Author: Michelle Mercer

Connor McCutcheon’s profession as a competitive cyclist means getting to do what he likes most to do: ride his bike. The sheer pleasure of riding keeps the Bowen Sports Performance athlete motivated even when confronted with challenges of training in bad weather, uncertainties about the next season’s sponsorship and the off-season disconnection from teammates who have gone back to their homes and families.

Connor got his first taste of competition as a high school runner, but soon traded his running shoes for a mountain bike when he realized he was a faster on two wheels than on foot. He quickly gained results a a competitive mountain biker, and before long he was training on the road with his new coach Bart Bowen and embracing his newfound status as a pro.

Working with Bart marked a major transition for Connor. A previous coach had helped him hone his fitness and provided him with solid guidance as part of a day-to-day training plan. What Bart added to the mix, and what Connor finds invaluable, is Bart’s understanding of race strategy and tactics. Under Bart’s guidance, Connor has learned the value of patience and how to use his abilities at the right time in a race.

“I’ve learned that sometimes the chase might be someone else’s job,” says McCutcheon.

Bart’s knowledge of the racing industry and substantial race network has also helped Connor learn how to navigate the world of professional cycling to find team placement.

What Connor likes best about cycling, beyond his love of being on the bike, are the friendships he’s developed along the way. Competitive cycling has helped him develop a positive perspective on life and given him good interpersonal skills.

Connor’s advice to younger cyclists? “Have balance in your life.” Connor enjoys hunting, fishing, and just being outdoors. He feels these other pursuits help protect him from burnout;  he looks forward to a new season of racing and the race season’s more disciplined routine. In the off season he works in construction with a schedule that allows him to maintain his training regimen.

Connor recently finished eighth in the 2016 Tour of Iran overall after capturing the first stage. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the 2016 holds for the very talented Connor McCutcheon.

–Susan Keys

 

After a 15-year break from triathlon events, due in part to pursue a passion for windsurfing, Jim Rantala is back at it. This time it’s the challenge of the Ironman that has piqued his interest. His goal:  to qualify for the “big one,” the Kona Ironman. Jim says this would be the biggest event of his athletic career.

So what does it take to rise to this level of competition for an athlete in his early 60s? Many of Jim’s answers are the qualities we think of including possessing a competitive spirit, a singularity of focus, making sacrifices, and having the determination to finish what you start. Yet he is quick to point out that these qualities alone will not get the job done.

“I couldn’t do this alone,” says Jim. “You have to have help.”

Jim’s wife Brenda has helped him stay focused and has served as a one-woman race support team. He also credits the personal coaching he’s had along the way that includes a day-by-day training prescription, as well as investing in the right equipment, having a professional bicycle fitting and eating the correct diet.

Competing in Ironman triathlons is not something done on a whim. It takes patience and a willingness to stick with a training regimen over days, months and years. Even for the most talented the sport demands hard work.  But Jim emphasizes that “having a life, having fun in other ways outside of training” is also important. Jim is a testament to how it all pays off. This year he qualified for Kona and heads to Hawaii this fall to compete.

–Susan Keys

 

With three races left in the Cross Crusade series in Oregon, the Deschutes Brewery Team is leading Bowen’s Brewery Battle after the double header in Bend. (photo courtesy of Dave Adams)

Bowen’s Brewery Battle Results from Cross Crusade at Deschutes Brewery on November 1:
34   Deschutes Brewery Cycling Team
60  Boneyard Beer Cycling Team
104 Team Oregon p/b Laurelwood Brewing Co.
199 Team Lazy Tarantulas
204 Team 10 Barrel
347 Murder of Crows

Bowen’s Brewery Battle Standings after Day 2 of Halloween Cross Crusade Races:
296   Deschutes Brewery Cycling Team
538   Team Lazy Tarantulas p/b Widmer Brothers Brewing
732   Boneyard Beer Cycling Team
908   Team Oregon p/b Laurelwood Brewing Co.
1679  Team 10 Barrel
2104  Murder of Crows

Our 5th Annual CXmas Party is Thursday, December 3, at Bowen Sports Performance! All proceeds from this fun event benefit our non-profit CXmas Junior Fund, which helps Oregon juniors attend the US Cycloross National Championships each year. And every year, due to the generosity of our cycling community, we are able to help more and more Oregon junior cyclocross racers achieve their dream of competing in a national championship event.

This year’s National Cyclocross Championships will be held in Asheville, North Carolina, January 5-10, 2016, and our goal is to help at least 20 Oregon juniors get there. We are so grateful to the cycling community near and far for the donations and bidding that make our silent auction so successful every year. And of course, it wouldn’t be a cycling party in Bend without craft beer from Deschutes Brewery and yummy food. Your RSVP on Facebook helps us make sure we are prepared for what we hope is a big crowd!

Six teams are vying for the coveted Bowen Brewery Battle trophy, led by Deschutes Brewery after the first three Cross Crusade races. Bowen’s Brewery Battle is a friendly competition between Oregon cycling teams with major sponsorship from a regional craft brewery, with results based on the placings of each team’s competitors in the Cross Crusade series races.

Bowen’s Brewery Battle Results from Cascade Locks, October 18:
47   Deschutes Brewery Cycling Team
64   Team Lazy Tarantulas p/b Widmer Brothers Brewing
165  Team Oregon p/b Laurelwood Brewing Co.
240  Boneyard Beer Cycling Team
327  Team 10 Barrel
459  Murder of Crows

Bowen’s Brewery Battle Standings after Cascade Locks, October 18:
223   Deschutes Brewery Cycling Team
244   Team Lazy Tarantulas p/b Widmer Brothers Brewing
529   Team Oregon p/b Laurelwood Brewing Co.
584   Boneyard Beer Cycling Team
1253  Team 10 Barrel
1440  Murder of Crows

 

Six teams are vying for the coveted Bowen Brewery Battle trophy, led by Deschutes Brewery after the first two Cross Crusade races at Alpenrose Velodrome on October 10 and 11. Bowen’s Brewery Battle is a friendly competition between Oregon cycling teams with major sponsorship from a regional craft brewery, with results based on the placings of each team’s competitors in the Cross Crusade series races.

Bowen’s Brewery Battle Standings after Alpenrose Day 1, October 10:
94   Deschutes Brewery Cycling Team
98   Team Lazy Tarantulas p/b Widmer Brothers Brewing
159  Boneyard Beer Cycling Team
174  Team Oregon p/b Laurelwood Brewing Co.
460  Team 10 Barrel
594  Murder of Crows

Bowen’s Brewery Battle Standings after Alpenrose Day 2, October 11:
176  Deschutes Brewery Cycling Team
180  Team Lazy Tarantulas p/b Widmer Brothers Brewing
344  Boneyard Beer Cycling Team
364  Team Oregon p/b Laurelwood Brewing Co.
926  Team 10 Barrel
981  Murder of Crows

(photo courtesy of the amazing Tim Schallberger)

Our popular Cyclocross Clinics are back! Monday evenings beginning August 24, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., we’ll provide expert coaching to help you hone your ‘cross skills, including dismounting, remounting, running barriers and more.

Cyclocross Clinics will meet on August 24 and 31, and September 7, 14 and 21, and are $20 each or $80 for all five.

Reserve your spot online here.

Always dreamed of riding through the painted hills of Eastern Oregon? Join us for our next Women’s Weekend Cycling Camp in John Day and Fossil, May 8-10, 2015. Our camps fill quickly; reserve your spot here.

Continue reading Women’s Weekend Cycling Camp: John Day – Fossil