THROWBACK THURSDAY: “THE QUEEN OF DIRT” JULI FURTADO

“Growing up in Vermont, I spent most of my formative years ski racing and became the youngest member of the U.S. National ski team in 1982. After my sixth major knee surgery, I was forced to seek a new path in life. That path took me to the University of Colorado Business School in 1987. Just as I arrived in Boulder, cycling was booming. I won a Collegiate National road title my first year racing in 1989, then quickly went on to become the U.S. National champion. In the early ’90s, mountain biking was gaining rapidly in popularity. Since I always preferred being out in the wilderness, making the switch from road to trails was a natural one. I instantly fell in love with the sport, and in 1990 I won the inaugural Mountain Bike World Championships in Durango, Colorado.  Over the next six years I went on to win five national championships, three World Cup titles and another World Championships.”

—Juli Furtado