Whole Athlete-Specialized Juniors Head to Europe to Take on World-Cup Racing

Standout Whole Athlete-Specialized juniors Keegan Swenson and Max Houtzager are taking the leap across the pond to race with the world's best. Swenson and Houtzager join a small number of elite US Juniors under USA Cycling's National Race Camp to compete in the Offenburg World Cup in Germany next weekend and the Swisspower Cup race in Granichen, Switzerland June 5th.

Keegan Swenson on his way to winning the Bonelli Park ProXCT

This trip marks the first foray into European racing for Swenson and Houtzager and should provide them with invaluable experience at the highest level of the sport. Swenson has shown he's ready to take on the next level after having won every ProXCT junior event entered this Spring and six wins to date. Houtzager has also had a strong Spring campaign, with two wins and multiple podium placings, and the Offenburg race will be his second World Cup race experience after competing at the Windham, NY event last year.

Max Houtzager rounding out the team's Sea Otter podium-sweep

We wish Max and Keegan the best of luck in their European Spring race trip!!

Whole Athlete-Specialized Juniors Wrap Up Successful High School Season

Josie Nordrum sweeps JV Girls Series & CA State Title

Two California State Titles and eight podium appearances at the NICA State Championship Race in Los Olivos this weekend punctuated the Whole Athlete-Specialized Team Juniors' success throughout the 2011 High School season.

Lucas Newcomb sweeps JV Series & CA State Title

Sophomores Lucas Newcomb (Drake High School) and Josie Nordrum (Redwood High School) each took their respective Junior Varsity State Titles after sweeping the entire NorCal series. "Mr. Consistency" Jonny Kaufman (San Rafael High School) earned a well-deserved 2nd place behind Newcomb in JV, while Taylor Smith (Marin Catholic High School) had his best ride of the Spring to take 2nd in an extremely competitive Varsity field. Max Houtzager (Redwood High School) also landed on the Varsity podium with a solid 4th place. On the Varsity Girls side, Sofia Hamilton (Drake High School), Kate Courtney (Branson High School) and Mackinzie Stanley (Drake High School) rounded out the super-competitive ladies' podium with 3rd, 4th and 5th places respectively.

Varsity Girls: Sofia Hamilton, Kate Courtney & Mackinzie Stanley round out the podium in 3rd, 4th & 5th

In the six NorCal and State High School races this season, Whole Athlete-Specialized juniors earned 15 wins and 46 podium placings! Congratulations to all the riders who competed at the State Championship event, and for completing an outstanding season of High School racing.

Varsity Boys: Taylor Smith 2nd & Max Houtzager 4th

Whole Athlete-Specialized Team Continues Its Spring Success

The Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team continued its whirlwind Spring with three wins, ten podium placings and 13 top-10 finishes over the weekend.

At the final round of the NorCal High School Series at Boggs Mountain, Lucas Newcomb (Drake High School) and Josie Nordrum (Redwood High School) completed perfect sweeps, winning all four events and the overall titles in Junior Varsity. Confirming his consistency throughout the series as well, Jonny Kaufman (San Rafael High School) took 2nd behind Newcomb in JV boys.

In the ever-competitive Varisty Divisions, Max Houtzager (Redwood) and Sofia Hamilton (Drake) each completed the series in 2nd place overall, with Taylor Smith (Marin Catholic High School) and Kate Courtney (Branson High School) each 4th and Mackinzie Stanley (Drake) taking 5th, less than a year after recovering from hip surgery.

Perhaps more impressive than any of the top results was Bobby Zidek's ride at Boggs. While he didn't win or even place on the podium, he sacrificed his chances of a high finish by stopping to help a rider who crashed hard in front of him. This selfless act is one we can all aspire to.

Meanwhile in the mountain states, Keegan Swenson continued his superb Spring with victories at the Utah State Championship Series #1 last weekend - against the pros no less - and again at the Rabbit Valley Rally in Fruita, CO this weekend. Swenson already has six wins this season, including all the Junior ProXCT races in the series thus far.

Check out all the team's top-10 results here.