All-Gender Cycling put up a strong performance at its Individual Time Trials on Wednesday to commence its season. Despite challenging conditions, with cold weather, wind, and hail, the team laid a foundation that will translate into the next weeks as new racers continue to gain experience.
Over the week leading up to the trials, the team had struggled with inclement weather, inhibiting its ability to practice outside consistently. According to returning member Matt Robinson ’27, the season has been productive yet challenging, especially with many new teammates.
“It’s been a good season so far. Last week was a bit tough because it was pretty cold, so we couldn’t go outside like we normally would. It was cold and rainy, but otherwise, it’s been a really good season so far. We have a relatively new team. There are three freshmen on the team, so it’s a really good team, and it’s a lot of fun to be with them,” said Robinson.
Frank Hu ’26 echoed some of the challenges regarding weather and the training the team has been putting in to find success.
“We’ve had a lot of new people coming over, and we’ve been training really well in preparation. One thing that has been stopping us from reaching our full potential is the weather. However, overall, it’s been really nice. It’s my second year on the cycling team. I biked a lot over the summer, and it’s nice to see my work start paying off,” said Hu.
Building up to the race, the team began to practice positions on the bikes to be aerodynamic and receive the fastest times. The team experimented with its positioning throughout the trial, ultimately leading to favorable outcomes.
“We’ve been practicing many different things, but most importantly, in our time trial, it helps a lot when you’re in an aerodynamic position. So we’ve all been experimenting with what positioning is comfortable for us to help us go as fast as possible. It isn’t necessarily something that the coaches have been focusing on, but I think that really paid off today,” said Robinson.
Although this was the team’s first race, David Porto ’26 noted the different format for this race. In cycling, most races occur as a team; however, this was an individual race.
“The race was an individual time trial, so it was only you out on the road. In most other races, you’re allowed to be with other team members, riding in a pack, but this was more of a solo race, so it depended more on how you did, and the scoring was based on your time,” said Porto
Despite many good placements, including new member Eddie Marrero ’28 placing fourth, the weather remained a constant factor. However the team remained positive and encouraged each other to keep improving, according to Hu.
“The main downer was that it was cold and windy, so everyone was bundled up and trying to stay warm. However, every time we saw someone in blue come around the bend and do another lap, we were all cheering, and it was a really supportive environment. For a lot of people, before the race, we were nervous because we had three or four newbies today compete in their first race. For most returners, it was business as usual, just getting back into the swing of things,” said Hu.
All Gender Cycling will race another Individual Time Trial next Wednesday.
