In one of my past lives, I was an English teacher, and so, I can’t help but love a good story. If you think back to your middle or high school English classes, you might remember learning about the building blocks of a story, represented by the ever-present plot diagram.
Ok. Take a trip down memory lane with me for a moment. Remember the story of Little Red Riding Hood? The exposition, or beginning of the story, is where we meet Little Red Riding Hood and learn that she has a goal: to visit her grandmother. In the rising action, Little Red Riding Hood is warned to stay on the path, and there is some anticipation as she is forced to choose whether or not to heed said warnings. The climax of the story is typically the point of most tension, and also where the outcome of the story is (mostly) determined. In this case, the wolf eats the grandmother. Then, though the story generally “rolls downhill” to the resolution, there are occasionally further bumps in the road, or means of getting to the resolution. Fortunately for Little Red Riding Hood, the woodcutter comes and saves the day, allowing her to learn her lesson about following instructions in the resolution to the story.
I’ve got a lot more thoughts about Little Red Riding Hood and stories that supposedly teach us to always follow instructions (and be more afraid of the wolf than the woodcutter?), but that’s not the point here.
The point is that, thanks to the 2025 Ride Fierce Racing Women’s Scholarship, these four women are at the very beginning of their story. Each of them have a goal of racing mountain bikes this summer, and, like Little Red Riding Hood, will likely face some “bumps in the road.” Of course, I’m here to help them as much as I possibly can, but I hope that you, the community are there too. My goal, aside from providing coaching and support, is to connect them with the wider mtb community, and to share their stories with you all so that you can cheer them on in their journeys (keep an eye out here for longer-form updates, and on Instagram for shorter photo/video updates throughout the year!).
Training for an endurance mountain bike event isn’t easy, nor is showing up to your first race. The very fact that over 30 women applied to be a part of this scholarship pretty much knocks my socks off. I wish that I could sponsor and coach every one of them, but, unless I want to end up in some deep dark pit that should be reserved only for fairy tales (and not loan collectors), that’s just not possible.
So, without further ado, meet the recipients of the 2025 Ride Fierce Racing Women’s Scholarship:
The Shed Enduro: Annie Chapelle
I discovered a love for mountain biking when instead of going for a trail run alongside my (then) boyfriend in 2016, I stole his 26er and bounced down the Catoctin Blue Trail in the Frederick Watershed. Spoiler: He had to run the whole way, and we are now happily married!
I have always loved the outdoors and adventure sports like mountain biking, kayaking, and skiing; evening transplanting to Colorado for a couple years to experience the Rockies. I am additionally a professional in the biotech industry, and a mother to 2 dauntless little girls who watch my every move. My soul is most happy being outside, and I am eager to face this challenge in The Shed Enduro.
Why do I want to race the Shed Enduro? The Shed is my home stomping grounds, and one of my sanctuaries that dually provides adventure and solace. I want to send it in my home forest in the epic race I’ve spectated for years!
Follow Annie’s journey here.
Congratulations Annie! We are excited to support you in your journey this summer and see you at The Shed Enduro in August!
Off-road Assault on Mount Mitchell (ORAMM): Megan Stainback
I’m a longtime outdoor enthusiast, avid trail runner, and mountain biker, and I am thrilled to be part of the inaugural Ride Fierce Women’s Race Scholarship!
Married to my best friend for 21 years, I’m also the proud mom of two boys, Nolan and Evan. After a 20-year break from cycling, I dusted off my old VooDoo HooDoo seven years ago and haven’t looked back.
ORAMM will be my first mountain bike race…ever, and I can’t wait to tackle this epic challenge with Ride Fierce Racing. I’m also on a mission to advocate for more trails closer to home (because long drives are for road trips, not bike rides).
Follow Megan’s journey here.
Congratulations Megan! We are excited to support you in your journey this summer and see you at ORAMM in July!
Slatyfork Enduro: Abby Lent
Hi! My name is Abby, and I’m so excited to be racing the Slatyfork Enduro in August! I’m a senior studying dietetics at Virginia Tech, with a love for sports nutrition!
I’m relatively new to mountain biking, but the past year has really fueled my love for the sport and my desire to race more competitively! I’ve also been so lucky to have had a supportive community of other riders that I can learn from every day!
I’m stoked for this opportunity, and I hope it can encourage more women to get out there and race!
Follow Abby’s journey here.
Congratulations Abby! We are excited to support you in your journey this summer and see you at the Slaytfork Enduro in August!
The Shenandoah 100k: Nicole Ilechie
Hi, I’m Nicole, a 29 (almost 30!) year-old Nigerian-American who fell in love with mountain biking after getting my first MTB in October 2024. I’m so hooked that I set a 2025 goal to complete my first MTB event or race. When I found this scholarship opportunity, I took the plunge—and now you get to follow along on this exciting challenge! #ProfessionalNewbie
Why this scholarship is important to me: I searched “Shenandoah Mountain 100k race” on YouTube, and every video was of a man. That’s why this scholarship matters—I want to be the woman who shows up in that search!
Follow Nicole’s journey here.
Congratulations Nicole! We are excited to support you in your journey this summer and see you at the Shenandoah 100k in September!
Finally, thank you to the sponsors who have stepped up to help support these women, as well as the race directors who are a part of this scholarship:
Ride Fierce Racing 