Mazda Lauf Factory Racing

VeloNews article covering Baker’s Cascade Gravel Grinder Stage Race win!

Gallery: Three days of racing at the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium | VeloNews.com In Oregon, gravel racing is back on, and Breakaway Promotions just hosted a three-day omnium this past weekend featuring a Merckx-style time trial (with no aero bars allowed), followed by two gravel road stages. The Merckx-style time trial was a 5-mile effort on Friday afternoon. There was only 200....

Success at Open Range Gravel Race today! Jonathan Cavner takes the 🥇in the men’s with Nick Gould taking 🥉. And, Jess Cygan takes the 🥇 for the ladies.

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Super congrats to Jonathan Baker for taking the 🥇 at Rock Cobbler!

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Last, but not least! Meet Bret Wachtendorf

Bret is originally from Pennsylvania and currently lives in Basalt, CO. He’s been racing a bike for almost 10 years, and started riding his bike (outside of the neighborhood) to go to soccer practice. He attended Pennsylvania State University for an undergraduate degree in Economics and Spanish. It was here where he discovered the world of cycling. “Central PA opened up literally a whole new world for me. My first ever semester, summer of 2011, I remember riding the infamous Black Mo loop, about a forty- five mile round trip from State College with three decent climbs. As the road tilted upward on the biggest climb of the day, I just envisioned myself in the Tour. It’s cheesy but I’ve always dreamed big. I had a fair amount of success racing in college and made a lot of good friends along the way. When I graduated Penn State in 2015, I decided to try and go pro. While I never put pen to paper, I raced in plenty of professional races in the US, Canada, Romania, and Rwanda.”
When not riding his bike, Bret is usually found creating music, and working on applying to graduate programs to pursue a PhD in Economics. Last, but not least, Bret is due to get married to his amazing fiancé, Kasinee in May 2021, who also rides bikes.
Bret’s favorite thing about gravel:
“Gravel racing has given me a fun outlet, and a way to challenge myself with something old but something new. I dream big, and gravel riders and racers have some crazy ambitions too.”

Notable results:
1st Superior Morgul, 2019
1st Lyons to Ned Road Race, 2019
3rd Iron Horse Classic Road Race, 2019
7th Steamboat Springs Gravel, 2019
8th Stage 1, Joe Martin Stage Race, 2019

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Up next! Grant Koontz

Texas Native, Grant got his start racing the infamous road scene of Texas bicycle racing. After finding success on the bike through collegiate racing at Texas A&M, he decided to go all in on bicycle racing following graduation. That has been the story of the past 5 years of racing which has taken him all over the world to race and adventure on two wheels. He always dreamed of racing the historic Spring Classics of France and Belgium, though he never found a gateway, or counterpart, in the domestic scene... until Gravel racing blossomed. He is now honing in on two relatively new race crafts: in the velodrome and in the gravel scene. He plans on pursuing both wholeheartedly while chasing the olympic dream on the track bike and using gravel racing as a fun and competitive outlet to keep things light.

Grant’s favorite thing about Gravel: “It is an intensely competitive race scene that simulates the longer and flatter “epics” of European spring classics, all while having a community focus and home base in the often-forgotten lands of Middle America.”

Notable results:
2nd, Stage 2, Joe Martin Stage Race, 2019
1st, National Championship, Track Team Pursuit, 2019
2nd, Stage 4 Vuelta a Guatemala, 2019
4th, Stage 1 Vuelta a Costa Rica, 2019

Meet Jon Harp

Harp is currently the Director Sportiff and continues to train and race with the team. They call him Johnny Gravel.

Harp started going fast on two wheels in the cycling rich community of Chicago at the age of 13. Racing the clock to the zoo was quickly replaced by summers at the OTC. New teams. Bigger challenges. At 18 signed with Raleigh where most of his teammates were Euro pros. "At the age of 20 I thought I had the dream opportunity. A pro contract to race in Europe for $13,500/yr. My dreams came crashing to a halt when I realized that I would be expected to start a full fledged doping program." On a flight back from a race Harp decided that he would never unpack his bike. And he didn't. College. An entrepreneurial mind. Harp sunk his energy into other passions. Marriage. Kids. Fly fishing. Golf. Business. "Cycling was always part of my DNA. After 27 years off the bike at the age of 48 I bought a bike. For pure mental and physical release from a tough season in life. Mashing the pedals day after day brought such joy. I soon realized my speed was coming back. I decided to see if I could hang. Did a gravel race in TX. Ended up winning. That buzz I get from a start line can't be replicated." Harp kept winning criteriums and gravel races.

