On Wednesday, at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Speedway), Cycling faced strong competition from Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter), Portsmouth High School, Holderness, and Proctor Academy (Proctor). Through crashes, cold weather, and mechanical issues, riders supported one another and continued to push forward. In the Boys A race, David Porto ’26 finished 10th, and Matt Robinson ’27 finished 7th, capping off strong individual performances within a highly competitive race.
Porto described the race as both physically and mentally demanding, especially with the cold weather adding another layer of difficulty. Despite this, the team maintained its energy through the day.
“It was surprisingly cold, around 40 degrees. But everybody was outside cheering for each other during each other’s races, moving around to make sure riders were cheered on at the hardest parts of the race. That made all the difference,” said Porto.
The race proved challenging early on, as crashes affected several riders. Robinson described one of the most significant setbacks early in the opening race, where two teammates were involved in a crash.
“In the first race of the day, two of our racers, Henry Wall [’27] and Elliot Chai [’28], crashed. Neither were seriously injured, but both were scratched up and unable to continue. Yet, they stayed positive and focused on cheering on their teammates despite their bad fortune,” said Robinson.
Porto also reflected on the crashes, emphasizing how the team responded with support and unity.
“The team showed a lot of humility and camaraderie during those crashes since it was two of our riders,” said Porto.
Both Porto and Arden Quan ’29 highlighted Robinson for maintaining his position in the event after facing a mechanical issue mid-race, eventually finishing seventh in the Boys A Race.
“One person that stood out was Matt Robinson, who had a pretty great race and he kept with the pack of riders until the end even with a chain drop in the middle,” said Quan.
Beyond individual performances, the team’s overall energy played a key role in its success. Even with nerves about the cold conditions, riders were able to push past hesitation once the race began.
“Many racers felt nervous that they were going to be too cold… nonetheless, when we got to the line, everybody put away their nervousness and performed super well,” said Robinson.
Quan also pointed to the challenge posed by the course’s unfamiliar layout.
“Attempting the new course was especially difficult because it had hills which we hadn’t done before this year, said Quan.
Cycling will return to the Speedway on Wednesday to participate in the Circuit Race.
