Professional cyclist and sports medicine physician Dr. Andrea Cyr grew up in New England but has lived in California, Milwaukee, Chicago and elsewhere. When she looked around to decide where to go after finishing her medical training, she picked Indianapolis, in part because of the incredible cycling community.
“I truly think the cycling community in Indy is the best I’ve experienced,” she said. “It’s large, and people are enthusiastic and supportive. Whether you’re just buying a bike and riding for the first time, or you’re at the top of your sport and a national champion and have dreams of going to Europe, I haven’t seen this anywhere else.”
Andrea has lived in Carmel now for two years. Despite the rigors of her medical training, she has become one of the best criterium racers in the country, finishing second-overall in the nationally recognized American Criterium Cup the last two years, supporting her teammate for the overall win in 2023. She is excited to have her new hometown race, Momentum Indy, be one of the participating races on this national-level circuit. “It is important to integrate all levels of cycling from those who ride for fitness, to recreational or professional riders, and I think having strong local races and events can create those bridges for relationships.” Her partner, Justin Kirk, a cyclist who races and manages the Texas Roadhouse Cycling team, also serves on the Momentum Indy board of directors and professionally serves as executive director of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity. Together they ride with many members of the cycling community of Indianapolis.
“The Big Loop ride on Saturday morning is one of the hardest group rides you can find in town,” says Andrea. “It’s brutal and there’s no mercy. I’m often the only female on that ride, and it’s great preparation for any big race I have coming up.”
Though her current day job is as medical director at Indianapolis Rehabilitation Hospital in Carmel, Andrea is also establishing an outpatient sports medicine clinic at IU Health North later this fall. “I can’t wait to have my clinic running to treat the cycling community here, as I’m one of them, looking to get my riding miles in and I understand the commitment to an activity you love.” Dr. Cyr said.
“I was looking for a place to establish a clinic and focus on my core training in sports medicine, when I met someone through Momentum Indy’s Divas program who helped me make a connection,” she said.
Andrea joined Divas last year because she feels that community involvement is important to grow the sport. She found it to be a great social network of woman who just love to ride their bikes.
During Momentum weekend, Andrea and Justin will be busy on a few fronts. They’ll compete in the Mass Ave and Indy crits, with Andrea’s professional women’s team called Goldman-Sachs ETFs Racing, and Justin racing in the Masters Category for Texas Roadhouse. In addition, they’ll be hosting teams at their Carmel home.
Traveling to races nearly every weekend from May through July, Andrea and Justin look forward to enjoying the race atmosphere close to home. It will be nice to sleep in her own bed for Momentum weekend, Andrea said, and to host their teams that weekend.
Down the road, Andrea looks forward to watching the Olympics since she races with cyclists competing for Team USA and other countries, and because it points toward some of her future plans: She hopes to be the team doctor in 2028 at the Los Angeles Olympics.
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