What do pro cyclists do when they retire? Give back to the cycling community! At the recent Allen Park Criterium, held in Allen Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, Frankie Andreu came out to race and make a very popular appearance.

Metro Detroit isn’t like Boulder, CO or Mill Valley, CA where you see Ron Kiefel at his bike shop or Michael Barry sitting in the coffee house. It’s rust belt mid-west USA, but we do have Frankie.

Given his fame from his day job as an OLN commentator, most cycling fans are familiar with who he is. However, many in Michigan don’t know he lives almost right next door and his appearance at this strictly red-blooded American, office-park-criterium was a surprise to many. Frankie came out in force, racing in the Masters 35+ race and taking 2^nd while driving the winning break-away. He later returned with his son and daughter to help them in the kid’s race. At the end of the day he again raced in the Men Category 1,2 race.

Frankie graciously gave an interview to Tom Demerly of Bikesport, the race announcer and sponsor, then signed autographs and posed for photographs with the crowd. For the remainder of the day he was followed around by a group of young boys who kept asking “are you really Frankie Andreu?” Who know’s, he may have inspired the next Tour de France champion.

The Allen Park Criterium was organized and promoted by Team Bikesport, the Category 3 race team of the Ann Arbor Velo Club. “This is strictly a grass-roots cycling event”, said John Rigdon, first time race organizer and director of Team Bikesport. “It was a pleasant surprise to have Frankie show up. Heck, he even

bought a rice-krispie treat from our bake sale!”

Story by Joe Lekovish. Photos by Doug Gatto.