Local cyclist and FLC alumni Mike Wilk has been restoring pre-VBrake bikes for around 5 years now and has built up quite a collection. Check out his bikes here. Old school is so cool!
Ian Burnett is a local Durangoan entering his first year as a professional road cyclist for the new team, Bahati Foundation. Ian rode in the Parks and Rec Dirt Lovers Camps as a kid, rode with Miller Middle School, then was involved in the local Durango Cyclery development team as a junior, took part in the USA Cycling development camps up at FLC, coached for Dirt Lovers, raced for Fort Lewis College on the road and cross bike and has now made it to the big show. Ian has grown through Durango’s pre-DEVO youth cycling development offerings and is a good example of what hard work and determination can get you.
Ian is big in real life
Q: First off, what was it like being introduced as a racer for the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team in Los Angeles the other night? Can you describe the event? A: It’s was amazing! Such a fun night for a great cause in the Bahati Foundation. Before that night the team was so much talk and emails back and forth between management and the night really brought it to reality that I made it, this team is for real and were kick some butt this year. The event was held at club Nokia in dowjn town LA, and the night started out a social hour almost for us just to mingle with every one as they came in. Then we had the presentation that was a mix of digital media and live performances from Crenshaw High school were Rahsaan Bahati went to high school in Compton. There performances were so emotionally driven and power full; they had stepping, dancing and the high school band. During this performance we introduced the team as well as the team kit and the custom Bahati Foundation Super Six Cannondale.
Q: What led up to you getting signed to the team for the 2010 season? A: I had been riding hard all summer and had just closed out the season with a strong performance at Collegiate and Elite track nationals when my amazing coach rick Crawford started telling me that we was working on a great project and team and that he was going to do his best to make sure I was on his team for 2010 and next thing I know I am sending my resume to Rahsaan and getting a call from Raha Sports offering me a pro contract for 2010! It all happened so fast, then all I could do was ride my tale of and get ready for camp.
Q: You did some wind tunnel testing last week in Fort Collins, what was that like? Did you learn anything that blew your mind? A: Ya we went up to the Colorado Premier Training wind tunnel in Fort Collins and did some testing with Pierre Perron of Louis Garneau. They had some amazing new product that they need to test in the wind tunnel and they got some great results for their new product. We also took the weekend to run a mini camp with all of the team members that live in Colorado and Nathan O’Neal and Rahsaan Bahati who were in town for the testing. This was a great opportunity for all of use to ride together in a smaller group of us and get to know each other a bit rather than at camp were we are always busy and have 22 other people to get to know. It was also a blast to take Rahsaan out for a high altitude ride in the cold Rocky Mountains and show him what we ride in every day.
Q: What is your role on the team and what big races are you looking foreword to this season? A: I am a neo pro who is going to be working for all the GC riders in stage races as well as working for our sprinters in all of the NRC races this summer. I am looking forward to all the races this summer with the team but the one that I am looking forward to the most is Iron Horse because it will be my first race for the team and it my home town race! Also we are going to run a fundraiser for the Bahati Foundation on Iron Horse weekend so keep you eye out for details on that. Also I am really looking forward to both US Pro Nationals in Greenville SC and US Pro Crit Nationals in Glencoe, IL because they are the best of the best there and I think that we have a shot at winning both of them if we all ride well and work hard as team.
Q: What was it like racing for Durango Cyclery Junior Team back in the early 2000’s? Do you still ride or race with any of the old teammates? A: The Durango Cyclery team was really the starting place for me. I had been racing MTB for a little while but needed some support to move to the next level in my career and race the mountain states cups and Russell made it all possible! There are a couple people that I still ride with when ever I can including Andrew Wait and fellow Pro Tad Elliot, who both kill me on the MTB bike if I dare to try and ride with them.
Q: What is the best bit of training advice you have gotten from a coach? A: There are two major tips that I have gotten. You get stronger when you are recovering and that you need to keep an inventory of your stress and training. This will make sure that between the two you are not driving your self into the ground. Because if you have to much stress and training you will never recover because you are just using to much energy.
Q: Do you have any tips for the juniors out there looking to make a career of road cycling? A: I think that if you are looking for a career in road cycling you need to try get as much expanse as possible and weather its thru Tuesday night worlds, weekend ride or racing experience is such a huge part of road racing. Its little things like knowing when to stay at the front and having the confidence to do so. I remember going to Tuesday Worlds when I was 15 and 16 and just getting dropped in the first 15 to 30 minutes of a ride week after week just because I did not have the experience and convince to ride near the front and jump on to wheels. I remember think that I would never be able to hang on for a whole ride, but know sitting in for a whole ride is nothing. It’s all about just riding hard and learning from your mistakes.
Dan Bowman is a Fort Lewis College graduate and is currently on the Kelly Benefits Pro Road Racing Team. He lives and trains in the hills surrounding Durango. A local man of mystery and an international road racing workhorse, Dan is currently racing overseas and has his sights set on the Iron Horse in may and the national championships on the mountain bike in Sol Vista this July.
Q: How did you find out about FLC cycling and what brought you to Durango?
A: Mountain Bike Worlds were in June and I didn’t think I could be fit by then living in Michigan. I was going to graduate High School early and go live with my Uncle in San Diego, but my dad didn’t like that idea. He talked with the Junior Development Cycling Foundation and they recommended trying Collegiate Cycling. I applied at a few different Schools, but I only had about two weeks before the winter semester started and Fort Lewis was the only one that let me in on such short notice. I had never been to Durango, but it worked out and I am still there ten years later.
