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Kristin Armstrong
- Qualified for the 2004 Olympics by winning the 66-mile road race at Olympic Trials in 3 hours, 26 minutes, 12 seconds
- 2004 U.S. Elite National Road Race champion
- Finished 13th in her World Championship debut in 2003
- 2003 Pan American Games bronze medalist (time trial)
- Trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center for a year as a triathlete … competed in the 1999 Hawaii Ironman and the 2000 Olympic Triathlon Trials
- Began road racing in 2001 after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis in her hips, ending her competitive triathlon career; though she still coaches triathletes in her downtime
- "People had told me that I was such a strong cyclist, I should just do that," Armstrong said. "But I always told them, 'No way.' I had put in too much time as a triathlete."
- Had breakout season in 2003 with the T-Mobile Cycling Team, earning a start on the U.S. National Team at the World Championships, placed 13th in the time trial.
- "She had a huge motor when she starting racing her bike," fellow Olympian Dede Barry said. "She's a really sharp girl and she's picked this up really quick. She's got great racing instinct, she's tough and she's not afraid to take risks."
- Spent 10 of her first 17 years overseas, graduating from high school in Okinawa, Japan.
- Has a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Idaho
- Was a project manager for an advertising and marketing agency prior to her cycling career
- Is not Lance Armstrong’s former wife, who has the same name.
Kristin Armstrong explained what it was like to compete in her first European team event to cyclingnews.com: "I've got eight water bottles shoved down my jersey and I'm looking at the impenetrable wall of international riders thinking, 'How am I going to get up to the front of the peloton to hand these off?'" she says. "Over the radio, a seasoned teammate told me the magic word I'm supposed to say: 'Aqua'. I tried it, sort of expecting a parting of the Red Sea. Apparently I'm no Moses, because not a single butt moved to make way. It was only later that I learned the word 'Aqua' had to be several decibels louder and accompanied by an aggressive shove to the hips."
Related Links
Office site of Team T-Mobile: www.usacycling.org/tmobile
On qualifying for the 2004 Olympic Games: “When people call me an Olympian," she said, "it's hard to believe they are talking about me. It still hasn't sunk in. I've never been married, but I imagine it must be like the first time you call somebody your husband."
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Born: 11-Aug-73
Resides: Boise, ID
Sport: Cycling
Event: Road
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