Capital Bicycle Racing Club – A Nationally Recognized Junior Team

By Jessica Hanna

The Capital Bicycle Racing Club is a local group of riders focused on providing opportunities for its members. The group aims to promote the sport of amateur bicycle racing and to advance the interests of cycling through organized races, coaching and training events. While CBRC began as an organization for adult riders, they have developed a nationally recognized junior cycling team in the areas of road and cyclocross racing.

The junior road team is composed of nine riders ages 11-17 racing in the spring and summer, and 30 riders ages 10-17 racing cyclocross in the fall. Road racing includes three disciplines: 1) Criterium (crit) – riders complete as many laps as possible within a specific amount of time on a closed course, often about one-mile long on city streets; 2) Road – longer distances with varying terrain on paved roads to be completed as quickly as possible; and 3) Time Trial – generally straight, relatively flat courses ridden alone racing against the clock, where the fastest racer wins.

Cyclocross takes place in parks on terrain that includes grass, gravel, dirt, sand and pavement. Many racers also think, the muddier the better! There are obstacles such as barriers, stairs, steep climbs that are often run while carrying the bike, and technical downhill sections. Cross races occur within a specific amount of time and the winner is the rider with the most laps in the shortest amount of time.

According to Andy Ruiz, head coach of the CBRC junior team, their growth is the result of a multitude of factors that brought together talented, enthusiastic, and dedicated young athletes. First, there was a pandemic, in which riding bikes was what you did to pass the time, stay healthy, and socialize. Organizations such as the Saratoga Shredders and Flow Riders, which get young kids excited about riding came into play. Finally, there was Andy’s vision and many hours of supporting and working with kids to introduce the sports of road biking and cyclocross. 

The CBRC Monday night cyclocross skills sessions at Elm Avenue Park in Bethlehem, which had been mostly attended by adults, opened up to the Flow Riders – and there was a sudden influx of kids. Many of the kids loved it, and came back for more. Then Andy added adventure rides. An “adventure ride” is where he leads a group of kids (with parent support riders) to wander local trails. We practice, laugh, fall, get up, and learn. You never know what you’re going to get… that’s the adventure, and the kids absolutely LOVE IT!  

In addition to the vision from Andy, there are two young female phenoms in the Capital Region who are showing what it means to work hard and to excel in sport. In 2021, Haylee Johnson then age 15, competed in cyclocross nationals to earn an eighth-place finish, and Lilliana O’Donnell then age 12, won her first national championship. These young women (Athlete Profile, February 2022) have been a catalyst for the team’s growth and each has gone on to earn more national titles and podium results in both road and cyclocross. Haylee’s second place road finish last year earned her a spot on the US National Team, allowing her to race in Europe during the 2022-2023 season. Haylee and Lilli continue to train with Andy and the CBRC juniors, but they race for FinKraft Junior Cycling Team, which offers financial support and equipment for their riders in exchange for a more professional team and racing experience. 

Since 2021, more national titles have been won in road and cross by Chase O’Donnell, Abby Romlein, and Hannah Dinolfo. In addition, the team has accumulated hundreds of podiums from local and national races.

When asked what has led to the success of the program, Andy responded, “We have a nice balance of challenging rides, serious training, and fun adventure. There is also an element of luck. We are fortunate to have kids who are excited and dedicated, and parents and volunteers who help to keep the whole thing operating. There is so much work involved in a successful team. The equipment and maintenance are monumental. We have the expertise of Aaron Girard at our fingertips to help us through it all. We have parents who step in to transport kids and equipment to races. We have kids who are willing to work hard, put in the hours, and keep coming back for more.”

To all of this, I can say the team is lucky to have Andy’s vision and commitment to the kids, and his many years of racing and coaching experience that he shares with anyone willing to listen. We are also fortunate to have Aaron keeping the bikes working. There is only a small group of people who have the expertise to maintain a fleet of bicycles. He generously donates his time to help the kids stay on their bikes and have fun. So yes, I agree that there is a bit of luck here, but there is a lot of hard work that comes with it. 

The kids on the team offered unanimous feedback that, “The hardest part of the sport is the long training rides,” many of which are done alone, in a basement, on a trainer. Not only is the workout hard, but the mental focus and dedication to stick with it day after day is no small feat. To see kids ages 11-18 do it for the love of cycling is both humbling and awe-inspiring. They have different reasons for why they keep at it. For some, it’s the feeling of standing on the podium. For others, it is the motivation to keep up on the adventure rides. Some enjoy the structure in their lives and the way it makes them feel to ride their bike anywhere, anytime. There is also a rare exception, Evan Boyle (Athlete Profile, March 2023), who only rode with the team as a junior for one-year before aging out and turning pro. For Evan, riding a bike, quickly changed his life and has turned his sport into a career.

Parents, coaches, volunteers, community members, and teammates are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to take cycling to the next level. They are immensely proud of the kids for rising to every challenge and exceeding even their own expectations. For kids interested in learning more and trying out road, cyclocross, or mountain biking – with a new junior MTB team for 2024, I encourage you to contact Andy and check it out: aruiz@nycap.rr.com. You will not be disappointed.

Jessica Hanna (jessica.blank.hanna@gmail.com) of Rexford is a teacher, NICA Mountain Goats coach, mom of two amazing daughters, and occasional triathlete. She is eternally grateful for the community that cycling has provided her family.