Embracing Winter
STF Racing Team Update - Vol. 1
It’s official… Steve Tilford Foundation Racing is here & we have so much to catch you up on.
It’s been an interesting time to launch a new team during the midst of a global pandemic. Stephen and Raylyn had prepared all year to head to Europe for a full UCI cyclocross season until the COVID crisis only seemed to be getting worse. It was a heartbreaking decision for the team to decide to pull the plug, and stay in the United States. The thought of risking the athletes/staff health and safety in addition to the UCI announcement of the new point structure seemed to set in. STF Racing felt like the responsible decision would be to put their racing debut on hold.
The team tried their hardest to make the most of the ‘cross season. To keep the spirit of cyclocross alive, each Sunday there was a local invite only Show-N-Go race held out at the team-access ranch property just 6 miles north of Lawrence, Kansas. This gave Raylyn the ability to bump elbows and work on race-pace skills in the absence of UCI racing. A proper muddy winter gave the opportunity to continue to improve… and have fun while doing it.
Images by: Adam Koble
What’s Up With Hyde?
Words from our Champ, Stephen Hyde.
Image: Meg McMahon
“First off- I have to say that before I joined The Steve Tilford Foundation Racing Team most of my interaction with the iconic namesake was via his blog. So, when I came onto the program last summer it was only natural that I felt the need to also have some sort of writing element in this role. I am happy to have one in this newsletter.
Where should I begin? I feel like it’s been a real minute since I have done anything in the “public eye”. You may be used to seeing me at the races or out training in some cool or exotic places, so What’s up? Well… In case you hadn’t noticed, a GLOBAL PANDEMIC happened-err-IS happening. Just when I thought I was hitting my stride again with some north-of-decent results in Europe and getting some old injuries finally under control. My tenure at my last team that lasted 6 years came to an end and to be honest, I wasn’t feeling the industry love much anymore. But that’s ok. When it’s your time, it’s your time… Then, BOOM! This team fell right into my lap just when I needed it too and I couldn’t be more thankful!
Since the reshuffle of my career happened I started my own coaching business, Stephen Hyde Coaching. Catchy name huh? I came up with it myself. ANYWAYS. That has been a pure joy in my life. Over my years of experience I have been dealt good and bad hands and had to roll with them all the way. I couldn’t be more thankful for both those experiences and for those who have helped me navigate them It’s those people- Coaches, mentors etc.. that helped shape my knowledge and my love for coaching and relationship building. Giving back to a sport that has truly given my life something special, a purpose. I have a small amount of clients and I like it that way( I do have a few spots opening up though* Ahem). Coaching others has also helped in my own training and to date have done some of the best and most consistent yet. Something to be proud of after so many years. I ain’t done yet!
Without racing on this continent and the idea of traveling out of the country off the table for me, I was faced with a season like I haven’t seen in almost a decade. I made the best of it though and really spent my time wisely. Being home for my first full winter with my wife was tough, yet one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. Don’t think I am not itching to get on the road again though! For one we bought a new house! We finally found our dream home nestled on the edge of a huge state forest with PLENTY of trails right out our back door. Plenty of birding, too.
I also joined the board of our local cycling club, The Northampton Cycling Club. From my beginnings in CX racing through the JAM Fund the club has been a part of my trajectory and I am so happy to be able to give back in what ways I can by using my experiences to better our area for cycling. Part of my project with the club is to build and maintain MTB trails and try to build out a cohesive network throughout the valley. Our local NEHSCA/NICA teams will be grooming our next big riders and they will all need somewhere to ride!
On top of all of that, our team has been more focused than ever on what to do next. The planning of our upcoming seasons, initiatives and training takes a lot of our time up. We have been meeting 1-2 days per week via online video conferences to help each other through the process and working things out. It’s been a bit of a crash course for some of us (cough couch-Me) on doing work outside of training but all in all it’s pushed us all to be more professional in our actions and really appreciate the support we get from our partners. Having a hand in our interactions with partners has really led us to a more personal approach and I think is building better relationships as we go along. There have been ups and downs of course but our shared experiences have only grown us all that much closer. Again, something to be proud of in a time of no racing. I can’t wait to share what we have in the works.
Next up is building for gravel and building up my fitness bank! I can’t wait to see my teammates and race again! “
-Stephen Hyde
In Foundation News, The Steve Tilford Foundation partnered with the Belgian Waffle Ride for a new gravel event coming this fall!