Q: You came to town as a mtber right?, When did you decide to focus on road racing instead of mountain bike racing?
A:I did my first road race ever with FLC cycling that spring. It was right when Lance was winning the Tour de France and there was a lot more coverage of road racing. Plus, there were so many more opportunities for support with the National Team and development teams that would give me bikes and get me to races. So I did a few mountain bike national races early 2002 and then was just doing road races by June. I still did some Collegiate Mountain bike races, though.
Q: What team are you on and what is your role on the team? Has it changed over the years?
A: I am racing with the Kelly Benefit Strategies Pro Cycling Team. I am a climber/ hard race guy. But depending on the coarse, I help the sprinters or get bottles. Our team is great in that we all work together to achive the best result for the team. I could get 12th in a field sprint, but I would rather work to get my sprinter in a good position and end up 87th in the sprint, because he has a better chance to win in that situation. Where the sprinter will help me before a climb, because I have a better chance for a result.
Q: What is your favorite 2 hour road loop from town?
A: I like the Valley loop. There is not a lot of traffic and I can throw in a few climbs. I love the Missionary Ridge Road.
Q: Who were your cycling heros as a junior? Who are they now?
A: As a Junior I looked up to guys like Ned and Tinker Juarez. The 1998 Tour de France came on at 3 in the morning and stayed up and watched Marco Pantani win the tour on a huge climb. I thought that was pretty cool. At first, I was nervous lining up with the guys that I had only seen in the magazines. But I got over that and realized they are just guys. They really aren’t as cool as you think. I guess Ned is a pretty cool guy.
Q: What was the junior racing scene like in Michigan? Where there any junior programs around where you lived?
A:There is a pretty good series of mountain bike races. I could pretty much race every weekend with a 3 hour drive or less. There were a good group of juniors that battled every weekend. My dad also raced and we would go to the races together. There was nothing like the Durango Devo. I was sponsored by Billy’s Bike Shop. Billy would give me a deal on bikes, help me with coaching and hand me bottles at races.
Q: What advice would you give to a junior mountain biker looking to make a profession of cycling?
A: I would not be afraid to try some road races. It is good for the fitness. Most top mountain bikers race or have raced the road. It will help you develop and there are a lot more guys getting paid racing road. There are many development teams that will give you bikes fly you all over the world to race. You can always race both, I am going to race Mountain Bike Nationals in Granby this year.
Matt Shriver is the Head Coach for the Fort Lewis Cycling team. A former collegiate champion, Matt retired from professional cycling in 2008 to focus on coaching. Its 2010 and Matt is still coaching the powerhouse Skyhawks, and has picked up coaching work overseas this summer in Germany for the U23 and Junior National riders through USA Cycling. It also is becoming apparent that Matt has not really retired. He is still super fast, and quite possibly faster than ever.
Matt leading out in LeadvilleQ: You coach collegiate cyclists, what are the similarities and differences between the junior and collegiate athletes in terms of training habits?
A: It is surprising how many similarities there are with junior and collegiate athletes. The majority of the riders come straight out of high school and the junior racing scenes in their region. Most of them are very green and have a lot of things to learn as riders and adults. Their training habits really depend on the disciplines that they have raced and how competitive the racing was in their region. The mountain bikers tend to be a little bit more relaxed with their training, less structured and just roost trails whenever without a lot of structured training. The road riders usually do a little more structured training, and put in the miles.
The biggest difference between collegiate racing an juniors is that it’s a major step up in experience. The age and experience of the collegiate riders is across the board. We have 18 year olds traveling and racing alongside veteran pro’s for both road and mountain biking. In collegiate, you learn a lot about training and racing from your teammates as well as the coaches. That is probably the biggest difference from racing junior to collegiate, just the amount of experienced riders and enthusiasm for racing and training is a lot higher.
Q: What is the best thing about collegiate cycling? as a coach, and as a former collegiate cyclist? A: Collegiate cycling is my favorite cycling atmosphere. There aren’t a lot of egos and the playing field is level. The passion for the sport and desire to succeed is at its highest in the collegiate years. There is so much energy and it really is racing at the purest form.
With collegiate cycling also comes the pride of your team and school. When you put on the Fort Lewis College jersey, you are a part of the best cycling program in the country. In the cycling world, coming from Fort Lewis College means so much because of the rich cycling history we have and the quality riders and people we have produced.
Some of my favorite times racing bikes where as a collegiate rider. The friends you make and the character of your teammates are unmatched. You meet lifetime friends and make connections that will last a lifetime. My favorite racing experiences are from the collegiate days, when nothing mattered but doing the best you could for your school. It wasn’t about sponsors, money, or trying to get a contract. The racing was about chasing your dreams and representing your teammates, your town, and doing the best you could. It was an awesome experience and I would do it all over again if I could!
Q: What is the common thing your collegiate athletes need to work on in terms of racing and or training technique, when they first come to the FLC program? (what did they neglect to train as a junior?) A: Every rider is different. This is one thing that many coaches neglect with designing training plans. What works for one athlete may not work for the others. Finding each riders weakness takes some time to sort out and isn’t always easy. One of the most common areas the riders neglect is their recovery. A lot of them train enough, but forget that recovery is half of their training. Add the college lifestyle of a little more freedom and it can be disaster. Really getting their recovery dialed is important and for them to recognize that recovery is just as important as the training rides. You have to recover as hard as you train
Another common mistake is that the riders get carried away with base training. They come from racing juniors to stepping it up into the collegiate ranks and the upper catergories. Many riders put in way to many hours, more hours than some pros! Yes, it is important to get in a good base for the season. However when you are in school as a full time student, maybe working part time, having a life it is to much. That’s like having three jobs. Something’s going to give from all that stress and it’s going to be your body. Keeping the rains on the collegiate riders and their base volume and hours is important to me. It’s common for them to make the mistake of to much too quick and frying themselves before the season is even over. It is a fine balance, and balance is the key. Structured training is important and logging some miles, but so is enjoying your college experience and it will help your cycling overall.
