Born 1/2/1972 , Missy Giove is possibly the world's most famous female Downhill Mountain Biker known to humankind. Her nickname says it all: The Missile. Not only is she one of the world's most well known - she's definitely one of the world's fastest!
Sporting a two-toned shaven and dreadlock hairdo, she's tattooed, pierced and an out and proud lesbian. Giove isn't your ordinary run of the mill girlie sportswoman. Although notorious for her eccentricities, many folk still find it bizarre that she always competes with the remains of her dead piranah, Gonzo, slung around her neck and the ashes of deceased black labrador dog, Ruffian shoved into her sportsbra..... Giove just feels that they 'remind her to be aggressive'. She may be a little different from most, but her biking career has earned her a regular six-figure income and more than a dozen corporate endorsements.
After working as a Take Away delivery girl, Giove's career in mountain biking started as the result of a dare. Challenged to ride down Vermont's Mount Snow, even though she had never ridden before, Missy took up the gauntlet. She started out....she crashed......she got back on......she crashed again....after numerous crashes and minor injuries, Giove finished the race in first place.
Crashing has always proven to be a risk that most professional MTBer's think is a necessary evil. In her career so far, Missy has received over 33 broken bones including four compound fractures of her pelvis, a smashed collarbone, a broken hip and numerous broken teeth. Is it worth it ?!?!?! I hear you cry...... well...... take into consideration that she is said to make in a year 10 times what most professional MTBer's earn, a salary well into six-figures....I'd say yes it is. When you also take into consideration that Giove has been guarenteed half a million dollars by her team, Global Racing - a figure that excludes prize money and merchandise profits - I'd definately say YES!
After recently establishing Team Amazon, a non-profit organisation that offers urban girls the opportunity to partake in her equipment heavy sport, she's been hailed as the Messiah of the Mountains, a heroine, a risk-taker and even a Goddess. Giove believes that 'bicycling should remain a soul sport and not become one purely for the elite'.
She's fast. Shes funny. Shes the gal with the good attitude. If you ever get a chance to watch her race - DO IT. Its worth it.