Meet the Riders
Behind the Results

I have a passion for riding all kinds of bikes—whether it’s cross country, enduro, or gravel. I’m happiest when I’m out there racing! I started competing in NICA back in sixth grade, and my goal is to turn my love of racing into a career. Every ride and race is a step toward that dream. I first got into cycling through Arkansas NICA, and I instantly fell in love with the sport.

What I love most about biking is the places it takes me and the opportunity to travel. I’m motivated to train and compete to better my fitness and keep improving personally. One of my biggest accomplishments so far was competing in Canada. My first year there, I was pulled after two laps and unconfidently rode the features. This past year, I raced the full four laps with full confidence and cleaned all the features, finishing 18th. My favorite trail is the Back 40—it’s a perfect 22-mile loop that’s great for endurance mountain bike days. It’s peaceful and really fun. I’m inspired by my own progress—the thrill of improving and pushing myself beyond what I thought was possible keeps me going and hungry for more.

A fun fact most people don’t know about me is that I used to be a competitive rock climber from ages 8 to 13. My favorite quote is “There is a way.” My goals for this year are to grow my skills, enjoy my senior year, and make more lifelong biking friends. Before every race, I wear the same black and silver star guide necklace. My go-to pre-race meal is rice with blueberries. I’d describe my racing style as pushing limits and staying in the moment. Racing has taught me that one day will never define you.

I’m a U23 racer from Ogden, Utah, and this is my first year with Donovan Racing. I love racing my bike and pushing myself harder every day. I also love the training side of cross country racing, and spending time in the mountains and in nature. I hope to keep progressing as an athlete, and I can’t wait for my first year of U23. I did a kiddie race when I was about ten and it lit a fire in me, and I’ve raced ever since. I also joined NICA because my older brother was doing it.

What I love most about mountain biking is spending time in the mountains and accomplishing really hard things, and what motivates me is seeing my progress and growth in the sport. I’m really proud that I finished 4th at National Championships in 2026. My favorite event is the Canmore Canada Cup. I love how technical it is, and the views are amazing. I have so many female athletes who inspire me that I can’t name just one.

A fun fact most people don’t know about me is that I’m obsessed with crocheting and Roblox. My favorite quote comes from Master Oogway: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.” I also believe that belief is a superpower. My goals this season are to better my skills and get some podiums. I always wear a necklace when I race that says “faith over fear,” and my go-to pre-race meal is pancakes. I’d describe my racing style as determined and happy. Racing has taught me that even when you fall, you should get back up again.

I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and started racing MiSCA in 7th grade. I quickly climbed the ranks, sweeping the Junior Varsity series as a freshman and winning back-to-back Varsity State Championships as a sophomore and junior.

I started racing nationally in 2023, adding gravel, crit, and cyclocross wins to my resume. In 2024, I won the 15–16 age group national titles in gravel and marathon mountain biking, and in 2025, I became the Junior Women’s Champion in the U.S. XC Open Series. My parents grew up cycling in California and took me on mountain bike rides since I was a toddler in a trailer. During the pandemic, I joined a new local mountain bike team, and I’ve been racing ever since.

I love adrenaline and the thrill of going fast. I’m motivated by being a trailblazer for Midwestern riders to compete at a national level. My proudest moment so far was winning the 2024 Marathon National Championship in the 15–16 category—it was the toughest race I had done up to that point. My favorite place to ride is Pisgah, North Carolina, because of the technical, rocky terrain. Mikaela Shiffrin inspires me because she’s the G.O.A.T. of downhill ski racing and an amazing person.

A fun fact about me is that I met Danny MacAskill in his hometown in Scotland a couple years ago. My favorite quote is “Train like you’ve never won, race like you’ve never lost.” Before races, I usually wear a necklace—my favorite is a gold chain that belonged to my grandma—and sometimes I crack out the face glitter for extra sparkle watts. My go-to pre-race meal is my mom’s chocolate chip pancakes. I’d describe my racing style as calm, consistent, and resilient. Racing has taught me to be patient and that good things will come.