The Hell of the Mid-West: Belgian Waffle Ride Lawrence is here to help raise money for the Steve Tilford Foundation!
Register Here: BWR LAWRENCE
San Diego, CA // Lawrence, KS - (January 24, 2021) – Monuments of Cycling, a premier cycling events producer, has partnered with Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop to host the inaugural Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR) in Lawrence, Kansas for the Steve Tilford Foundation.
For the first time, Monuments of Cycling brings its iconic BWR to Kansas, where a vibrant cycling culture anxiously awaits this new spectacle, The Hell of the East, which will take place on Halloween. The BWR, which celebrates 10 years in 2021, will provide professional and amateur cyclists the opportunity to ride the most coveted roads, punctuated by dozens of off-road sectors over a 111- mile route throughout the northeast region of Kansas, giving the event its unique complexion.
Created as an extremely challenging race in the spirit of the great European one-day Spring Classics, BWR, with a Belgique theme, is truly a unique event. There will be three distances on offer in Lawrence, the longer Waffle event and the half-as-long Wafer event, plus a shorter Wanna event for those looking to get a taste of the fun without the training commitment of the Waffle or Wafer.
This inaugural BWR Kansas event, like the other BWR events in San Diego, Asheville, and Cedar City will have a deep field of professional riders and an expansive list of hungry amateur riders drawn to the unparalleled opportunity to race alongside their heroes, like World Tour rider, Peter Stetina, who won the 2019 San Diego edition and came in second to Keegan Swenson in the 2020 BWR Cedar City event. The BWR will be offering a prize purse to the top five riders, both female and male! Racers and event patrons will be treated to Belgian waffles, Belgian ales, muscles and frites, more waffles and more beer on race day.
As Steve Tilford would have wanted it, the Waffle race promises plenty of punishment for entrants and their bicycles along its dynamic course, which features 8,000 feet of undulating climbs and 40-miles of off-road terrain that harken to the teeth-rattling cobblestones of Europe’s most grueling races. This event promises to bring something special to Lawrence.
“As someone that’s been around the gravel scene for a number of years, it’s easy to recognize passionate people that love creating unique world-class experiences for racers and riders alike,” shares Dan Hughes, Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop owner and four-time winner of the Dirty Kanza (Unbound). “The crew at Belgian Waffle Ride absolutely exude that vibe, and that’s why we’re excited to partner with them for BWR Lawrence. A good ‘alt- surface’ event should be equal parts suffering, vanquishing challenges, and doing it all for a worthy cause... and BWR Kansas has all those elements in abundance. I look forward to melding our gravel experience with the horsepower of BWR and seeing where it takes us not only for this year, but for years to come.”
Prior to the event, there will be a special VIP event at Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop on Friday, October 29. At this special event will be an auction for cycling fans in celebration of the life of Steve Tilford, the course revealed in detail, special race-related presentations riders won’t want to miss, the pros interviewed, and cyclists will rub shoulders with all the celebrities on hand for the epic weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Expo will take place In Lawrence, promising to be Kansas’ coolest cycling party of the year! Expo festivities kick off Saturday, October 30 at 10:00 a.m. and are open to the public. There will be a Road-Cross criterium for riders to compete in and fans to enjoy, and the Belgian theme will be in full force with a host of other unique entertainment features. Attendees can peruse a wide range of offerings from event sponsors and over 40 vendors!
“We are so lucky to partner with our friends at the Steve Tilford Foundation and Sunflower, who will be hosting the event,” said Michael Marckx, BWR creator. “Having known and raced with Steve, it is such a joy that we get to partner with the Foundation to support its mission to help young people of all backgrounds find and chase their passion through cycling. My grandfather grew up here and attended KU, so it’s with great joy that I get to share this unique event with this special cycling community. ”
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ABOUT MONUMENTS OF CYCLING
Monuments of Cycling is committed to delivering the most unique cycling events in the country, offering experiences for the most elite athletes on the planet as well as those in awe of them, through the creation of world class races that engage riders in myriad and unexpected ways. Our mission is to inspire riders of all stripes to reach, grow and aspire to new levels of fulfillment and joy, finding unusual ways to test their physical and mental fortitude. To learn more, visit www.MonumentsofCycling.com.
