Rob Noble, Director of Communications

Ciclismo Racing

FORT COLLINS, CO - February 5, 2010 - Fort Collins native, Skyler Trujillo, recently competed in the Cyclo Cross World Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic. A Junior at Fort Collins High Shool, Trujillo was selected by USA Cycling to compete on behalf of the United States after his 3rd place finish at the U.S. National Cyclo Cross Championship and his impressive showing during a two-week, seven-race tour of Belgium following the National meet.

Unfortunately, an inauspicious start in the Junior World Championship caused Trujillo to lose his momentum at the gun when the rider in front of him slipped out of his pedal.

In cyclo cross racing, because the course is so narrow and in places it can be very difficult (or dangerous) to pass a competitor, the start of the race has profound consequences for every rider. If a rider wants to be in contention for the win, he must be in the top 15 to 20 riders shortly after the start of the race or he risks falling too far behind the leaders to make up the lost ground before the end of the race.

It only took a couple of seconds for Trujillo to regain his momentum, but it was enough time for the entire field of 63 riders to pass him. He would have to race from the back of the pack and battle through each man, one-by-one.

It takes a special competitor to persevere in the face of such insurmountable odds. Nonetheless, Trujillo battled all the way to the finishing line. After taking 53rd place on the day, he proclaimed with the confidence of mature young man that he learned a lot from his first World Championship race and now he was setting his sights clearly on the Mountain Bike World Championships in August.

Skyler's father/mechanic/travel agent/right-hand-man, Jason, made the trip to Tabor to see his son compete on the world stage. He summed up the experience by saying, "Ultimately Skyler got the best opportunity of his racing career traveling with Team USA coaches, riders and crew and exposure to living the sport of cycling at the highest level in the world."

In the Women's Elite race, Fort Collins' own Meredith Miller was the top American as she rode her way into a 12th place finish. Miller started the race in the middle of the pack and steadily moved her way up through the other competitors despite the frozen and slick conditions. Look for Miller to take to the roads this summer and defend her Elite Women's National crown with the Tibco Women's Pro Cycling Team.