Q: Has the transition from junior cat 1 racing to pro racing changed since you were a developing junior? A:The transition from Junior to Pro has changed immensely since I was a junior (1998). There were only a few juniors that could compete with the Pro riders, so making that transition was huge and difficult. Some of the Juniors were even too fast too soon, and they made the transition no problem but were so burned out that they didn’t last long. Making the leap was really tough and discouraging without some guidance and leadership. We didn’t have programs like Durango Devo to help guide us on a good path for a successful and FUN career in cycling. Having programs in place like Durango Devo make that transition to the higher ranks much easier. There is a lot more opportunity for juniors now than before in both road and mountain biking. Q: What is your favorite mountain bike workout in town? A: There are to many to count! Right out my front door would have to be just shredding Horse Gulch. I love to ride hard up the Talker Trail into the Gulch, hit the meadow to Telegraph and down Yellow Brick road to Sidewinder. Hook up with the sweet flow of Cowboy trail over to South Rim and back up the Crites connection trail. Finish it up down Anasazi descent and an up Stacey’s down and out! It’s a killer sample of some of the finest trails the Gulch has plus some good climbing. I stay on it the whole way non-stop usually. Getting all that in about 2 hours always leaves a grin on my face. I can’t wait for the trails to dry up.
Q: What do you think about the Tellegraph Hill climb as a training tool? WOuld you be interested in coming out with us this summer and trying to break the record? You currently have the second best time ever at 15 min 3 seconds(?) A: The Telegraph Climb is a great gauge of fitness. It is important to have indicators during the season to keep an eye on your form. Doing this climb once a month or a test similar is recommended. Actually, this past fall I smashed the record on the 5” Bike. 14:28 from the bottom to the top. 2009 was a good year and adding a new personal best Telegraph time trial was another milestone. I look forward to coming out in July and doing some of the time trials and Devo rides for Leadville 100 training. A lot of my summer will be spent in Germany working with the US Juniors and U-23 Mountain bikers with USA Cycling.
Q: Any sweet junior training tips? A: Dabble in as many disciplines as you can and be open to learn. I hear a lot of mountain bikers say how they don’t like road racing. Or the roadies talking about mountain biking the same way. The truth is that they compliment each other and you really can’t be a great mountaan biker without some road racing. Road racing teaches you how to read a race tactically. Roadies need the mountain biking skills. Mountain biking also builds incredible strength for climbing. Get some education in training and racing from your coaches! Most of all keep it fun. This is so important at all levels, even the highest. If you think about why you love riding, love racing and why you do it, it’s for fun! Once you lose this perspective then it becomes difficult. It goes back to the balance of it all. Keep it fun!
FLC cyclist and Durangoan, Ben Sonntag rode an amazing race in Bend, Oregon last December.
Q: How did you find out about Durango and FLC?
A: 2003 was my most successful season as a Winter triathlete. That spring I went to the bike festival at Riva del Garda, Italy (something like Sea Otter) to meet up with Specialized to sign a contract for the upcoming season. And whom do I get to meet? Ned Overend! He was there to race and present the company and I got to talked to him a bit. That was the very first time I heard about Durango and it took me 4 years to remember his words. In 2007, my first year competing in cycling after switching from skiing and Winter triathlon I made the decision to finish my degree which I started in Anchorage, Alaska on a skiing scholarship. I remembered the meeting with Ned and started looking more into it. That’s how I also found out about FLC and it went from there. 2 months later I was in Durango and started taking classes at FLC
Q: What is the junior biking scene like in Germany? Do they have any solid junior mountain bike programs?
A: Cycling like almost any sports in Germany is organized by clubs. There are a lot of clubs who have there own junior program. Kids get together to train, travel to races….It’s similar to DEVO, which from my understanding is a pretty unique program in the US.
Q: When did you start racing mountain bikes and was there any difference in the junior competition between the US and Germany?
A: I actually didn’t compete in cycling as a junior, but from what I have seen in skiing, I would say in Germany kids are starting to be serious about training and racing a bit earlier. I would say on a junior level there is more competition in Germany and everything is already pretty professional. In my eyes this has pros and cons. A lot of very successful juniors are quitting early because they are burned out before their real career would start. On the other hand often times in the US juniors have to close a big gap once they move in the elite ranks to be competitive internationally.
Q: You are a collegiate champion, what have you won in the college ranks and what else do you wish to accomplish?
A: As for collegiate, I’m at the end of my collegiate carrier. I will graduate this spring, can’t wait!!! As my highlights were winning 3 individual titles, cross country in 2007 and short track and cross country in 2008. I also won 3 team titles with FLC, MTB in 2007 and 2008 and Cyclocross in 2009. Those were for sure my highlights. It’s always fun to win a team title. Outside of collegiate racing there is hardly ever the chance to experience such win as a team.
I really wish I could have won the cyclocross individual title in 2009. I was close, but didn’t make it. It was a big goal of mine leading to that event and it took me a while to get over it! In the end it kept me motivated to work hard on myself over the last couple months.
Q: Who are your cycling and non cycling heros?
