The Steve Tilford Foundation Ethos.

This team was created with the sole purpose of being able to help keep Steve Tilford’s passion for cycling alive. He raced at the top level of the sport and also mentored riders along the way. That is what this team was created to do.

This season we added a U23 rider to the roster to really start to bolster that mentorship piece for this team. We added a talented, Lizzy Gunsalus, who is also a full time student double majoring in Chemistry and Engineering and exemplifies being a true role model herself. In addition to adding Lizzy to the roster we have partnered with the Bear CX National team. A U23 & Junior program who have been underneath our tent all season. This collaboration gave us a chance to begin a pipeline system and offer mechanical support and mentorship from the Elite squad. There are 9 total riders on the Bear CX Team, and their energy and willingness to learn has been so much fun to be around.

All 3 of our athletes do more than just prepare themselves to compete at the top level of the sport, and really make sure they do all they can to give back to the sport:

Lizzy Gunsalus is not only our rockstar U23 rider, she also donates her time weekly in Indianapolis helping out the Midwest Devo riders by coaching skills clinics and providing mentorship to those riders daily. She has really made a massive impact in the Indiana and Ohio region with those young riders. It’s clear where her heart lies when you see her interact with the young riders. She lights up and pours every bit of herself into motivating and encouraging the junior athletes.

Curtis White has represented the United States at 9 World Championships. He’s also one of the first people to raise their hand when it comes to getting some of the Junior and U23 athletes involved into his training routines. Curtis coaches at several local clinics throughout the year in addition to offering guidance through National Team camps. His passion for the growth of this sport is contagious and bleeds through our program. Curtis is always thinking of ways to help the sport of cyclocross grow.

Raylyn Nuss is the founder of this team, and has fought hard to keep this team alive after the launch in 2020. It has been extremely important to her to be able to have an environment that gives riders the chance to race at the top level of the sport. With so many privateer riders out there, it seemed like there were no more team structures in the United States. Coming from a team sports background, it fueled her drive to continue to have a space where everyone feels included and that we all work together to achieve greatness. “It’s so much sweeter to celebrate victories with a team around you.” Raylyn also supports the local scenes by attending local CX clinics and offering guidance and giving tips to local riders in the St. Louis and Kansas regions.