In 1963 Jim Rabdau watched as cyclists sped past him in the Italian Alps. Rabdou, who later retired from the Army and took a job as an office manager for Ore-Ida Foods in Boise, Idaho, would later point to that day when asked why he wants to put on a cycling race. “It had to be cycling,” he said, “Cycling has the color, the speed, the thrill.”
And so began Women’s Challenge bike race. For nearly 20 years Rabdau painstakingly mapped and designed each stage. Each spring he would drive every mile of the course, often times hundreds of miles. Making sure it was safe and challenging.
Excessive and tough
The first Women’s Challenge was held in June of 1984. It was won by Rebecca Twigg. Two months after that win Twigg would win silver in the Olympic Women’s Road Race in Los Angeles. Twigg wouldn’t be the last Olympic champion to race in the Women’s Challenge.
Among professional women cyclist, the Women’s Challenge was known as the premiere race to be part of. Partly because of the way Rabdau designed his courses. He made the stages long and difficult. This didn’t sit well with the UCI, the governing body of cycling. The UCI thought the event “excessive”. Rabdau just laughed, and proceeded to run the most challenging women’s cycling race in the world. One year the race was over 1067km (663 miles) and featured over 22,000 feet of climbing. "We showed that women could do some really tough stuff."
In the 1990s the race began to attract international riders. During this time riders such as Ann Wilson (AUS), Rasa Polikeviciute (LTU), and Jeannie Longo (FRA) would all win titles in the event.
Throughout the race’s history it has had several title sponsors. The first race was sponsored by the Ore-Ida Foods Company. Then PowerBar took over in the early 1990s. In 1997 Hewlett-Packard took over title sponsorship and held that until 2002.
A sudden finale
In January 2003 Race Director Jim Rabdau announced the end of the race. Later it was revealed the the title sponsor for the coming year, Con-Agra had decided at the last minute to pull their funding. Rabdau said it was too late to find another sponsor.
“We’ve had a great run,” said Rabdau in that morning’s edition of the Idaho Statesman newspaper.
The Photographs — 1987-1987
Katrin Tobin at the 1987 ParkCenter Criterium.
Cooling off after the 1987 finish in Idaho City.
Rebecca Twigg on the top step of the 1987 race.
Inga Thompson at the 1987 race.
Maybe a future participant of the Women's Challege.
1987 Park Center Circuit race
Jeanne Golay at the 1987 ParkCenter Criterium.
Cooling off at the 1987 ParkCenter Criterium.
Celebrating a race win at the 1987 race.
1987 ParkCenter Criterium.
The Statehouse Criterium in 1987.
The 1987 Idaho Statehouse Criterium.
The 1987 Idaho Statehouse Criterium.
The 1987 Idaho Statehouse Criterium.
The 1987 St. Luke's Criterium.
The 1987 Idaho Statehouse Criterium.
The 1987 Idaho Statehouse Criterium.
The podium at the 1986 Boise to Idaho City stage.
Before the internet catching up on news at the 1986 race.
The 1986 Boise to Idaho City stage.
Cooling off after the finish at Idaho City in 1986.
Relaxing after the finish at Idaho City in 1986.
The finish at Idaho City in 1986.
The Park Center race in 1986.
The Photographs — 1994-1999
Celebrating the 1994 Columbia Village circuit race.
The 1994 Columbia Village circuit race.
1994 Columbia Village circuit race.
Dede Demet celebrates her win in the 1994 Columbia Village circuit race.
1994 Columbia Village circuit race.
Signing autographs before the 1995 St. Luke's Criterium.
1994 Columbia Village circuit race.
Celebrating a win in downtown Ketchum.
Linda Jackson climbing Galena Summit in 1997.
1998 downtown criterium.
Linda Jackson descends Banner Summit in 1998.
The peloton climbs Old Freezeout Hill in 1998.
Demet rides the prologue at the start of 1998 race.
A rider shows the effects of a crash at the 1998 race.
The peloton rides along highway 75 between Stanley and Ketchum in 1998.
The rider gets medical attention after the stage between Stanley and Ketchum in 1998.
Riders descend Banner Summit in 1998 race.
Lynne Bessette leads during the Elkorn circuit race in 1999.
The rider competes in the prologue during the 1998 race.
The peloton rides in front of the iconic Sawtooth Mountains during the 1998 race.
Maureen Vigara rides up Banner Summit during the 1998 race.
Lynne Bassette leads a select break during the Elkorn circuit race in 1999.
A truck, bike, and the Sawtooth Mountains.
A dog wonders out on the time trial course at the 1999 race.
A rider cools off on top of Pommerelle Resort during the 1999 race.
The 1999 Elkhorn circuit race.
Preparing for a stage in the 1999 race in Twin Falls.
The peloton rides in front of the Sawtooth Mountains outside Stanley during the 1999 race.
Jeannie Longo rides in the 1999 time trial.
A rider climbs up Swan Falls road during the 1999 race.
Cooling off mid-ride at the 1999 time trial.
The 1999 downtown criterium.
An international flavor at the 1999 race.
Jeannie Longo descends Banner Summit on her way to a stage win in Stanley during the 1999 race.
The Photographs — 2000-20002
The peloton rides along the runway in front of a group of B-2 bombers during the 2000 race.
Clara Hughes shows the effects of a hard day of racing in the 2000 race.
Dede Demet leads the group during the downtown criterium in 2000.
The peloton rides through the start finish at the Elkorn circuit race in 2000.
A select group rides a descent near Emmett in 2000.
A close finish on top of Pommerelle Ski Resort in 2000.
Jeannie Longo leads a select group over Banner Summit in 2000.
A lone rider climbs Old Freeze Out hill as her support crew offers encouragement in 2000.
The peloton rides across the southern Idaho desert in 2000.
Riders turn a corner at the Elkhorn circuit race in 2001 in Ketchum.
The riders prepare to leave Stanley at the 2001 race.
A broken frame is the result after a crash during the 2000 race south of Mountain Home.
A rider sets off during the individual time trail in Stanley in 2002.
The 2002 Statehouse criterium.
Riders cross in front of the Sawtooth Mountains as they enter the valley toward the finish in Stanley in 2002.
Andrea Ratkovic crosses the finish line exhausted at the Elkhorn circuit race in 2001.
Lynne Bassette struggles during the 2001 race in Ketchum.
Lynne Bessette turns a corner during the downtown criterium in 2001.