A: As I have a different non-cycling background most of my sport heros are cross country skiers. I think Bjoern Daehlie was the one athlete who I remember watching the most and being a real ‘hero’ for me. As for cycling I look up to people who have the consistency to be at the top all season long. As a cross country racer, Julian Absalon of course comes to ones mind. But I’m also looking up to the Swiss, who are so strong as a nation.
Q: You race a pretty stacked season in many of the cycling disciplines, how are you spending your time this preseason training? How do you work around the weather?
A: It feels for me that the weather has been rough this year for cyclists in Durango. It is hard to do your training in such conditions. I think it is important to still do your specific workouts, if you have to even on the ‘evil’ rollers or trainer. But if that’s the case you have to mix things up with other outdoor activities to not burn out before the real season starts. I’m doing a lot of cross country skiing, some running and trying not to get huge in the gym ;). I think especially as a Mtber it is important to be a well rounded athlete. In Mountain biking I think, it’s more than just having the engine and the legs to win! Skills and good core strength are just as important.
Q: Do you have any advice for the DEVO juniors?
A: I keep this short. They should go out and have fun riding their bikes. If they fall in love with the sport and are ambitious about it than they can start to pursue their goals as a racer. But they have to love it! You can only be successful in racing if you have a passion for what you’re doing!
Q: Were you born and raised in Durango? and how did you get into cycling? A: I was born and raised in Durango. After going south to play soccer for four years in college, I returned to Durango in 2005 after a knee injury ended my soccer career. Thinking my life as a elite athlete was over, I enrolled at FLC to finish some pre-requisites for medical school. After my knee injury, my doctors encouraged me to start riding a bike and then Rick Crawford and Dave Hagen encouraged me to race for FLC for fun. That was the spring of 2006, that fall, Colavita/Sutter Home signed me for 2007.
Q: What is the coolest thing about racing on the pro women’s circuit? A: All the women I get to race with are in the sport because they absolutely love riding a bike. It is so cool how supportive and respectful of each other everyone is. It seems like everyone takes the time to help make each other better, especially with the younger/newer riders. I do not think I have experienced the same kind of atmosphere in other sports.
Q: Where you training when you were struck by the truck? and do you remember what you were thinking immediately after wards? A: I had just left my house on a training ride and was crossing 3rd Avenue when a person driving a truck ran a stop sign and hit me. As I was flying through the air I remember thinking “my leg is bending where it should not be.” As I landed I took stock of the major body parts….head-ok, back-feels ok, collarbones-ok, I wiggled my fingers and toes, which was a huge relief. I knew my leg was broken but everything else seemed to be ok. My little brother happened to be on scene with the ambulance (he works for Durango Fire and Rescue) and I remember asking him in the ambulance if my career was over…he told me that was up to me to decide. Later, when I came out of surgery (where they inserted a titanium rod down the entire length of my femur), my bro had posted signs all over my room with my personal moto for life and racing….I knew I would come back from it then!
Q: Injuries can be both positive and negative, can you give any advice on how to stay positive when dealing with a big injury? A: As an athlete, injuries can feel like the end of the world. It is really important to stay positive so the healing process can move as quickly as possible. I was very lucky to be surrounded by an amazing group of people in my family, friends and cycling community who were continually reminding me to keep my head up and battle my injury just like a really long bike race. I have been setting goals for myself throughout the recovery process and doing my best to only focus on what I CAN do and not what I cannot do. The first day after my injury it took me 30 minutes to get out of bed, I was so weak from blood lose and so my goal was to get out of bed and crutch to a line five feet away and then back to bed. It was like a little finish line but it gave me the same sense of accomplishment that completing a hard training session gives. Each day the finish lines takes me a little closer to my final goal of being fully healed and racing again.
Q: What female athletes do you look up to the most, cycling or any sport? Who is the coolest American road woman? A: Hmmm, thats a tough one, there are so many female athletes whom I look up to……Mia Hamm has always been an athlete I look up to as she has an amazing work ethic and remains so humble about her accomplishments. Kristin Armstrong has that same work ethic and she has this amazing killer instinct that is really cool to see in action. Ina Teutenberg is an all around classy rider who has earned everyone’s respect in the peloton, very cool. But really, I look up to all female athletes who are out there getting it done everyday. From pros, to weekend warriors, 5 year old Devos to 80 year old’s, I get so motivated any time I see another woman out on the road or trails having fun doing what she loves!
Q: Do you mountain bike at all? If so what kind of bike are you running? How about road bike, what is it? A:Heck yes! I love mountain biking, although I usually don’t get around to it until my off season; I lack significant skills and don’t want to risk getting injured during the season. I am raging a Gary Fisher Big Sur hard tail which keeps me from getting into too much trouble in the crashing category. On the road, I am stoked to be riding a Fuji SL 1 pimped out with SRAM red and Edge composite wheels and a Fuji D-6 Pro for time trials!
Q: What advice do you have for junior cycling women in Durango, we have several young ladies that will be moving on from Devo in the next year or two, what do you see as a path to continue on with their cycling? A: Stick with it! Cycling is a sport of longitivity and perserverance, it rewards those who have put the time in over many years. Set your goals high, then pick away at the stair step goals one at a time! Above all, work hard and make sure you have tons of FUN!
As far as life beyond Devo, I would recommend collegiate cycling to all the girls as it is a great stepping stone to help ease the transition from junior racing to racing with the pros. Not only that, collegiate cycling allows you to be a part of an amazing community as you wade through college classes!
Q: What brought you to Durango? Did you race in college?
