Team Mike's Bikes is happy to announce that we've completed our team selection process for the Elite TMB 2012 after a lengthy few months of recruiting, reading race resumes, and talking with many references. Every recruit has been selected out of a long list of many talented and qualified riders. The result of all this thorough effort is the privilege to have such a talented squad of teammates for 2012. We are confident that everyone will be a successful ambassador of the Mike's Bikes brand throughout NorCal races, select NRC races, and our local communities. Here's a quick introduction of the new recruits:
Torey Philips: Cat 1; Junior Road State Champion. Easy going and likable kid who can time trial and climb with the best.
Tyler Brandt: Cat 1; Former U23 from CalGiant. UC Berkeley Student. Steve Reaney recommended him in glowing terms. Great crit racer and experience at NRC level.
Eric Riggs: Cat 1; Former U23 US National team rider. Competed throughout Europe. Badass to the bone.
James Wingert: Cat 1. I'll nickname him The Hurt because that's what he likes to do - make everyone hurt. Awesome time trialist.
John Piasta: Cat 1; Attends UC Davis. Hails from a family of professional athletes. 2nd at Junior Nationals 17/18 Criterium. He can climb, sprint, time trial, solid in every category.
James Laberge: Cat 1; The new and improved 2nd edition of LaBerge. Just like his dad, James packs a wicked finish. Numerous top 5 finishes at the P12 level with junior gears. A bullet on 2 wheels.
Dana Williams: Cat 2; Former Canadian National Team skier. All around strongman who packs a strong finish. 2nd in 2011 Elite Criterium State Championships.
Matt McKinzie: Cat 3; Mike's Bikes Sacramento employee and guest rider on TMB last season, Matt won two races in a row in 2011, the San Rafael Twilight Crit and Golden State Crit.
Travis Lyons: Cat 3; Second year roadie with a background in XC mountain biking, Travis is fresh off the Tieni Duro junior development squad. He won the BBC Crit, 2 Wheel Crit, and Mt. Diablo HC all in the month of July last season.
Vincent Juarez: Cat 3; Vince is aiming to represent the USA Paralympic team in London. He is the current Paralympic national champion and silver medalist at worlds.
Taylor Cody: Cat 4; Taylor is a Mike's Bikes Berkley employee with only part of a season under his belt, but in this time managed a 4th place in one of our most challenging road races, Copperopolis and 3rd place at the Taleo Crit.
We can't wait to suit up and race in 2012, it's gonna be wicked fun. See you out on the road!
-TMB
