USU cycling team to compete in mountain and road races
The USU Cycling team is back in the saddle for another year of riding. This year’s group is going to be competing in mountain and road races.
Sylvia Kinosian, club president, is planning on bring more mountain biking to the team.
“We are in Utah, one of the best places to mountain bike in the world,” Kinosian said. “We did Day on the Quad and the Arc party, like 70 percent of people wanted to know about mountain biking. For people our age it’s a little more exciting.”
Kinosian got her start cycling in 2015. She started out road and cycle-cross racing, but then quickly fell in love with mountain riding.
Katie Slebodnik, cyclist, just picked up her first mountain bike as well. Slebodnik got her start road cycling. She rode 450 miles in a week with her friends in Iowa and fell in love with the sport from there. She said she is excited to be a part of the female biking community.
“There’s a good sense of community within female cyclists. It’s little less competitive and more fun,” Slebodnik said.
The team meets weekly to go on group rides together. Tuesdays, they ride road and Thursdays, they head into the mountains. This helps the group get to know each other and feel more comfortable on the road.
Bailey Nielson, cyclist, said “We can go on other rides together and you get to explore cool places. We all started somewhere and we are totally chill helping teach others. So come out and ride with us.”
According to the team, there is no reason to be intimidated by the bike as long as new riders don’t go OTB (over the bars), or they avoid bonking out, which happens when riders are completely drained of energy. These are just of few cycling terms that the team uses.
The team has also learned what to eat during training. It’s common to see cyclists eating while on the bike to keep their energy up. For Tim Frost, vice president, it’s important for him to keep his body fed.
“I love to eat PB&J’s on the road. Also just regular goos, cliff bars and regular food. Off the bike, I love saltines. I can down a whole sleeve,” Frost said.
Nielson and Kinosian stick to fruit snacks and gummy worms when they are cycling.
“It’s tricky because you have to eat simple, easy-to-digest food when riding,” Kinosian said.
Several team members have seen success this year in their racing. Tim Frost competed in this year’s LoToJa, an ameteur cycling race, and placed 12th overall. Although he has seen much success, that’s not what it is all about for Frost.
“My biggest achievement isn’t a race. It would be improving, just getting better,” he said. “Figuring out what has been holding me back and taking care of it.”
This is one of the main purposes of the cycling team: to improve and expand cycling. The team also hopes to increase cycling education. Kinosian and Frost both said they want other cyclists to be respectful aware of the trails around Cache Valley.
“Know the rules, know yourselves and know your surroundings,” Frost said.
The USU Cycling team is working to participate in more races around the area. They are currently in the middle of mountain bike season and have been organizing everything for races and trails.
Jake Meyer, cyclist, said, “The team can be different things for different people. When I first started I didn’t really race, but as I got into it I made friends and it was a easy way to get into racing. I enjoy that aspect. It’s a good venue for people who like cycling to come together.”
For those interested in getting involved with the Utah State Cycling Club team, their social media handle is @usucycling and their webpage can be found here.
—shelby.black@aggiemail.usu.edu
@shelbsterblack