Another Successful Weekend for Whole Athlete/Specialized Juniors at NorCal High School Race #3

A good sign of early season form, every Whole Athlete/Specialized rider competing this weekend finished on the podium at the Granite Bay NorCal High School race. Kate Courtney started things off with a convincing win in the Varsity Girls, while Tyler O'Neal followed suit with a solo victory in the Sophomore race. 

Kate Courtney goes two for two, with her second win in as many races.

Tyler O'Neal wins the Sophomore race and takes over the series leader's jersey.

 

Lucas Newcomb had the Varsity Boys race in hand, but a wayward lapped rider inadvertently took him down, forcing Lucas to settle for 2nd. Jacob Albrecht also battled back from an early race crash to a solid fourth place finish, while Ben Spurr landed on the podium for the third consecutive race, finishing in fifth. Steffen Andersen also showed his consistency with a strong second place in Junior Varsity. 

Lucas Newcomb, Jacob Albrecht and Ben Spurr on the Varsity podium.

Next stop for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team is the Fontana ProXCT on March 30-31. Stay tuned for more exciting news!

Juniors Lead Bonelli XCT Charge with Wins in Short Track and Cross Country

The Whole Athlete/Specialized Cycling Team headed down to Bonelli Park in SoCal this weekend for the second stop on the ProXC-Tour. With victories in both short track and cross country events and multiple podium finishes, it proved to be another successful weekend for the team.

Cole Avery leads out the first climb on his way to winning the Under-15 XC race.

Cole Avery took his second consecutive win of the season in the Under-15 XC race, while Shane Skelton followed his 2nd place finish in the cross country on Sat with a convincing overall win in the Cat 1 short track on Sunday. 

Shane Skelton on the top step of the STXC podium.

Casey Williams battles the afternoon heat in the Pro short track.

Cole Avery tops the U15 XC podium.

Awaiting the podium.

 

Bonelli ProXCT Top-10 Team Results:

Shane Skelton - 1st Cat 1 Short Track
Cole Avery - 1st Under-15 XC
Dario Fredrick - 1st Cat 1 40-44 XC
Shane Skelton - 2nd Cat 1 17/18 XC
Sean Bennett - 4th Cat 1 17/18 XC
Steffen Andersen - 5th Cat 1 15/16 XC
Tyler O'Neal - 6th Cat 1 15/16 XC
Matt McCourtney - 9th Cat 1 35-39 XC
Marcus Segedin - 10th Cat 1 17/18 XC

See all the team's top-10 race results here>

Next stop for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team is the Fontana ProXCT on March 30-31. Stay tuned for more exciting news!

Courtney & Newcomb to Continental Champs; Skelton, Albrecht, and Andersen Victorious in NorCal and SoCal Races

Whole Athlete/Specialized juniors Kate Courtney and Lucas Newcomb were recently honored by their selection to represent the US at the 2013 Pan Am Continental Mountain Bike Championships in Tucuman, Argentina, from April 3-7. The Continental Championships will see riders from across the Americas - from North, Central, and South - competing for the Pam American title.

Kate Courtney.

Lucas Newcomb. 

 

Meanwhile, in the fast and furious NICA high school leagues, Shane Skelton went two-for-two with another convincing Varsity win in SoCal, while Jacob Albrecht followed suit with his second consecutive win in NorCal Varsity South.

Shane Skelton tops the SoCal Varsity podium.

Jacob Albrecht on top of the NorCal Varsity South podium. 

Steffen Andersen also took the win in NorCal Junior Varsity South, while Tyler O'Neal was second in the Sophomore Division. In NorCal Varsity North, Lucas Newcomb and Ben Spurr matched their strong finishes from the last race with 2nd and 4th.

Steffen Andersen prepares for his 2013 season.

 

Lucas Newcomb and Ben Spur on the NorCal Varsity North podium once again. 

Next stop for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team is the Bonelli Park ProXCT in San Dimas, CA on March 16-17. Stay tuned for more exciting news!

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Whole Athlete/Specialized Juniors on Podiums from California to Texas

Whole Athlete/Specialized's newest young recruit Cole Avery kicked off the team's weekend results with a convincing win in the Under-15 category at the Vail Lake US Cup Race in Southern California.

Cole Avery on his way to winning the Under 15 race.

Meanwhile in Dripping Springs, Texas, a few Whole Athletes were contesting the first stop of the ProXCT national series, landing both Lucas Newcomb and Shane Skelton on the Junior Men's podium in 2nd and 3rd, after Zach Valdez earned an impressive 8th place and the top U23 rider in the UCI Pro men's race.

Lucas and Shane lead the charge in the Junior 15-18 race. (Photo: Tyler Frasca)

Zach Valdez gives his all toward an impressive top-10 finish amid a stacked pro field. (Photo: Tyler Frasca)

Casey Williams rode from a 63rd place call up in the back of the Pro field to finish 20th in his first-ever ProXCT. (Photo: Tyler Frasca)

Lucas Newcomb and Shane Skelton had their hands full with the on-form Mexican National Champion Jose Ulloa in the Junior Cat 1 race. Despite both suffering crashes on the loose, technical course, Newcomb and Skelton fought back to contest the podium. 

