The Marin-based Whole
Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team has just been handed one of its most important
wins to date, as “Mountain Bike
Club of the Year” for 2011. The award was given by USA Cycling, the national
governing body for competitive cycling in the US.
As one of the top junior
development programs in the country, team Whole Athlete-Specialized provides
coaching, training support, bike fitting, nutritional counseling, sport
psychology, and skills training to top-level athletes, including two of Marin’s
Junior National Champion athletes, Lucas Newcomb and Kate Courtney.
Newcomb, 16 of Nicasio, Calif.,
is the reining boys’ 15/16 Junior National XC Champion, his first national
title in bike racing. Courtney, 16 of Kentfield,
Calif., is the current girls’
15/16 Junior National XC Champion for the second straight year.
2011 has proven to be an
exceptional year for Whole Athlete-Specialized, claiming 71 victories and seven
national titles overall. And in its three years as a team, it has always qualified
riders to the US World Championship Teams.
“It’s truly an honor to be
recognized as Mountain Bike Club of the Year, and even more so to have the
opportunity to work with such dedicated young athletes, sharing in their
collective development and success.” says Team Founder / Director, Dario
Fredrick.
The Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team
forges on as they enter the 2012 season with a full roster of aspiring young
cyclists, taking on a National-level race schedule.
Steadily building toward Junior Cyclocross Nationals and the World Championships in January, Cypress Gorry took a step forward with a win at the Cylcle-A-Cross the Globe in Globe, AZ. Gorry was one of the last men standing in the pro field that saw many riders flat out of the race.
Upcoming for Gorry on the cyclocross calendar are the Derby City (KY) and Bend (OR) USGP races in Nov and Dec, then six races via the USAC European cyclocross camp, followed by Nationals in Wisconsin and the World Championships in Belgium in January.
In just three seasons the Whole Athlete-Specialized Cycling Team has established itself as one of the most notable junior mountain bike development programs in the country. In addition to earning three Junior 15/16 National Championship titles (Kate Courtney, 2010 & 2011; Lucas Newcomb, 2011), the team has qualified riders to the US World Championship Team for cross country each year thus far (John Bennett, 2009; Zach Valdez, Will Curtis, Tony Smith, Sofia Hamilton, 2010; Keegan Swenson, 2011). Not a bad start for a program just getting its wheels off the ground.
2011 Cross Country National Championships podium finishers: Keegan Swenson, Lucas Newcomb, Kate Courtney, Sofia Hamilton, Josie Nordrum & Max Houtzager
Team founder and director Dario Fredrick says it’s a matter of setting the right standards, and the results follow. “Our team philosophy is defined by ‘dedication, integrity and fun’, and when the kids focus on the process rather than the outcome, they find success happens.” Success has indeed been happening for the young team. In 2011 alone, Whole Athlete-Specialized juniors have swept cross country podiums from Fontana to the Sea Otter to the Downieville Classic, and earned 13 junior podium appearances at the National Championships in Sun Valley, ID in cross country, short track and super-D combined.
Sea Otter Classic podium: (L-R) Tony Smith, Keegan Swenson & Max Houtzager
Yet Fredrick is quick to point out that it's not all about winning. "I emphasize to the kids that it's not necessarily the win that's most important, but the effort that goes into it. As long as each kid does his or her absolute best, that's success in my book." In fact, the program emphasizes much more than just riding bikes fast. True to its name, the Whole Athlete Team promotes a holistic system in which the riders learn about nutrition, sport psychology and yoga, in addition to proper training.
Video interview with Team Director Dario Fredrick about the development program
This year the team expanded to include a few U23 riders. As the young athletes progress through the program, those who are ready to take the next step from the junior ranks have an opportunity to rise to the challenge and compete as pros. But it's a big step at the national level, even for the formerly top juniors. Other than at the National Championships and World Cups where separate U23 races are offered, in ProXCTs the young guns go up against the country's best pros. It's a daunting task for a 19-year-old to start at the back of a 60-rider pro field, but as Fredrick points out, they have to start somewhere. "We don't expect our first year U23s to be competitive at the ProXCT level, but as long as they are making forward progress, that's what cycling development is about."
The program itself has also made steady progress. Having started out as many teams do as a modest endeavor, the Whole Athlete-Specialized Team has evolved into a national player and shows no signs of slowing down. With multi-year commitments from Whole Athlete and Specialized, the non-profit funded program is on track to continue developing national-caliber junior and U23 riders for years to come.
For more information and to learn how you can help support junior cycling development, go to www.wholeathlete.com/team.htm.
Fresh off his Junior 15/16 National Championship win, Lucas Newcomb was off to Europe with USAC's Junior Race Camp to experience world-class competition at the Ekz Cup in Eschenbach, Switzerland. In his first-ever international race, Newcomb finished a strong 7th place and will have another chance to shine this coming Saturday at the Racer Bikes Cup in Basel.
Lucas Newcomb ready to rock in Switzerland
Also headed to Switzerland is standout Junior Keegan Swenson to race in his first World Championships in Champery on September 1st. At just 17, Swenson's breakout season includes three Junior wins in the ProXCT series, second at the Racer Bikes Cup in Granichen, Switzerland, and silver medals at the Junior 17/18 National Championships in both cross country and short track.
Keegan Swenson in action
All the team's top-10 race results can be found here.
Fresh off a strong top-10 finish at U23 Nationals, Will Curtis showed his late-season form by winning the Howell Mountain Challenge Pro race, setting one of the fastest-ever recorded times on the technical, twisty course.
Will Curtis on his way to victory in the Howell Mountain Challenge XC
Tony Smith and Taylor Smith followed just behind Curtis to take 1st and 2nd in the Junior race, beating the rest of the pro field. Max Houtzager made it an all-Whole Athlete-Specialized Junior sweep of the podium, while newly crowned 15/16 National Champion Lucas Newcomb took 4th.
Coming back from a broken ankle only one month ago, Smith wins the Junior race
Not to be outdone by the boys, two-time current 15/16 National Champion Kate Courtney won the Junior Women's race as well!
Coming off a strong podium ride at the Cross Country National Championships in Sun Valley, ID, Max Houtzager headed straight up to Whistler to the Crankworx Bike Festival and showed his depth of ability by winning the Junior Enduro Downhill event.
Cody Tapley has been Mr. Consistency on the road all year, top-10 in nearly every criterium entered and a hard working selfless teammate. That top step of the podium has eluded him -- until now. Tapley wins the 2Wheel Crit in impressive fashion and upgrades to Cat 2. Congrats, Cody!
