Racing Career: Overview

From a kid with a training wheel-equipped, royal blue, banana seat bicycle, to the 2001 World Mountain Bike Championship, Alison Dunlap has never ignored her dad’s advice when he told her "don’t stop pedaling!" It was advice that has taken her beyond an early initial interest in soccer and gymnastics to become one of the elite among cycling World Cup events, the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia, and winner of the 2001 UCI Mountain Bike World Championship in Vail, Colorado, September 16, 2001.


Alison Dunlap has always maintained an intense interest in sports. Her early involvement with soccer her freshmen year at The Colorado College left her looking into other options when she became the last team player cut from the Division 1 powerhouse. A poster for the cycling club caught her interest and a new love was born. Four years later Alison won the Collegiate National Road Racing Championships and took a leap of faith by passing on a PhD program to pursue her dream of going to the Olympics. In 1996 that dream became a reality when Alison raced in the Atlanta Olympics in the women’s road race. After nine years of road racing Alison contemplated retirement. It was when she began dating professional mountain biker Greg Frozley (now her husband) that she realized her untapped potential as a mountain biker. Their personal relationship, combined with his involvement in the mountain bike scene, further nurtured her interest. Retirement was out of the question. Alison made the switch and soon after followed a sponsorship with GT Bicycles, helping launch her ascent into the world of the mountain bike elite.


In 1997, in only her 4th world cup, she stunned everyone by winning the race in Budapest, Hungary. She went on to be the top U.S. finisher in the World Championships, finishing 7th. In 1999, Alison won a gold medal at the Pan-Am Games and became the U.S. National Champion. She also became an accomplished cyclocross racer, winning six national titles. Her career was highlighted with a stunning victory at the 2001 World Championships in Vail, CO and the World Cup Overall title she won in 2002. After winning the National Championships again in 2004, Alison decided that 2005 would be her last season. She won the Norba National Finals and placed 2nd at Nationals before saying goodbye to the racing scene she’d known for eighteen years.


Since then Alison has enjoyed retirement and her time at home. In 2007 she pinned on a race number once again and competed in the Haleakala Hill Climb in Maui, Hawaii. After racing cyclocross for LUNA in 2009, Alison will now be spending most of her energy taking care of Emmett, the newest member of the family.