Ryan Nye – On the Road to the Pros
June 7th, 2009 | Published in Featured, Spotlight
If the early stages of Ryan Nye’s racing career are any indication, then the road before him certainly looks promising.
Though the 20-year-old native of Lockport, New York, has only been cycling for few years, he has in that short span gained a wealth of experience which helped propel him through the professional ranks.
This past winter and spring were spent training and competing in the Southwestern US, where Nye reigned as the number-one ranked Category 2 rider for a period of time. Notable performances included a 2nd-place finish at California’s San Dimas stage race, and a victory at the Tucson Bicycle Classic in Arizona.
“I was in Tucson all winter and it made me a lot stronger training in the warmth,” Nye recalls. “In peak season you train 20 hours a week … you train more in the spring and winter ‘cause you’re racing more in the summer.”
The recent season’s success saw Nye promoted to the Category 1 level, where the elite competition has taken some getting used to.
“When you’re a 2 you race a lot with the pros, but can still do 2-only races which are a little bit easier,” he explains.
“But when you’re Category 1, there is no hiding. You’re doing pro races no matter what.”
Yet like any great athlete, Nye will undoubtedly rise to the challenge and continue to hone his racing skills at the highest competitive level.
A former professional motocross racer, Nye took to cycling at age 16 and has yet to look back. He’s currently a member of the MVP Health Care cycling team where he specializes in road racing and criteriums, and credits the team experience for providing him with an extra source of motivation from his fellow riders.
“It’s kind of nice to have strong teammates to help you through races,” says Nye. “That’s the best part of it.”
Nye is able to keep up the camaraderie via the Internet, where social networking sites allow him to keep in touch both with old friends back home, as well as new industry contacts made on the road.
“A lot of the pro teams are following me on Twitter which is cool to see … you get a result and all of a sudden another team’s following you,” he says. “And on Facebook, you keep up with old friends and also stay in touch with people you meet at races.”
And there are sure to be many new acquaintances made in the busy season that lies ahead.
-Brendan Shea