A: Fort Lewis College, Skiing and mt. bike brought me to Durango-Yes, I raced in college, in fact, Fort Lewis College mt. bike team try outs was my first mt. bike race ever in 1996! I raced the C team Freshman year, B team sophomore year and the A team my junior and senior years! Collegiate racing is the reason I became a bike race!
Q: What year did you earn your Pro mtb license and how did that come to be? A: I earned my Pro mtb license in 2002 and I attribute that to collegiate racing! I just worked hard and every year I moved up through the sport class, expert, semi-pro until I had the results to upgrade to pro.
Q: You helped develop the Health FX team, what led to that and how has it developed into what it is today? A: The Health FX team started with a group of local Durango fellas that just loved/wanted to race bikes. We were sponsored by Trek Bicycles from the beginning and with their support, along with local businesses as sponsors we morphed into “Team 505 Trek”. The team was strong and results were plentiful; because of that we were able to raise more money and get more people on the team. We now have 3 main sponsors and half dozen smaller sponsor’s that make up the “Directory Plus/Zia/Trek team today. We still have a core group of 4-5 riders that were on the Health FX team and make up a majority of today’s team.
Q: You have been a pretty solid ski racer the past 2 seasons, what is it you enjoy most about the sport? A: I enjoy ski racing in many disciplines so much that it is hard to pin down the one thing I enjoy most about it. Besides nordic (classic and skate) racing I recently have been competing in a local Colorado Randonee Race series that takes me to all the sick Colorado ski towns. Randonee racing comprises of skinning up (usually a ski area), skiing down, boot packing with your skis on your back and even some fixed rope ascents (every time I get done with one it reminds me so much of a mt. bike race). I love the balance that skiing/ski racing gives me; it’s a great opportunity to build muscles that become atrophied during cycling season. I also thoroughly enjoy the solitude that comes with training for ski races, rather it be backcountry skiing or just getting up to the golf course for a skate/classic shesh.
Q: The Moab Super D was won by you in convincing fashion last October, how do you train for this sport and what kind of bike does it take? A: Trek was able to hook me up with a “Remedy” 9.9, that was definitely an advantage over the competition as that bike has over 5.5″ of travel, weighs under 26lbs. and pedals just as fast as it descends. I feel that I did so well in the Moab Super D as I was riding dirt bikes (recently got a yz125) and racing cross. It was the perfect balance of downhill (moto) training with uber fast high end cycle cross practices/races I was competing in at the local level prior to the Moab win. Dirt bikes and cycle cross racing seems to me to be the best of both worlds for super D training.
Q: What advise do you have for the junior cyclists in town? What path would you take, in hindsight, to becoming a pro cyclist? A: The advise I have for junior cyclists is hard work, persistence and patience. The path to racing pro takes years of training/racing and understanding what works for each individual athlete. In hindsight I wouldn’t do anything different as I like balance in my life; I love racing but I love to do many other things in my life. I don’t stress/worry about base in the winter months, I ski-backcountry, skate, classic, Rando Racing etc. I have never been the “fastest guy in town” but I know that everything I do (including bicycle racing) makes me a very well rounded and balanced person/athlete.
Q: Who are your favorite cyclists of all time, roadie, mtber? How about heros outside the sport? A: I have so many favorite cyclists, but some of my favorite include: Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, Julie Furtado, Tinker Juarez, John Tomac, Cadel Evans,Chad Cheeney, Ned Overend, Travis Brown, Lance Armstrong, Todd Wells, Anthony Colby, Alison Dunlap and last but not least Marco Pantani. Some of my heroes outside the sport include my parents, John Elway, Scott Shmidt, Glen Plake and many more!
Alumni Tad Elliott is off to Austraila for the next week as he prepares for fidays U23 World Championship cross country race. Tad is there with fellow Durangoan Todd Wells to represent in the world scene. Here is Tad’s latest update.
Flight went well economy plus on the isle with no one next to me. I slept for 7:30 hours straight no sleeping pill. Woke up ate some food then took another 1:30 nap. I had so much food I did not even eat the airplane food. Very Nice. Course is good with a lot of single track and tons of option lines with jumps over ditches, drops, and fun stuff. It is a lot like Colorado trails. I hope to do well. Colin Cares and I are roommates. Hotel room is so swank. Two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, big flat screen TV, movie channels, two bathrooms and showers, plus our own laundry. So nice. Food set up is rad. Walk downstairs and there is 4 star restaurant preparing our meals. We see tons of Cockatiels and Parrots flying around, Kangaroo dead on the side of the road, I have not seen a live one yet but I hope to soon. It is very cold and windy here. Thermal stuff like spring in Colorado. Talk to you more when there is something cool to report.
Chase Orrick has graduated from the program. He will be missed and is on a mission to be a pro filmer at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Chase was on the first DEVO team in 2006 and won 2 overall series Super Downhill Championships while racing. He also shot and produced 2 full length bike films documenting the 2007, 08 DEVO race seasons, as well as working for IDTV in 2008, making monthly 2 minute short films that updated the community on the happenings of DEVO. Keep up the hard work Chase and have fun in college!
Q: How did you first here about the DEVO program and what did you expect?
A:Well I first actually heard about the program through Ben Kraushaar’s mom. My mom was an orthodontist assitant at the time and Ben’s Mom happened to come into the office one day. Ben’s mom mentioned the program and gave me Chad Cheeney’s phone number. I gave Chad a ring and had a little informal meeting with him and joined the team at that time. I really didn’t know what to expect from the program, especially since this was the first year Durango DEVO was around. But it was amazing. I think there were like 9 kids on the team or something like that so it was SUPER sweet!
