Ashley Phillips, Staff Writer
Mom, professional cyclist, 9 time master champion title holder, team leader/mentor: Debbie Milne has been professionally racing for over 20 years. She began racing mountain bikes while in college in 1988, and went to strictly road racing in 2000.
But when her daughter, Cate, began racing with Supra in 2018, she would soon add “Mother/Daughter Duo” to her long list of impressive resume.
More interested in ballet than bicycles, Cate raced in a few kids’ competitions growing up but never showed much interest in the sport until college.
When Cate began her professional career with Supra, Debbie was racing for another team with Papa John’s.
“At first she was in lower categories than me, so we weren’t in the same races,” Debbie said, “but eventually we began to be in the same races – me racing for Papa John’s and she racing for Supra.”
Asked if they were ever competitive with each other, Cate said “We each have different strengths. For instance, she can climb up a mountain like no other person I know and my strong suit is sprinting.”
“After I joined Supra in 2019, it’s been really fun to get together on the same team and to begin to do things together,” Debbie said.
Debbie’s role on the Supra Functional Food Bars team, or Supra for short, is the team’s leader or mentor. She teaches Cate and the other elite team members, coaching them on different tactics playing to their strength to help the team.
“And of course, when she has a shot to have the best outcome with my help I’m all for going for that! That’s the mom in me,” Debbie said. She said she and Cate have done well regionally but she really wants to see what they can do at the elite/pro level.
The Sunny King Criterium race will return this year on Fourth of July weekend with the Noble Street Festival.
“We’re excited it’s falling on fourth of July weekend. It already feels like a big party but will be even more fun with Fourth of July Festivities.” – Cate
Karla Eden, the Main Street Coordinator, handles all the aspects of the festival and said that last year the festival was canceled due to covid. “We believe that people are ready to get back out and have fun.”
“This year we are bringing in more everything,” Eden said.
Eden said that Combat Park in Eastaboga, Ala, has graciously sponsored a Kid Zone and carnival rides to “take up one action packed block”.
Face painters, balloon artists, an obstacle course, mechanical bull, swings, slides, rides. Tons of fun stuff for the little ones to do!
Wounded Warriors Alabama & Combat park is sponsoring another block with what they are calling “wounded warrior way”. It will feature a real tank, a crossfit competition, paintball, mini tanks, and veteran and military organizations.
When asked about their sponsorship of the event, CFO of Wounded Warrior of Alabama and Director of Combat Park Bill Williams said, “As a true non profit charity, we are honored to sponsor the kid zone and wounded warrior way. We are going to bring tanks and other military equipment for all to see, touch, and be in awe!”
“We love that we can bring some fun and excitement on Independence Day weekend,” Williams said. We love giving back to our Alabama communities.”
Eden said there will also be cooler stations for hydration all around the festival, food trucks, craft vendors, animal shows, and even possibly a pop up art gallery!
Live entertainment and Radio stations will be featured at the music stage. The event’s music coordinator, Larry May, graciously provided us with the show’s lineup.
- 12:00pm Robert Grind and Mary Culpepper
- 1:30pm Callen Brown
- 3:00pm Stadium Drive
- 5:00-7:00pm Tribute *featured headliner*