I’m an athlete who loves the freedom and adventure that comes with riding bikes. Cycling pushes me to challenge myself, stay active, and explore new places. I enjoy meeting new people along the way and connecting through a shared passion for the sport. Every ride is a chance to grow, learn, and have fun outdoors. My parents introduced me to cycling at an early age, and I instantly fell in love with it. Ever since then, riding my bike has been one of my favorite ways to stay active and have fun.

I love cyclocross for its mix of mud, snow, and dust—every surface brings a new challenge and keeps you on your toes. No two races ever feel the same, and that unpredictability makes it exciting. Mountain biking adds another level of fun with its technical trails, fast descents, and the constant balance between control and speed. I’m motivated by my competitive drive and the satisfaction of working toward clear goals. Having a race on the calendar keeps me focused and disciplined, and I enjoy the challenge of pushing my limits and seeing steady progress through training.

My proudest moment so far would have to be winning my national championship in cyclocross. That race was the result of years of hard work and dedication. I’ve also been ranked in the top 20 in America for the last nine years and earned around 20 national podiums, which I’m really proud of—it shows the consistency and passion I bring to the sport. My favorite trail is the Beauty Spot Trail in Colorado. It’s challenging and technical, but the views make every climb and descent completely worth it. I’m inspired by Mathieu van der Poel because of the way he handles a bike. His finesse, control, and ability to push the limits in any discipline are incredible. I admire how he combines power and precision while always making it look effortless.

A fun fact about me is that I’m very interested in aviation and am currently pursuing my private pilot’s license. My favorite quote is, “Life will knock you down, but anything worth doing must be done with effort, and true character is revealed in how you get back up.” My goals this season are to break into the top 10 in the U.S. U23 rankings and have the opportunity to race in at least one World Cup on home soil. Before races, I keep a small wristband on my bike from the 2024 MTB Nationals—it reminds me how well I did at that race and reminds me that I always belong. My go-to pre-race meal is pancakes. I’d describe my racing style as aggressive, powerful, and calculated. Racing has taught me that no matter how impossible a challenge seems, or how far ahead someone appears, hard work and determination can help you catch up and succeed.

I’m Luke Ozment, a 17-year-old cyclist from Golden, Colorado. I primarily race mountain biking and cyclocross, but next year I plan to compete in the U23 Lifetime Grand Prix and UCI cross-country races. I love riding and racing my bike, enjoying the sport, and embracing the process it takes to become the best version of myself.

This year, I’ve seen real progress—not only in my fitness and race results, but also in how I’ve grown as a person. I first started riding a bike as soon as I could walk, and I did my first race when I was 8. I really started to enjoy riding and training when COVID hit; that time helped me find a true love for the sport. I love riding in new places, especially in the high alpine mountains. Mountain biking in the mountains and woods, whether by myself or with friends, is very relaxing and so much fun. I love riding and enjoying the process, which makes training easy. I also love competing and seeing my hard work pay off.

My proudest moment so far has been winning Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships. My favorite trail is the Colorado Trail because it winds through the high alpine of the Colorado Rockies—it’s a super fun and beautiful ride. I’m inspired by Bjorn Riley and Nino Schurter. A fun fact about me is that I used to ski race competitively and finished 6th at Ski Cross Nationals. My favorite quote is “Enjoy what you do.” My goals for next year are to race the U23 Lifetime Grand Prix, achieve strong results, and continue improving in all areas.

Before races, I stick to doing my routine the same way every time. The night before, I love having pasta for dinner, and my go-to snack is dried mango. I’d describe my racing style as tactical, smart, and aggressive. Racing has taught me a lot about patience, trusting the process, and being resilient with training—it’s also taught me about other cultures around the world.

