MTB

Blair Saunders - Canadian strong

Blair Saunders - Canadian strong

Blair Saunders. Originally from Canada, he started with hockey before moving into cycling. Winner of Olympic trials in 1992, he represented Canada in 13 international events as a member of the Canadian National Road, Team Time Trial, and Track team. Lately, Blair performed at a high level competing in multistage mountain bike events like Cape Epic. He also enjoys multisport events like Ironman Triathlons, Xterra off-road triathlons, and represented the USA for the first time in 2017, winning an Aquabike AG World Championship.

The journey to becoming, and what it takes to be, a pro-mountainbiker.

The journey to becoming, and what it takes to be, a pro-mountainbiker.

Allison is a professional mountain-biker who started cycling fairly late after spending many years playing soccer and doing gymnastics. Encouraged by her parents and having joined the local West Chester Cycling Team, Allison started cycling more and more. In college, she picked up her first wins, racing collegiate road and mountain-bike. At that moment she started thinking about setting goals to become a pro-cyclist.

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League. Empower youth through mountain biking.

Photo credit: Aaron Ruttcamp

Photo credit: Aaron Ruttcamp

In this episode Geoff and Gerry are joined by Mike Kuhn and Todd Strauss. Mike and Todd are members of the PICL management team promoting youth mountain biking in Pennsylvania to inspire healthy lifestyles, build strong communities, and teach respect for the environment. Together with their team, many parents and volunteers they strive to build strong minds, bodies, and character in an equal and inclusive environment.

A very inspiring conversation about youth cycling, building a community, cycling-life and much more.

PICL is a member of the National Interscholastic Cycling Organization (NICA) 

PICL's vision is: Empower youth through mountain biking!
"
We are driving toward a future where every student in PA has access to Adventure and Competitive mountain bike programming and is encouraged to robustly engage in community service through Teen Trail Corps directed trail stewardship activities.

Every day we work to develop and support programs and curriculum that allow us to reach into communities across the Commonwealth and introduce students of every skill level and background to the many diverse, positive benefits of mountain biking.

We welcome students with all levels of riding experience and invite them to explore this life-long sport. We provide class-leading Competitive experiences across the state, with more to come as we grow in more places, but there is no mandate to race. For riders uninterested in racing, We’ve created an entirely new opportunity – to participate in Adventure experiences, which are open to those who just want to explore and smell the roses. Students can incorporate Adventure rides into their racing schedules too. We weave threads of community service and character development through it all, even as we’re out having a blast weaving our way through PA’s incredible forested single track trails.

Our goal:

At least one PA Interscholastic Cycling League program in every PA county by 2025. Get in touch to find out how you can make this happen where you live!"

Stewart Gross and Lowlands Cycling talk about Endurance Mountain Biking

Photo credit: Stewart Gross

Photo credit: Stewart Gross

In this Episode Stewart Gross and LowLands Cycling talk about endurance MTB racing, training and racing during the covid19 lockdown and things he learned during his time as a MTB pro. He raced the Wilderness 101, 24 Hours of Old Pueblo, Marji Gesick 100, Shenandoah Mountain 100, Vapor Trail 125 to name a few. Stewart also talks about his future and races like the Ride the Divide, Trans Alp, and Cape Epic. 

Stewart is a passionate athlete who is dedicated to becoming the best cyclist he can be, which is evident from his results. Stewart is absolutely an ambassador of the endurance, cyclo-cross and cycling sport overall.

He moved from Colorado, where he raced as a professional mountain biker, to West Chester, PA in the fall of 2015 to work with his parents and brother in Real Estate. In the short time that he has been a resident there, he established himself as one of the strongest riders in the area, as well as, a patron of the sport.  Stewart is very active on social media and very well known figure in the local  Chester County and domestic bike scene.

Interview references:
24 solo: https://amzn.to/3bs81aC
Mountain bike like a champion: https://amzn.to/2XVMxii
Ride the Divide: https://amzn.to/2VNoRKd
Drink: https://amzn.to/3cwyxzu
Eat: https://amzn.to/3bsh9vS

Wilderness 101

Absa Cape Epic

Trans-Alp

Photo credit: Stewart Gross

Photo credit: Stewart Gross