Earlier this year we had the pleasure of reviewing a book about the 1988 Little 500 bicycle race by one of the cyclists who was one of the competitors in the first womenβs edition of this long-standing college event. You can check out that story here: Pez Bookshelf Willkie Sprint.
Fast forward to 2024 and a recent short film shows the latest iteration of the race, with the Melanzana Cycling Team attempting to go for their third consecutive win, something not hitherto accomplished by anyone in the womenβs race.
The Little 500 was first run in 1951 and draws an enthusiastic crowd of spectators to the University of Indiana in Bloomington. Run on quarter mile cinder track at the Bill Armstrong Stadium, this criterium has the men going for 200 laps and the women half that distance. An unusual aspect is that the race is run in the form of a relay, with competitors having to pass off their single-speed clunker bikes to the next racer, a transfer that is clearly a lot harder than it sounds. From all accounts, the race is always fiercely contested and there are plenty of crashes. While the announcer at the beginning declares that the students βwill make memories for the rest of their livesβ that day it would, one hopes, not include a faceful of cinders.
The film, titled βZANA: Women of the Little 500,β is presented by the State Bicycle Company, an importer of budget bicycles that began with fixed gear and single speed models. Their support here seems appropriate, given what is ridden in the Little 500 and this is the second film on their Youtube channel, βa partnership with independent filmmakers and cyclists that amplifies the voices of riders who embody the true spirit of adventure. Through this series, State Bicycle Co. celebrates the ethos of exploration, community, and the thrill of pushing boundariesβvalues that define who we are and what we stand for.β
βZANAβ introduces us to some of the riders of the Melanzana team. Their sporting backgrounds are diverse, with several having had no real cycling experience since childhood. To a large extent, the teams serve as a bonding mechanism for the students, who reside on or near the campus, with this often being a first experience of living outside of their homes. There are get-togethers over pizza and what appears to be a hair-washing party (is this a thing in universities?) and clearly a lot of fun in the socializing.
Nonetheless, the riders are quite serious about the actual race. There are plenty of training rides and skill sessions, particularly for the bike hand-offs, but the film doesnβt cover these in much detail. There is some nice coverage of the qualification day, with a bit of drama there, and then the race itself, which receives quite extensive local media coverage. The teams look great, having been provided with custom jerseys by the Giordana clothing firm, and the previous yearβs winnerβMelanzana in this caseβhaving the honour of wearing yellow jerseys.
βZANA: The Women of the Little 500β is an entertaining film about students coming together for a common cause. No mistakeβthe Little 500 is a serious and quite unique sporting event but everyone seems to be having a good time and indeed living a memorable university experience.
βZANA: The Women of the Little 500,β presented by the State Bicycle Co.
Directed by Grace Williams and Emily Segura Maze
18 minutes, released October 11, 2024
Available on Youtube: www.youtube.com.
For more information on the Little 500: iusf.bloomington.iu.edu
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