I started cycling as a freshman B NICA racer with one goal—to work as hard as possible and take the sport as far as I can. In the last few years, I’ve learned so much about myself as both a person and an athlete, and I’ve made some incredible connections, not the least of which have been my amazing teammates, coaches, and staff on Donovan Racing. I can’t wait to continue pushing my limits in training and racing alongside such an amazing support crew. I first got into mountain biking at the end of eighth grade after falling out of love with competitive soccer. I was smaller than my peers, and my talent alone wasn’t cutting it anymore. During that time, my dad took me mountain biking for the first time, and I instantly fell in love. Later that year, I discovered mountain bike racing, and with no particular talent to speak of, I started from square one. What began as riding up and down my local sledding hill that winter transformed into structured training and eventually led to my first UCI race last year. Having started later than most, it’s been an uphill battle since then—and I’ve loved every moment of it.

I love the nitty-gritty training aspect of cycling. Physiologies are complex, and training is complicated, but I love those intricacies. I’m motivated by the pursuit of constant improvement and the challenge of refining every detail. One of my proudest moments was my weekend in Englewood last year. I’d lined up a great block of training and secured my best result after working through a mental block I’d been dealing with all season. My favorite event is the Pro Cup in Fayetteville—it was the first big race I went to as a 15/16 Cat 2. When it comes to inspiration, like Kanye said, “I inspired me.” It’s also pretty cool that pro cyclists like my Instagram reels. My favorite quote is, “The man who loves walking will walk further than the man who loves the destination.” My goal this season is to make my results more consistent.

Before races, I listen to some music, laugh a little, and make sure to smile on the start line. My go-to pre-race meal is a fat stack of pancakes, some fruit, and some rice. I’d describe my racing style as “just won’t quit.” Racing has taught me that good things come to those who wait—and work really hard.

I’m a mountain biking and gravel athlete from Saint Paul, Minnesota, and this is my first year on the team. I’m a dedicated racing athlete with a deep passion and love for the sport. Known for my focus and determination, I continually push myself to reach new levels of performance on and off the track.

I approach every race as an opportunity to grow and learn, putting 100% into all areas of life to be the best possible athlete, teammate, and person. Racing isn’t just a sport for me — it’s a lifelong pursuit of excellence. I’ve been riding a bike before I even learned how to walk. With my wood scoot bike my dad made me, I would stride around the block for hours. My dad has been racing for about 20 years now, so when I came of age he brought me along to one of his races. I was 6 years old when I did my first local Thursday night race at Buck Hill, and ever since then my passion has continued to grow.

I love the feeling of freedom — flying through the woods with the wind on my face, the thrill of not knowing if I’m going to clear a jump or not, the adrenaline of a close call on a sketchy corner, the community around cycling, and all the cool, loving people I meet along the way. The sport pushes me to try and be the best possible version of myself. I find inspiration from others and from the feeling I get when I try my best and improve. Knowing I’m not the best makes me want to work harder to become even better than I thought I could be.

My proudest moment so far is winning the overall at the Wausau 24 — and doing no-handed wheelies. My favorite event is in Fayetteville, Arkansas because of the fast, techy, and short punchy hills that make the course flow really nicely. Bjorn Riley inspires me because he’s super fast and always shows his own unique style. He also loves art, which is something I’ve loved ever since I was a kid.

A fun fact about me is that my mom goodwilled all my first medals on accident — or that I can eat a whole hot dog in one bite. My favorite quote is “Everything is possible for one who believes.” — Mark 9:23. My goals are to get enough UCI points to go race in Europe, place top 25 at nationals, inspire someone to get more into the sport, and continue growing into the best possible version of me. Before every race, I take off my right sock right after I put it on and pray. My go-to pre-race fuel is chicken parmesan pasta. I’d describe my racing style as steezy. Racing has taught me that the way you perceive and talk to yourself matters.

I’m a Utah based cross country racer from Ogden with five years of racing experience, from NICA to national and UCI events. This is my first year with Donovan Racing, and I’ll be racing both mountain bike and gravel. I love technical courses, hard racing, big training days, and pretty much anything that involves being on a bike. I got my start by deciding to join my local high school team after growing up biking with friends and family.

