We’re stoked to officially welcome the latest addition to our factory team: Anna Yamauchi. A burgeoning gravel and trail talent, Anna’s inaugural year as a knobby-tire privateer netted her a win at Rock Cobbler; podiums at BWR Arizona, Cactus Cup, and Downieville; and a top-20 in the Life Time Grand Prix’s final standings.
Off the bike, Anna’s athletic history is an encyclopedia of outdoor enthusiasms. If it involves balls, rackets, special shoes, or planks on snow, then she’s probably done it – and done it well, it turns out. From childhood to adolescence, she piled up accolades as a cross-country runner, big mountain skier, and a freeride skier, even qualifying for worlds with a 2nd at the North American freeride championship.
Cycling may be new as Anna’s central focus (and yes, we know that calling cycling “central” for a pro is an understatement), but the bike has been a fixture since childhood. Anna grew up with cyclist parents and spent childhood – and later high school – rumbling around the neighborhood and competing in NICA. She also netted a handful of college nats podiums before hanging up the wheels while studying at Cal Poly.
For 2024, Anna is focused on the transition from competitive amateur to full-time privateer racing for ALLIED, and she’s as enthusiastic about the collab as we are.
“It’s a great feeling to partner with a brand that I can grow with for many years to come,” she told us. “I’ve been so impressed with ALLIED’s close-knit and welcoming atmosphere, and I can’t wait to meet more people within the brand – and those who are riding their bikes.”
Speaking of the bikes, Anna singles them out (rightly, in our minds) as the main reason for joining our squad.
“I’m also impressed with the level of detail across every aspect of their bikes. Touring the factory in Bentonville blew my mind,” she said. “It’s so special to know exactly how and where each one of my bikes was made.”
We agree, Anna. And frankly, it also still blows our minds that we get to make these bikes, and we get to make them here – another aspect of the brand that Anna highlighted as a draw to ALLIED.
“I am really proud to represent a brand whose bikes are built in the US, and I have no doubt they can carry me as far as I can take them this coming season.”
Let’s do it, Anna.
Anna’s rolling into 2024 on a custom-painted ECHO, and she’ll be making her racing debut at Sea Otter on a custom BC40.
Interested in customizing your own ALLIED? Check out our all-road, all-purpose, all-over-the-map bike or our XC/trail hybrid here – and hit us up on chat if you want a custom paint job that goes beyond our online offerings. As with Anna’s custom ECHO, we can paint yours any way you’d like.
A quality human being doing unconventional things on the bike, and acting as a great ambassador for this thing we all love so much. #ALLIEDfamily