Q: What is the most bestest skill you learned while training with DEVO? A: Probably just learning how to be all around a good rider. The program really emphasizes the importance of being good at everything on every kind of terrain. That’s super key to being a strong racer, being all around good at everything. Being a great descender wont win you a race, nor will just being a great climber. You have to be both in order to succeed in racing.
Q: What has been you favorite day of practice? And what makes it stand out? A:Oh man, that’s a difficult question for sure. They all were favorites, there are definitely some that stand out. If I had to pick one night out of any I actually am going to pick the night that I shot Chad’s Movie Segment for my first Film, Durango DEVO. I know that it wasn’t really a practice and I was filming instead of riding but that night still stands out hugely in my mind. Chad was shredding hogsback apart over and over again, and I was just in awe of Chad’s skill and control. Then Chad proceeded to hit pretty much every jump up on powerlines on his singlespeed hardtail with the seat fully raised. I was just so excited because a segment that I really really wanted to come together ended up being better than I could have ever hoped.
Q: How about race results, What has been your biggest accomplishment? A: I’ve pretty stoked on my 2 Mountain States Cup Super D Series Championships that I won in 2007 and 2008. And also in 2008 I got 3rd Place at the National Round in Dear Valley for Junior Super D which was sweet because the field was STACKED with fast dudes.
Q: If you could have one bike for the rest of your life, what would that be? A: I would definitely have to say my Tomac Carbide SL. It’s a way sweet bike and Tomac has really helped me out this year by letting my ride for them. It’s just a great all around bike that does just about everything well. I love it and thanks to Joel Smith over at Tomac for all the help and support this year.
Q: You made two killer films about DEVO during your time on the team. Is filmmaking something you are going to keep on pursuing? Will you shoot another for us in the far off future?
A: I’m actually going to school for film so I”m definitely trying to pursue it for my career. I just really love everything about filming from shooting to editing to finally seeing the finished product up on the big screen. As far as shooting further stuff with DEVO I would love to. With how busy I was getting ready for college this year I wasn’t able to make another DEVO film, but who knows, I”ll be back in future summers and would love to shoot some more 😀
Q: What classes are you taking this semester? Have you had time yet to sample the local singletrack. A: I’m taking some film classes right now as well as some Communications Classes mainly. All stuff thats going towards my major as a Film Studies Student. I actually haven’t had a chance yet to sample very much singletrack. I’m going for a ride this weekend though with the ‘ol Mountain States Cup Crew that lives up here in Boulder. It’s awesome seeing all these kids who live in boulder that I have raced with for years now over the circuit. They have been awesome so far in showing me around and letting me know the best spots to shred.
Durango DEVO is all about singletrack mountain bike trails. We ride them, race them and help maintain them. Durango is lucky to have such a sweet trail network, thanks to the hard work from the Trails 2000 family. The non-profit which began in the 90’s, is headed by executive director Mary Monroe. Mary moved here in 2006 and took over the non stop job from Bill Manning. Mary likes racing it appears from her appearances at the local cyclocross, short track and mtb races. Lately she has been seen shredding some pretty burly endurance high country races. Here are some things from our superstar friend.
Q: You recently competed in the Brek Epic. What was it like racing everyday at altitude? Did it feel impossible at any point?
A: Altitude offers many challenges and the biggest obstacle is looking up at a 12,000 plus peak and knowing you have to go over, around and then some to the finish. I was most intimidated by one stage named the Circumnavigation of Mt. Giyot (gee-oh)…we reached the snow field in the top and the views were amazing. Everyone was euphoric (or in complete oxygen deprivation) and even happier to stop pushing their bikes! I crashed super hard on Stage 4 and didn’t think I could start the next day. It felt impossible but I thought of all of my friends in Durango who believed in me and got right back on the saddle.
Q: Whats it like racing as a duo in that event? Is it hard to stick together?
A: Like any good partnership, you have to choose your mates wisely. My teammate Heather has one of the best attitudes of anyone I know. That is a secret to racing together. She’s positive, happy, encouraging and courageous. She certainly had to coax me up a few steep mining road climbs but we had so many laughs racing together.
Q: Was there any interesting trail design stuff you noticed? Anything to incorporate in DGO’d trail network?
A: Most of the trail network in Summit County is a result of old mining roads that still operate as gravel roads. Durango is blessed with so much high country and urban interface singletrack that is really hard to leave and go someplace else to ride. My teammate used to work at IMBA while I was on the board of directors so we had several conversations about trail conditions and design. I have a hard time turning my ‘trail eyes’ off but I’m always on the lookout for new ideas.
Q: You also competed in that burly Purg race that was like 8 hours of mtn biking. That sounded like a hard race, what got you through that?
A: My friend Katri is a superstud. The wonderful volunteers at the bottom of Jones Creek were more than happy to take me back up to my car but she wasn’t having it and we continued up Hermosa to the finish at the bottom of the World’s course. It was cold, rainy and challenging but like anything else in life that’s difficult, your attitude and behavior are all that you can control. So we persevered:).
Q: The Raider Ridge extension went through this week, nice work, what advice would you give people looking to ride up there for the first time.
A: Like Mr. Dalla says, you may want to take a sandwich and just go for a hike the first time you experience the trail. It’s very rocky and technical like Extended Ridge used to be when trail users first started riding it. We all need to remember that this trail and all the trails we use are on private property and respecting that and other trail users we encounter will help the greater good.
