Megan Guarnier

  
  


Megan Guarnier Worlds headshot 2014

Date of Birth: May 4, 1985
Height: 5’4”/1.63m.
Weight: 120lbs./54.5kg./8.6st.
Place of Birth: Glens Falls, New York
Hometown: Queensbury, New York
Residence: Mountain View, California
Teams: Middlebury College, 1k2go, Terry Precision, Proman, ASPTT Bourgogne, Team TIBCO/To the Top, Rabobank-Liv-Giant, Boels Dolmans
Education: B.A. in Neuroscience from Middlebury College

National Championship experience:

  • 1st place - 2012 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships
  • 12th place - 2011 USA Cycling Elite, U23, Juniors & Paralympic Road National Championships, Augusta, Georgia, Road Race, Elite
  • 14th place - 2011 USA Cycling Elite, U23, Juniors & Paralympic Road National Championships, Augusta, Georgia, Time Trial, Elite
  • 40th place - 2010 USA Cycling Elite, U23, Juniors & Paralympic Road National Championships, Bend, Oregon, Road Race, Elite
  • 14th place - 2009 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California, Points Race, Elite
  • 6th place - 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California, Points Race, Elite
  • 5th place - 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California, Individual Pursuit, Elite
  • 12th place - 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California, Scratch Race, Elite
  • 2nd place - 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships, Carson, California, Team Pursuit, Elite
  • 29th place - 2008 USA Cycling Elite, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Irvine, Anaheim, and Santiago Canyon, California, Road Race, Women Cat 1/2
  • 28th place - 2008 USA Cycling Elite, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Irvine, Anaheim, and Santiago Canyon, California, Individual Time Trial, Women Cat 1/2
  • 5th place - 2007 USA Cycling Elite, Masters, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, Road Race, Elite
  • 25th place - 2007 USA Cycling Elite, Masters, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, Road Race, Elite
  • 4th place - 2007 USA Cycling Elite, Masters, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, Individual Time Trial, Elite
  • 2nd place - 2007 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships, Lawrence, Kansas, Road Race, Women's Division II
  • 7th place - 2006 USA Cycling Elite, Masters, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, Criterium, U23
  • 3rd place - 2006 USA Cycling Elite, Masters, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, Road Race, U23
  • 4th place - 2006 USA Cycling Elite, Masters, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, Time Trial, U23

Career Highlights:

  • 1st place - Team World Cup Overall Classification 2013
  • 1st place - General Classification Giro della Toscana 2011 (UCI 2.1), Sprint and Point Classification, Best Foreign Rider
  • 1st place - 2012 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series Overall
  • 1st place - Redland Bicycle Classic Stage Race 2012 – General Classification and Stage 1: ITT
  • 1st place - Nature Valley Gran Prix Stage 6: Stillwater Circuit
  • 1st place - General Classification Tour de Nez 2010
  • 1st place - Joe Martin Stage Race Road Race 2011 – General Classification
  • 1st place - Green Mountain Stage Race Criterium and Points Classification 2010
  • 2nd place - Champ. Panaméricain / Pan American Champ. RR
  • 2nd place - NCh - USA (USA/CN) Road race: Chattanooga, TN
  • 3rd place - Champ. Panaméricain / Pan American Champ. ITT
  • Nature Valley Gran Prix: Stage 4, Stage 5, and Stage 6 Most Aggressive Rider Award
  • Energiewacht Tour 2011, Stage 1 Sellingen (UCI 2.2) Most Aggressive Rider Award
  • 2nd place - Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2013
  • 2nd place - Giro della Toscana Stage 4 Individual Time Trial (UCI 2.1) (2011 & 2012)
  • 2nd place - Giro Toscana (UCI 2.1) Stage 3: Segromigno in Piano - Capannori
  • 2nd place - Trophée d'Or Féminin (UCI 2.2) Stage 4: Cosne Loire
  • 2nd place - Joe Martin Stage Race General Classification 2011
  • 3rd place - Ronde van Gelderland (UCI 1.2)
  • 3rd place - Exergy Tour (UCI 2.1) Stage 3: Crouch Road Race
  • 3rd place - Giro della Toscana Stage 3 Volterra Road Race (UCI 2.1)
  • 3rd place - U23 2006 US Nationals Road Race
  • 6th place - NCh - USA (USA/CN) Individual time trial
  • 6th place - Emakumeen Euskal Bira (ESP/2.1) General classification: Iurreta – Ataun
  • 7th place - World Cup #4 - La Flèche Wallonne 2012
  • 7th place - Giro d'Italia Internazionale Femminile (ITA/2.1) General Classification
  • 8th place - World Cup #3 - Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandre
  • 14th place - UCI World Championships Road Race 2013
  • 3rd place - 2014 Pan American Continental Road Championships, individual time trial
  • 1st place - 2011 Giro della Toscana, Italy, General Classification, Sprint Classification, Point Classification, Best Foreign Rider
  • 1st place - 2010 Tour de Nez, General Classification
  • 1st place - 2011 Joe Martin Stage Race, Stage 2
  • 2nd place - 2011 Joe Martin Stage Race, General Classification
  • 2nd place - 2011 Giro della Toscana, Italy, Stage 4 (Individual Time Trial)
  • 3rd place - 2011 Giro della Toscana, Italy, Stages 3 & 5
  • 3rd place - 2008 Nature Valley Grand Prix, Minnesota, Best Young Rider
  • 3rd place - 2008 Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic Criterium, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, General Classification
  • 5th place - 2009 Tour International Féminin en Limousin, Stage 3: Availles-Limousin
  • 2nd place - 2009 Cholet-Pays De Loire (Coupe de France)

