The Mesa State Cycling Club has been active at Mesa State College since 1998.
The club has grown from the initial four members to over eighty; we consistently
place at the top of national collegiate racing, and are actively involved in
promoting cycling in the community.
The club is open to all Mesa State College students and our members include
active racers and beginning riders who want to learn more about the sport.
Our members are active in community cycling and trail organizations, and the team
puts on several local races every year. Last year we were able to hire a professional
coach, and this year we are able to offer scholarships for our top racers and
we are working to create more programs in the community.
Our racers are recruited from around the nation and compete at the top level
of the sport, many go on to professional racing after graduation. As a club
sport, our officers are responsible for all team organization including weekly travel,
race organization, marketing MSC Cycling branded racing and casual clothing, and overall leadership.
Activities
Mesa State Cycling Club is dedicated to improving collegiate cycling and fostering
a positive environment for cycling in Western Colorado. Riding The primary goal of the
club is to promote the joy of cycling. Club members ride together two to three times
a week with scheduled rides and skill building sessions. These group rides encourage
newcomers to the sport to ride more, and allow the more experienced riders to pass on
their talent. Several times a semester, the club travels around the state to
race, or to just ride somewhere new.
Racing
MSC Cycling competes at the top level of collegiate mountain bike racing as a Division I
school, racing against schools with varsity teams with memberships and budgets much larger
than our own. The team has always had a strong backbone of individual racers who are highly ranked
in regional, national and collegiate events, but the strength of our team comes from the
consistent finishes of all team members.
Every year the team is ranked high enough in our regional competition to go to the
national competition. The Collegiate Nationals bring together over 70 schools and over
1000 riders. Mesa State has placed in the top four for the team competition for each of the past four years.
In the spring of 2004, the MSC road cycling team was formed. In 2005, the team sponsored
a road race and qualified to go to nationals. This year, we will again host a road race in April,
and we plan to have a full road team competing throughout the semester and attending nationals in May.
Training
Many of our members are kinesiology majors, and they are able to use their knowledge
to provide fitness assessments and detailed training plans for club members. In the fall,
we have skills camps for our beginning riders to prepare them for the different types of
mountain bike races. In the spring, we often host training camps for our road team and have
several group rides to build base miles and fitness.
Race Promotion
A major goal of our team is to bring more racing opportunities to Western Colorado.
Each fall, the team sponsors a two day mountain bike race which includes a cross country and
short track event. This race is open to all racers and is a major fund raiser for the team,
as well as a showcase for the great cycling in the valley.
For road racing, the club sponsors the Mad Cow Classic and Fruita Loops Criterium for
a weekend of fun in April. This event is open to collegiate and USCF racers. This spring,
the club will also sponsor a weekly Wednesday Night Criterium Series at Mesa State which will
be open to all riders in the community.
Community Involvement
The cycling team is committed to improving cycling opportunities in our community.
Each member of the team is required to complete 10 hours of community service. The team
welcomes the community to join in our group rides and activities, and to let us know of
opportunities where we can help promote the joy of cycling together.
Some of our current activities:
Working with COPMOBA and other organizations to promote bicycle awareness and build and maintain trails.
Bike Clinic – How to maintain your bike and basic bicycle safety open to the community and hosted at Ruby Canyon Cycles.
Working with Partners and other community programs to help get bicycle donations for kids and introduce them to the joys of cycling.
Volunteering at local cycling events including Fruita Fat Tire Festival, Bike to Work Day, and Tour of the Valley.
Hosting a “Health Benefits of Cycling” seminar with input from physicians and other health professionals in the valley.
Working with the Grand Junction Police Department to promote bicycle safety and bicycle registration.
The Mesa State Cycling Club has been active at Mesa State College since 1998.
The club has grown from the initial four members to over eighty; we consistently
place at the top of national collegiate racing, and are actively involved in
promoting cycling in the community.
