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Tinker cyclists heading to RAGBRAI

  • Published
  • By John Parker
  • Staff Writer
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  Air Force Cycling Team Oklahoma will ride in the 420-mile Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa cycling event next month with its largest contingent ever.

Twenty-two cyclists have been training for the string of seven daily rides starting July 24 in Glenwood, Iowa, said Crystal Salierno of the 552nd Air Control Wing and regional team lead for the Oklahoma and Sheppard AFB, Texas, team. 

In the Tinker-based cycling team's first two years, only about a half-dozen riders signed on for the Des Moines RAGBRAI. The 44th year's route hugs the southern border.

Team members include two cyclists from Vance Air Force Base, three from units at Will Rogers World Airport, two from McConnell AFB, one from Montana, one from Pensacola Air Base, Fla., and one from Sheppard AFB.

They'll join more than 100 Air Force riders at RAGBRAI who will wear Air Force jerseys, hand out Air Force swag and represent the service.

"We're getting the word out about what the Air Force does and promoting that positive image," Salierno said.

Other riders on the team include Chelsea Aspelund, Dominic Salierno, Jessica Kahnk, Peter Graf, Lauren Harrison, Burr Ciprich, Michael Stephens, Gordon Scott, Paul Shattuck, Dustina Bailey, Adam Bailey, Thomas Abney, Joel Eppley, Raymond Stone, Lauren Stone, Jeremy Lapic, Efrain Carrion, Daniel Journell and Michael Marx.

Jennifer Noonkester and Marclar Gillard will go as support personnel.

About 8,500 cyclists are signed up for all the daily rides, which average about 67 miles. Over a thousand other riders sign up for single-day rides.