What I love most about this sport is the adventure, and the experiences you can have with friends. What motivates me is the want to push myself to be the best I can. My proudest accomplishment so far is finishing top 20 ranked nationally in my first year racing at the national level. My favorite event is the Whiskey Off-Road. It’s a great event with amazing people. My biggest inspiration is my old training coach and good friend, who passed away in an accident.

A fun fact most people don’t know about me is that I like dogs more than people. My favorite quote is “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” My goal this season is to have fun and not get caught up in results in my first U23 year. Before a race I listen to Star Wars music, and my go-to pre-race meal is lots of rice. I’d describe my racing style as fake it till you make it. Racing has taught me that discipline is the most important aspect of life.

I’m a first year U23 racer from Lehi, Utah, and this will be my first year with Donovan Racing. I love my friends and family, I’m a big Spider-Man fan, and I love riding my bike. I found my love for racing bikes in middle school through friends.

What I love most about mountain biking is the freedom I have riding my bike, and what motivates me to train and compete is simply the love and passion I have for it. My proudest moment so far was racing in Puerto Rico this past season and really seeing what I’m capable of. My favorite trail is one up in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’s so lit. I’m inspired by Josh Allen.

A fun fact most people don’t know about me is that I love boating. My favorite quote is “With great power comes great responsibility,” from Uncle Ben. My goal for this season is growth, and being able to see it. Before every race I say a prayer and ride the course in my head, and my go-to pre-race meal is pancakes. I’d describe my racing style as electric. Racing has taught me that it’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.

I’ve been riding a bike since I could walk. I love to eat ice cream and watch UCI Downhill World Cups. I travel full-time with my parents and my dog, Luna, training and racing. I started riding when I was 18 months old and it just went from there.

I love flying through trees, hitting rock gardens super fast, and getting steez on jumps. What motivates me is the thrill of competing and beating people. My proudest moment was not racing for a year, then training hard and getting 13th at Vail Lake.

My favorite trail is Rutabaga, a fun downhill-only trail in Colorado. I’m second on the KOM and ride it way too much. Christopher Blevins inspires me. A fun fact about me is that I had to get a bar put in my chest because it was growing in. My favorite quote is “Race hard, train harder.” My goal is to get top 25 in a UCI race. I don’t really have a pre-race ritual, but my go-to fuel is pasta. I’d describe my racing style as smart tactics, having fun, and style points. Racing has taught me that sometimes you fail, but you get back up and keep trying.

I’ve always loved sports. I grew up playing football, baseball, and biking as my main sports, but I tried plenty of others too. Out of everything, I love racing my bike the most because of the risk and the thrill of going fast along the trail. I got into racing because my family and friends told me I should compete, so my dad signed me up for MCA/NICA.

What I love most about mountain biking is racing and riding with friends. I’m motivated to train and compete by the goals I set for myself and the drive to accomplish them. My biggest accomplishment so far was racing at 2025 Nationals—my first-ever nationals. I don’t have a single favorite trail, but I love the whole Bentonville trail system because it has everything and it’s just a fun place to be, even off the bike. My goals inspire me to keep working hard and trying to accomplish them.

A fun fact about me is that my max squat is 500 pounds. My favorite quote is “Trust the process.” My goal is to place top 20 at Nationals with it being my first year in 17–18. Before every race, I pray. My go-to pre-race meal is oatmeal. I’d describe my racing style as steez. Racing has taught me to work hard at everything you do and to always try your best.

I’m a competitive cyclist from Columbia, Missouri, and I race primarily mountain bike, gravel, and road. This past year was my first competing nationally with Donovan Racing, and I’ve raced everything from cross country and marathon mountain bike events to gravel races and criteriums across the country.

Outside of racing, I work as a bike mechanic, which has given me a deeper understanding of the equipment and the technical side of the sport. I got into cycling through the Missouri NICA League, where I started mountain biking with my school team. What began as a way to try something new quickly became something I wanted to take seriously. I love cycling because there is always another way to ride. Mountain biking gives me the rush of finding the perfect line through a technical section, gravel lets me disappear onto a road for hours and settle into a rhythm, and road racing is fast, tactical, and often decided by a few seconds or a perfectly timed attack. Cyclocross brings all of it together with mud, barriers, running, and the controlled chaos of racing in the cold. Each discipline demands something different from me, but they all reward the same things: curiosity, persistence, and the willingness to push a little farther than I thought I could.

