JHU cyclists ride to success
|
Though most of us ditched our bikes the moment we passed the driver's test, there is a dedicated group of Hopkins students who kept on riding and became so good at it that they compete and consistently kick the competition's spandex-clad butts. The co-ed Hopkins Cycling club team has bicycled their way to victory in numerous competitions throughout recent years, with some of its members winning the titles of Conference and National Champions.
Though a club sport here at Hopkins, the cycling team has been pedaling around campus for the past three decades and has taken off in recent years.
Presently, the team has grown to over 20 people strong and has attracted considerable recognition and sponsorship, which allows the team to have more opportunities for continued growth.
Competitive cycling is split into two seasons 84 mountain biking, which takes place in the fall from September until early November, and road biking, which occurs in the spring from March until the end of April.
Additionally, there are three types of races. The criterium is a fast-paced collection of 15-30 one-mile laps. The road race is a long circuit, ranging from a distance of 40 to 80 miles. The time trial places the individual or a four-person team against the clock.
Once the competitive road biking season is finished, the national competition is held in May. Unfortunately, this year's Collegiate National Championship, held in New Haven, Connecticut, coincides with Hopkins' finals period, so only one team member, sophomore Katie Ross, is able to compete.
Throughout the regular season, individuals are ranked based on their finishing positions in the races. These rankings add up to create the team total for the race as well. Unlike NCAA sports, cycling breaks into only two divisions 84 Hopkins is in Division II. Within the divisions, there are three men's fields (A, B and C) and two women's fields (A and B).
This year, the Hopkins team was conference champion for the Division II and has received "a whole mess of medals," said Matt Brancheau, a Peabody senior who is Vice President of the Cycling Club.
According to another Hopkins cycling team member, sophomore Cliff Smoot, a lot of the team's recent success has been thanks to the ladies of the cycling team. "We only really excelled this year because of our female racers," Smoot said. "It's really not a male-dominated sport."
The Hopkins cyclists have been successful thanks to practice 84 hours and hours of practice. "Half a dozen of us ride every day, basically," said Brancheau. "You learn to love it so much that you make time."
Smoot, who has been training every day since December 2004, also emphasizes the dedication of the team members. He notes that many of the cyclists, himself included, train for competitions early in the morning, regardless of the often inclement Baltimore weather, and on weekends for hours at a time.
It's often during those less-than-perfect days that the teammates really have a chance to bond with each other. "After you go through a gross ride, you feel like you have a serious connection with your teammates," said Smoot.
Within its core group of members, the team is "supportive," said Brancheau. "We're constantly going out riding as much as humanly possible. We try to be encouraging of people new to cycling."
The newly elected Hopkins Cycling president, freshman Toby Weatherall, also emphasizes that the team accepts members with a variety of prior biking experience. "We're open to all cyclists. We encourage the participation of all levels," he said.
Unlike many other athletes, cyclists are even supportive of their direct competition. "I love my competition. They're a great bunch of people," said Brancheau. "Everyone is really positive."
At past competitions, the team members from different schools tailgate all day during the races and socialize after the events are finished. When at a recent competition in West Virginia, the Hopkins Cycling team was hosted by students there and had the opportunity to meet many cycling teams. "It's a great way to meet a lot of people," said Brancheau.
Its members all have their own reasons for joining the team, ranging from acting on a whim to following a family tradition of bike riding. Brancheau said that he joined the team four years ago because "I was looking for a way to get away from Peabody for a little."
Smoot wanted to join the team his freshman year, but he needed to save enough money to get a proper racing bike for a year. "You need special equipment and gear," he said. "Now we're really trying to work on provide supplies, so that more people can join."
For Weatherall, his interest in cycling was all in the family. "My dad has been a cyclist for as long as I can remember," he said. "There are even baby pictures of me wearing cycling caps. It was inevitable that I'd get on a bike."
Even after only a year on the Hopkins team, Weatherall has accumulated his fair share of cycling memories.
One of the best experiences he's had with the team was their spring break trip to a training camp in North Carolina 84 the same place where Tour de France champ Lance Armstrong has trained.
Although riding on the same paths as a cycling great has once traveled was a memory in itself, Weatherall emphasizes the importance of all the time spent with his teammates during spring break. "There was a lot of team bonding," he said. "It was a great time."
With graduation arriving soon, Brancheau says he will miss being a part of the cycling team, though he will always sing its praises. "It sounds hard at first, but it's really a great time," he said. "And we win!"
Weatherall shares these sentiments. "Being part of the team is what makes Hopkins Cycling as great as it is," he said. "It's a chance to have fun, both on and off the bike."
Students interested in becoming involved with the Hopkins Cycling team can attend an open social ride being held by the team this Sunday, May 8th. The group is meeting in front of the Athletic Center at 10:30 a.m. and will provide free breakfast for all who attend, followed by a recreational, easy ride at 11:00 a.m.
For more information about the cycling team, visit their Web site at http://www.jhu.edu/cycling.