Q: Who is your favorite mountain bike racer of all time and why? (besides your hubby Travis)
A: Juli Furtado. She always was and still is a super stud athlete. She’s overcome so much in her life and continues to pursue her passions. We actually worked together to start her company, Juliana and had so much fun testing that first bike in Lake Tahoe.
Q: If you could only have one bike for the next 5 years, what would that be?
A: One bike, really? Why? It would be a carbon fiber, singlespeed 29er built into a detachable ‘bakfiets’ style cargo bike. Complete with slicks for commuting and knobby tires for trail rides.
A: They are already inspiring all of us. I think the only tip is to appreciate their amazing coaches (props to Annie, Sarah, Kricket and Jess) and I’m so proud to see them riding around on the trails and making such healthy, positive choices in their lives. GO DEVAS!
Q: So a lot of us saw you out at the AOA/DEVO short track with a sling, what happened to your wing? A: I broke my Scapula in a Mountain Bike crash while I was riding with the Wells brothers.
Q: What exact location on the trail/road did it happen? A: I was descending from Molas Pass down to Cascade on the biking trail.
Q: What other bones and stuff have you broken, or is this a first? A: This is the first broken bone I have ever broken but the ER staff knows Evan and I on first name basis.
Q: How do you feel now as compared to the first day of the injury? A: I feel a lot better, I have even gotten on the trainer lately and have been riding to no where.
Q: It is early to say I’m sure, but when do you wish to race again? A: Vermont is the goal. Be back for the east coast races. It is a hard race on the body but hopefully Dr. Blevins will have me in top form by then.
Q: Now that you are out of the U23 race at Nationals, and as the defending champ, who do you want to win it most? Can you pick the top 5?
A:I hope to see a good race that is exciting to watch from the side lines. I also hope that my team mates do well. Man it is cool to see how fast those big pros go. There will be a lot of local Durango talent in that race so it would be cool to see the boys do well in there home state. I wish all the best to Durango Devo at nationals and am looking forward to seeing every one from Durango race fast. Remember Pin it to win it.
Check out this cool Todd Wells interview from Colt at Cyclingdirt.com. Todd joined the u14 boys team this monday and worked on race starts and miniature short track racing. Thanks Todd.
Nice work to Alumni Tad! Here is the results Q: Was this the biggest race you have ever done? Got any stats?
A: Yes, man was it huge. Here are some quick stats. 220 Starters. 30,000 Fans. Town Population under 1000. Start Lap plus five laps. Start hill 20% Grade.
Q: What did you do the morning of your race? Did you see any fellow
competitors doing anything weird?
A: I woke up ate some delicious potatoes and drank some coffee. Rode my bike around for a minute in my Pajamas, then started to crank some JT to get ready to race. I only saw some weird stuff the day before the race. A whole factory team riding in a peloton being motor paced by a huge van.
Q: There were billions of people on the course cheering, did anyone scream
your name? Did you hear anything funny?
A: There were some cheers for me out there with my name in them. Mainly american women that had already raced. Nothing too funny out there. Just “Go American.” My team mate always reports back they he gets cheers like “Go OBAMA” and “YES WE CAN” all the time.
Q: How did your race go? A: My race was awesome. I finished on the lead lap and was riding around 70’s 80’s and with one and a half laps to go, then I bonked super hard and tried to make it to the finish.
Q: What will it take to break the top 50? A: A top 50 over in Europe will be hard. It will take some experience at being over here and knowing how to prepare for a World Cup. Maybe some more short track work outs would help. Its feels like a short track that lasts for two hours.
Q: What World Cup woman do you dig the most? A: Oh there is no Question its Lea Davison. She went to the riser bars right before Offenberg, so she knows what is up. All the american women over here are super rad so lets hope they kill it this season.
DEVO alumni Tad Elliott just completed his most massive World Cup to date in finishing 138th of 180 in Offenburg, Germany for round 2 of the World Cup XC series. Here are the results and story.
Q: Did you know anybody around you at the start line? What was that like? A: I did know one person, I was near Barry Wicks. He was easy to spot since he was about a foot taller than anyone else around us. I also met Kris Sneedon on the start line and we started right next to each other. It was nice to see some friendly faces amidst a sea of Euros with their game faces on.
Q: How did the first 5 minutes of the race go for you? Describe the feeling of being in that massive pack of hammers on the start.
A: The start really is crazy. The first five minutes for me were tough. I managed to stay upright which was goal number one. The feeling of being in massive pack of hammers was GRIPPED. There is a lot of dust you can’t see that well and you are trying to pass guys. It was intense, but now I know to stay relaxed and go with the flow.
Q: How did you finish? A: I finished well started to move up the last couple of laps and came in 138th. I was more pumped that I did not crash or flat or walk any decents.
Q: Was there anything techy on the course that messed with you? A: Yes. There is this 90 degree left turn off a log drop into super steep roots and ruts and then another flat 90 degree loose gravel turn to a rock drop off with hay bails on both sides for protection. The first day a girl crashed crazy hard infront of me and I could not get that image out of me head. On race day there were probably 1000 spectators there with huge speakers blasting music and a guy was anouncing over the loud speaker who you were and what country you were from before you dropped in. There was a little NASCAR vibe with people wanting to see some CARNAGE.
Q: Who is your favorite German World Cuper? Besides Sontagg. A: Sabine Spitz she won gold at the Olympics last year. Getting to see her race and hearing the cheers of the crowd when she would came by was pretty cool. The loudest I have ever heard fans at a bike race.
