CSM Cycling through the wind, rain and snow

Six Colorado School of Mines student cyclists raced in cold temperatures, rain, snow, mud and wind at the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships Oct. 21-23 at Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia.

Despite the non-optimal weather conditions, out of 20 schools, Mines’ club cycling team was only four points shy of a first place win in the Division 2 Club Team Omnium, having to settle for second. Additionally, Mines students Jake Wands, Dan McMahon, Abby Lestina and Madeleine Hanley got fourth place in the team relay.

“Our racers put all they had into the races,” said Laura Leonard, the club team’s president. “Instead of giving up, they put on every layer they had, duct taped their shoes for extra water resistance, stuck hand warmers in their gloves and put everything they had into completing every race.”

The championship consisted of three races: Short Track, which is 20-minute sprint laps on a 0.7 mile loop; Cross Country, a 4.3 mile loop, in which men raced 2.5 laps and women raced two laps; and Team Relay, a 1.7 mile loop raced once through each by two male and two female racers.

“Not only did we represent Mines with our results, but we also represented the school in a positive way with how we conducted ourselves at nationals,” said team member Jon Wells. “Our riders always seemed to be having the most fun, and were some of the most courteous riders on the trail.”

Dan McMahon, the team’s treasurer agreed, adding he hopes the Mines cycling team is something the school and the greater Golden community, particularly students on Golden High School’s mountain bike team, can be proud of.

“Our school is centered on delivering the best engineering education in the United States,” McMahon said. “But we know how to have fun, experience the outdoors and fully commit ourselves to a goal like nationals.”

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