 

Lucas Newcomb and Shane Skelton flank Mexican National Champ Jose Ulloa.

Next stop for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team is the Bonelli Park ProXCT in San Dimas, CA on March 16-17. Stay tuned for more exciting news!

2013 Team Video

Whole Athlete/Specialized Riders Open 2013 Season with Four Wins!

This weekend marked the opening of the spring season in NICA's NorCal and SoCal Leagues, and Whole Athlete/Specialized riders were at the forefront, earning a total of four wins in eight podium finishes.

Shane Skelton patiently biding his time before making the race-winning move in SoCal Varsity.

Kate Courtney on her way to her first win of the 2013 season. (Photo: Miles Lim Photography)

Lucas Newcomb (Drake) corners on his way to a strong 2nd place in Varsity North. (Photo: Miles Lim Photography)

A focused Ben Spurr on his way to a podium finish in his first-ever Varsity race. 

SoCal standout Shane Skelton took a convincing win in the Varsity race, timing his attack to perfection, while teammates Jacob Albrecht and Sean Bennett went 1-2 in the NorCal Varsity-south race. Kate Courtney showed that she's ready for the season with a solo victory in the Varsity Girls, while Tyler O'Neal took his second win in two weeks earning the Sophomore honors. Split into two races due to sheer size, the NorCal League Varsity-north also saw Lucas Newcomb and Ben Spurr take 2nd and 4th respectively, while Steffen Andersen hit the podium with a strong 2nd place in JV-south.

Shane Skelton takes the SoCal Varsity honors. 

Jacob Albrecht and Sean Bennett go 1-2 in the Varsity race.

 

Tyler O'Neal wins his second race in two weeks with his Sophomore victory.

Steffen Andersen with a solid 2nd place in JV south.

 

Kate Courtney on the Varsity top step.

Next stop for the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team is the Mellow Johnny's ProXCT in Austin, TX. Stay tuned for more exciting news!

Whole Athlete / Specialized Cycling Team Kicks Off 2013 with Winter Training Camp

Fourteen Junior and U23 riders descended upon the Whole Athlete Performance Center in Northern California over the weekend for the Whole Athlete / Specialized Cycling Team's 2013 season kickoff camp. The young riders were treated to two full days of great riding, sponsor introductions, product demos, organic food, yoga, and much more.

The team enjoyed fantastic weather, camaraderie, and some of the best riding on the west coast

SRAM's Ryan Chondrashoff takes the riders through the new XX1 group 

The team develops mobility, stability, alignment, and balance through yoga

 

Having earned the distinction of USA Cycling's Mountain Bike Club of the Year for the second year running, the team looks to build upon its 2012 season success which included Kate Courtney's first-ever World Cup win by a US Junior Woman  and Marcus Segedin taking the Junior 15/16 Junior National Title. 

Kate Courtney aims high in 2013 with a World Cup focus

Marcus Segedin shows off the team's training kit as he prepares to step up to the Junior 17/18 ranks

 

For the 2013 season, the team's focus once again will be the US ProXCT series and National Championships, as well as select World Cups and the World Championships.

Zach Valdez looks to build on his best U23 season yet, with five Pro wins in 2012 and a podium at XC Nationals

 

Among the returning riders for 2013 are 2012 Junior 15/16 Cross Country National Champion Marcus Segedin, 2012 World Championship Team members Lucas Newcomb, Kate Courtney, and Casey Williams, and 2012 Collegiate D2 Cross Country and Short Track Champ Cypress Gorry.

After a strong first year as a 17/18 Junior, Lucas Newcomb looks to take it up a notch in 2013

Shane Skelton, Lucas Newcomb and Marcus Segedin showing that "smooth is fast"

Guided by "dedication, integrity and fun," the riders embrace the holistic methodology that defines the Whole Athlete / Specialized Team. 

Counterbalancing the stress of hard training with yoga 

Posing for a group shot in the stealth training kit

The 2013 Whole Athlete / Specialized Cycling Team

 

2013 Whole Athlete / Specialized Cycling Team

Junior 17/18

Kate Courtney - 18
Lucas Newcomb - 18
Shane Skelton - 18
Marcus Segedin - 17
Sean Bennett - 17
Ben Spurr - 17
Silas Blunk - 17

Junior 15/16

Steffen Andersen - 16
Tyler O'Neal - 16

Junior Under 15

Dylan Fryer - 13

U23 Pro

Zach Valdez - 21
Casey Williams - 19
Cypress Gorry - 19
Jacob Albrecht - 19

Staff

Dario Fredrick - Team Director
Matt McCourtney - Assistant Director
John Hunt - Assistant Coach

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