.
One of mountain bike racing’s original superstars, Giove is the all-time leader in NORBA downhill wins with 14, and is fourth on the list of World Cup medals with 11. She also won an X Games Gold in Dual Slalom in 2000.
Giove was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2016 and was an honorary inductee into the Italian Hall of Fame in 2017.
Dean Crandall - Contributor: Dean Crandall is a pioneer in officiating at mountain bike races and helped develop the rules and regulations for the USCF/US Cycling Federation (now USA Cycling), NORBA/the National Off Road Bicycle Association (now the mountain bike racing division of USA Cycling), the World Mountain Bike Championships and the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale).
Crandall served as a member of the USCF Board of Directors and was the first elected chairman of the NORBA Board of Trustees. He served for six years on the UCI Mountain Bike Commission where he helped develop mountain bike stage race rules and regulations with the UCI.
Crandall helped transition NORBA from an independent loosely administered organization to a successful division of USA Cycling when it was purchased from private entities. He developed the first training programs for officials, both in the U.S. and internationally. In 1990 while in Paris, he took and passed the first-ever UCI Mountain Bike Commissaires exam to become one of the first International “A” Level Officials.
About the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame
The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, located in Davis, CA since 2010, boasts 8,000 square feet of displays and exhibits that tell the story of American cycling history, including a collection of bicycles from the 19th and 20th centuries. Founded in 1985, The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing American competitive cyclists and contributors to the sport for their significant achievements. Its mission is to preserve the history of American cycling in order to educate people about the past, and encourage them to participate in the future of the sport. The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame promotes and encourages cycling development and fitness at all levels. For information, visit: www.usbhof.org
