Born to Ride: Dylan Stucki, Western State Mountain Biker, Competes at National Level
Most children receive some of their parent’s traits from birth; eye color, nose shape, voice, etc. However for one Western State junior, he has had something else passed down, mountain biking.
Dylan Stucki of the WSC Mountain Bike Team
“My dad was a professional mountain bike racer in the eighties and nineties,” said Dylan Stucki, a professional mountain bike racer from Western State. “I started racing when I was about 12 and I have just been growing through the sport since then.”
In the 2009 USA Cycling Summer National Championships, Stucki placed 14th in the under 23 age group.
Stucki, who is new to Western this year as a transfer student from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, is also currently one of the leaders of the Mountaineer mountain bike team. Racing in multiple national circuits, Stucki has established himself as an elite rider. According to Eric Booton, the president of Western’s team, Stucki brings a much needed presence to the squad.
“Dylan brings a lot to the table for us,” Booton said. “He is an excellent rider with tons of experience racing, training and riding. His expertise and motivation has helped us to bring structure to our group rides and work outs.”
Stucki first began racing professionally in 2008 and since then has competed nationally for Mafia Racing. David Janowiec is Stucki’s manager under Mafia Racing, and he recognizes that Stucki is a one of a kind athlete.
“He is a horse when it comes to racing,” Janoweic said. “To get to this level you really have to put a lot of time in on the bike. It takes serious dedication and talent, riding and putting miles in at least six days a week, usually seven. I give Dylan a lot of credit as he is not somebody who has had anything handed to him.”
According to Stucki, this pro circuit includes five or six races that span the country. The terrain varies from dirt, to pavement, to treacherous mountain and each race lasts for somewhere around two and a half hours. However, he is now focusing on the college season, which is soon coming to a close with the national championship races held in Truckee, Calif, on Oct. 16-17. According to Booton, the addition of Stucki gives them a realistic chance of competing with the some of the best teams in the nation.
“Dylan has helped me to bring the team together so that we will be in a position to compete at nationals,” Booton said. “We are among the top schools in our division and have posted awesome results.”
When asked whether or not Stucki has reached his full potential on a bike, Janoweic was quick to point out that his future is bright.
“He has reached a high level of cycling at a young age, whereas typically the most successful endurance athletes are in their upper twenties to late forties,” Janoweic said. “He has a lot to look forward to and a rhythm to find, and once he finds that...whoa ho ho.”
Story by: Kyle Fredrickson, WSC sophomore, (orginally printed in the Top O' the World)