Training rewards consistency, and I’ve found it pays huge dividends when I’m competing under difficult circumstances. Honestly, staying consistent is what I’m proudest of. I’ve only expanded the amount of time I ride and the difficulty of my workouts, and not regressing is pretty hard to do. My favorite event is the BT Epic on the Berryman Trail in southern Missouri. It’s a scenic cross country marathon race in the fall, and I’ve never had a bad experience riding through that forest. The big names in cross country inspire me, but the people who inspire me most are my parents, because they are so incredibly hard working. None of this would be possible without them. A fun fact most people don’t know about me is that I really love to fly fish.

My favorite mantra is “I breathe in peace and exhale worry.” This season I’d love to rack up some UCI points as a second year 17-18, but more than that I’m focusing on enjoyment rather than results, because low cortisol riding is the key to becoming faster. My pre-race ritual is slamming a 50 gram carb gel at the start. It gets my mind right, and I guess my taste buds too. My go-to pre-race meal is a breakfast sandwich from Panera for the protein and good carbs. I’d describe my racing style as punchy. Racing has taught me that it’s better to go out, do your best, and get destroyed than to sandbag something that’s too easy.

I’m a 15-16 racer from Ohio, and this is my second year with Donovan Racing. I love to have fun wherever I’m riding, from finding little jumps and jibs to racing against the country’s best. As a cross country mountain bike and cyclocross racer, I excel when the course gets fast, and whenever there’s an opportunity to put down some power. When I was really young, my dad would bring me to bike races. As I progressed, I started racing and soon found I had a talent, and since then I’ve only been improving.

What I love most about this sport is the atmosphere that surrounds racing. I love being at races. What motivates me to train is my wonder of what’s possible in this sport. My proudest race was the 2026 XCO National Championships, where I was able to pull off a close second place as a first year. Being so close to a national championship win was such a cool thing to me. My favorite trail is Chestnut Ridge, which features downhill jumps, fast flowy singletrack, and more in a relatively small area. Nino Schurter inspires me because I admire how dedicated he is and how much he’s impacted the sport.

A fun fact most people don’t know about me is that I like to collect hats from places I go. My favorite quote is “It never gets easier, you just go faster,” from Greg LeMond. I’m looking forward to the new opportunities that come in this next season. Before a race, I always plan my day backwards and keep everything organized, and my go-to pre-race meal is rice cakes. I’d describe my racing style as powerful, snappy, and fast starting. Racing has taught me that life goes on, and that you will always have more opportunities to fix your mistakes, just like more races.

I’m a 17/18 racer from Utah, and this is my first year with Donovan Racing. I race mountain bike, gravel, and cyclocross. I started biking in 7th grade as an intermediate racer and I was hooked from there. Since then I’ve had a lot of setbacks, and I’ve come back stronger through every one of them. I got my start through NICA.

What I love most about riding is the progression, the way you can see and notice improvement, and the feeling when you win. What motivates me is thinking about my goals, because I know that if I don’t train, those will never get completed. Past that, I just love riding my bike, hitting jumps, and going to bike parks. My proudest accomplishment so far is getting 4th in the US Pro Cup series. My favorite trail is Gooseberry Mesa near Zion, Utah, because it’s super technical and pushes you a lot. Past Olympians inspire me, because they started the same way I did and stayed committed long enough to see big results.

A fun fact most people don’t know about me is that I live on a farm. My favorite piece of advice is “If it’s not hard, why are you doing it!” My goals moving forward are to earn a state title, get a top five in a Pro Cup, and put forward max effort in every race I do. My pre-race ritual is staying calm and visualizing the course over and over in my head, and my go-to pre-race meal is pasta the night before. I’d describe my racing style as wild, aggressive, and crashing. Racing has taught me that even when everything hurts you can’t quit, you just have to keep pushing forward until the end.