Local retired DH superstar Elke Brutsaert has been working with the local college cycling team as well as the DEVO program ever since she gave up the traveling lifestyle as “team Mom” for the Giant World Cup mtb team. Durango is stoked to have her here for more months out of the year. Here is what she has to say about sweet stuff.
Q: What was your first, best bike ride memory?
A: When I was ages 3-5yrs, my family lived in Socorro NM. There is not much I remember of these early days, being such a wee one and all. I do have a vague memory of riding bikes with my brothers in the arroyo across the road from our house. I do also recall the day we moved to Maine, when we found a black widow spider in the bottom of a trash can that was to get packed in the U-Haul. SUPER scary day…first I had ever heard of a spider that could kill you, never mind the “rattler’s” all over the arroyo!
Q: Who did you look up to in the cycling world when you began your career in the DH mtb world?
A: Susan Demoate (sp?) And why? She was a great Icon of the sport!! True professional, very friendly and genuinely excited for me…. a new racer on the DH circuit, ready to dominate. She also later became a gracious Olympic medal winner in Athens, Georgia. I also have great respect for Sara Ballentine and Cindy Devine….they were the founding mtb diva’s of equal prize money. Unprecedented in many other sports.
Q: What was your favorite bike you ever rode when you raced professionally? A: I was chosen by Mert Lawill to pilot the first Schwinn/Yeti/Lawill prototype at a world cup in Big Bear, CA. Monkey, our trusted Mechanic and great friend, stayed up all night with Mert, working out the kinks of the new rear linkage system. Grinding parts, reworking bushings, putting on stickers and dialing in the shox’s to make it all run smoothly for my morning race run. I took one practice run and roosted the field to win my second World cup DH on a bike I had spent only 5 minutes on that morning in practice. Regina Stiefel, the German WC overall leader was shocked, as she was expected to handily win on this fitness course. From that day, forward the Lawill rear linkage had a lasting name in the industry and I am honored to have been a part of that process which eventually produced the legendary Schwinn Straight 8 DH bike. Also, it was entirely fun to feel like I had “one up” on my competitors. The bike was a mental edge…it had one more inch of travel (4 inches of rear plushness) that worked really, really well…even in pedaling. All my rivals knew I had this new prototype and would ride it in the race the next day. Just the thought alone made them shudder with bike envy, hopelessly distracted by my sweet machine of domination.
Q: You were a massage artist for the Giant World Cup team the past few years, what do you do now and how did it come to be? A: Yes, I was Soigneur for the Giant race bandits for several years…spoiling them rotten with my honed sports massage skills, home cooked meals and constant caretaking shenanigans. Now that I have given up this fun and thankless job, which involved way to much air travel….. I am currently in school at FLC working towards my Exercise Science degree. I also teach part time at the Rocky Mountain Institute of Healing Arts and have a private massage practice. I have also recently started personal training at 24 hr Fitness Solutions. This is a new aspect to my “skill set”, which has been long in coming, as I have dabbled in the fitness & wellness field for many years and have a great wealth of knowledge in coaching, training and corrective exercise training specific to postural problems as well as Elite level performance. I am excited to branch out, as I constantly reinvent myself.
Q: What is the most important thing young cyclist must learn in their development as well rounded cyclists? A: The aspect of REST, is one of the most poorly understood and under-utilized aspects of training. In a sea of variables where you try to gain any margin of improvement, the most beneficial can sometimes simply be rest. Learning when and how to rest is an art form and comes with maturity and experience. Even some athletes, who are advised by the best coaches in the country, just do not listen and over train. There is nothing worse than to see a talented young athlete dig themselves into a hopeless hole of fatigue, because they did not value rest as much as the training aspect.
Q: Have you witnessed any foreign junior programs in your world travels, and do you have any top secret info? A: Yes, the Brits. are dialed…as was obvious in China when they dominated 60% of all cycling disciplines. The BCF is a very organized, government funded organization, which also has private donors who love to win medals…especially in Track events. Most foreign federations are government funded, thus they usually have more youth based development programs. In the US, since everything is privatized, our federation is ill in comparison without the Gov. funding. Not all bad though….I think that the young D’go Devo athletes are on the right track and are lucky to have a private Devo program, where there is more say on a local level as far as what the program will offer. With federations, there are always plenty of hoops to jump through and generally, in my opinion, way too much structure. So, no need to look for any top secrete info in the foreign lands of Kurdistan and the likes, as you have all the right stuff here in your own back yard. The program here in Durango has just the right mix. Imposing too much structure without emphasis on fun, at a young age in athletics, seems a recipe for burnout. It takes many years to develop a cycling career, where if the early years are pushed too hard, some kids may never evolve into what their parents pushed them to be in the first place. Most elite level athletes from my era of racing, never raced as kids or teenagers, we all came into the sport through other sports in our 20’s. So what is the rush??? Kids should be kids and allowed to enjoy the freedom of youth and thrill of sport simply because they love it. So I commend you DEVO…for being the Beez-knees!!! I wish I was a kid in your program…or no, maybe I wish I was Peanut, my dog…he has the life!!!
Q: If you had two hours and were felling super snappy, what mtb ride would you do from town?
A: I’d rip the Rim, being sure not to roost any joggers off the edge…..then rally up into the gulch via guigline(sp?) and up Telegraph, down Crites and carbon Junction to the River trail to BMX. Hit the track for a few laps, may plunge in the animas if it is hot and then up the nature trail to my car on campus. Maybe sess. the pump track too.
Elke showing the U-19 ladies team how to dh in Log Chutes