Points of Interest

  • Guarnier was a national level swimmer, who was named USA Swimming's 2001 Scholastic All American and was named to the National 2001 "USA Swimming Scholastic All America Team."
  • Guarnier was the valedictorian at Glens Falls High School and was a member of the National Honor Society Member from 2001-03.
  • Guarnier hopes to return to graduate school to obtain an M.D./PhD. within the field of neuroscience.
  • Guarnier graduated from Middlebury College Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with B.A. in neuroscience.
  • Guarnier received the Rosalin Lieberman Riess Memorial Award, which is presented to the graduating senior who shows the greatest promise to contribute to the treatment or cure of severe mental illness.

Personal

Megan Guarnier nears the summit of the Via Salviati
Megan Guarnier nears the summit of the Via Salviati during the 2013 UCI Road World Championships in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Casey B. Gibson)
Megan Guarnier grew up just outside the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. She was a standout student at Glens Falls High School where she was named the valedictorian, a member of the National Honor Society (2001-03) and earned several academic awards. In addition to her scholastic aptitude, Guarnier also was a stellar athlete as she was a YMCA National Swimming Championships finalist from 2000-03. In 2001, she was named to the national "USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team" and was USA Swimming's Scholastic 2001 Scholastic All-American. She was also skilled as a skier on Glens Falls High School's Ski Team. She qualified for the state championships in 2000 and 2001.

As a collegiate at Middlebury College, Guarnier was having shoulder issues and decided to pursue triathlons instead of swimming. Someone in her dormitory invited her to ride in a collegiate bike race and she hasn't considered another sport since.

She quickly found success as an under-23 rider, registering three top-10 results at the 2006 USA Cycling Elite, Masters, U23 and Juniors Road National Championships in Seven Springs, Pa., including a bronze in the road race. Guarnier has also earned success internationally, recording several strong results. She finished second in a bunch sprint in the 2009 Cholet-Pays De Loire in France and third in the 2008 Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic Criterium. In 2011, Guarnier posted her strongest result, to date, as she won the 2011 Giro della Toscana in Italy. In addition to topping the general classification, Guarnier won the sprint and points classifications as well as best foreign rider.

Guarnier, who has a part-time job at an engineering firm, now lives in Northern California and when she is not racing, she enjoys training on and off the roads. She dabbles in mountain biking, cyclo-cross and track riding. She also mentors developing riders and is one of Audi's Best Buddies.

"I can’t pick a single person, but I will say that my entire family has been most influential in my career," Guarnier said. "My family has been supportive as I follow my dreams within cycling; they have encouraged me from the beginning and are always there to support me. I have an amazing support network in California as well."


Hobbies: Yoga, family time, reading, cooking/baking, traveling and hiking

Favorite place to train: Vermont

Favorite race: Ronde van Vlaanderen World Cup

Who is your hero or role model: "My family."

Best cycling memory: "Crossing the line at the 2012 National Championships Road Race."

How did you first become involved in cycling: "I went to Middlebury College with the intention of swimming; I was a swimmer for 13 years. However, with my shoulder condition I was spending 1.5 hours in physical therapy every day. On top of morning practice, evening practice and dryland, I was dedicating too many hours to swimming and I had gone to Middlebury for my education. With surgery on the horizon not looking like it would produce positive results, I decided it was time to take a step back from swimming. I decided to take up triathlon as I had done a few with my uncle in high school. I knew with triathlon I would only have to get in the pool a couple times per week. As I trained over the winter for triathlon, a person on my freshman hall suggested that I participate in a bike race. I went to the bike race and found that I could do a sport that I loved without getting in the pool! I haven't done a triathlon since!"

Cycling & Personal/Career Goals: "To represent the United States of America at the Olympic Games and bring home a medal for the USA. Career, to obtain a MD/PhD in neuroscience."

What motivates you? "Striving to be my best."



This Article Updated September 27, 2014 @ 09:11 PM For more information contact: