MEETING THE MISSILE
Back in 1998, we caught up with one of mountain biking’s wildest characters at home in Durango, Colorado
Missy ‘The Missile’ Giove was one of the wildest characters in mountain biking and one of the first female racers to hit the big time, riding alongside Myles Rockwell and John Tomac for Yeti. In 1993, she finished third overall in the Downhill World Cup series and took bronze at the World Championships in Métabief, France. This was a sign of things to come, and by the time we visited her at home in Colorado in 1998 her career was in full flight, with the rainbow stripes on her sleeve, two World Cup series titles in the bag and the huge VolvoCannondale team behind her.
We sent Jim McRoy, dad of the late, great Jason McRoy, to see how Missy (short for Melissa) lived, and it turned out that she was just as hectic off the track as she was on it. She managed to crash her motocross bike the day before they were due to meet, knocking herself out for 10 hours straight. When she finally showed up, with a sore head, it became clear that the accident hadn’t done anything to slow her down. Conversation flittered from a recent breakup to meeting the love of her life and racing and riding bikes. Missy was frank and open, and we got some great insights.
Missy’s career had its highs and lows, and quite a lot of injuries. But after retiring in 2003 she faded into relative obscurity. Sadly, when the racing ended, she found new challenges to focus on, and in 2009 police caught her driving a truck containing 350lb (159kg) of marijuana. She pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges and in 2011 was sentenced to time served, six months of home detention and five years’ probation.
Two years ago, Missy suddenly reappeared on the DH scene, aged 43. After racing the World Cup round in Windham, New York, she disappeared again. But we’re sure that won’t be the last we see of her – and no doubt she’ll be as loud and wild as ever!