2 years ago Harp had a vision begin to form. Gravel cycling was exploding. "I wanted to put together something special. The best riders. A totally different culture. Totally inclusive. The best equipment. The most visually stunning. I wrestled with the silliness of this at a time I had just survived a tough divorce. Two kids. A life to recreate. A chance night watching the movie Field of Dreams and it was settled. I will build it. Everything else will come ! " After a meeting with Stephen Fitzgerald of Rodeo and others Rodeo Labs Pro Gravel was born.

"My favorite thing about gravel? It is our version of the big long nasty classics. Gravel can break you down. In every way. I love that. It also happened to fit my skill set better. Wind and chunk gravel turned out to be right up my alley. Plugging in my old roadie brain to save every watt and get to use my cycling IQ again. The ultimate.”

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Up next! Meet Nick Gould

Nick has over 20 years of professional racing experience. Mostly known for his XC, Marathon, and Ultra Endurance mountain biking career, last year he threw his hat in the gravel ring. Nick has raced all over the world including stage races in Switzerland, Colombia, BC, and all over the US. Nick owns his coaching business "PurEnergy Performance" and coaches other professionals and youth development programs in Colorado Springs. Nick's most recent accolade is being the first mountain biker to Everest in Colorado.
Nick's favorite thing about gravel racing:
“I really enjoy the team aspect and tactics of gravel racing. Coming from a mountain bike racing background, it is so individual. With gravel racing, there is a lot more drafting and race analytics that take place. I also love that almost every gravel race is a total slog and always ends up being epic with the last man standing sort of thing. And of course the places it takes you!"

Notable results:

1st Place Encierro Velo 100k, 2020
2nd Place Open Range 200, 2020
3rd Place Texas Chainring Massacre 100, 2020
3rd Place Gravel Nation 88 2020
3rd Place Grit 9-0 2020
4th Place Old Man Winter 2021


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Meet Greg Daniel

Greg is an accomplished cyclist and coach. On the track and road, he is a five-time U.S. National Champion, including winning the USPRO Road Race Championships in 2016, being the youngest ever to do so. He raced at the World Tour level, riding for accomplished riders like Alberto Contador, John Degenkolb, and Bauke Mollema. He's also competed in 7 World Championship events. Greg has only competed in one gravel race so far and has won it, saying it was one of the most fun learning experiences he's ever had.

Greg also started his own coaching company in 2019. It started small with just a handful of clients, most of which were his friends. As word grew, he is now coaching some of the best athletes in the U.S. and the world, some of which are competing at world cups. Greg's passion for cycling isn't just racing but, instead, he focuses on the science behind the athlete, the mental gymnastics that come with the sport, and the diet that makes it all possible. For Greg, cycling isn't just a sport but a life adventure that enables all of us to grow physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Greg’s favorite thing about gravel racing:
“My favorite thing about gravel racing and riding is being more surrounded by nature. I’m used to training on relatively busy roads in the Denver area and even riding in the mountains, but out on gravel, it’s just you and the machine. A bit more peaceful I think.”

Notable results:
1st, National Road Race Championship, 2016
1st, overall Tour de Beauce 1st, Stage 5, 2016
1st Stage 1 (TTT) Olympias Tour, 2016
1st Mount Evans Hill Climb, 2018


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First race of the season done and dusted! Here is the race report for Old Man Winter Rally.

Rodeo Labs Pro Gravel: Old Man Winter Race Report We sit down with Jess, Nick and Cav to discuss Old Man Winter 2021!

Meet Jess Cygan

Born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Cygan was a high school standout in cross-country and went on to race Division I cross-country and track for a couple years in college. After struggling with performance and race anxiety for a bit too long, she ultimately decided to take some time away from competition. After moving to Colorado Springs in 2016, her love for the sport of running gradually came back, as did her competitive itch. In addition to running she also started riding her road bike, and eventually bought a mountain bike too. Then last spring, after spending one too many rides working hard to keep up with her friends on their Flaanimals while she was riding her 30-lb mountain bike, she bought a used gravel bike and discovered a love for the gravel world. Outside of riding, Cygan works in Public Health and enjoys cooking, baking, running, reading, and watching tv.

Jess’ favorite thing about gravel racing:
“It’s fun. There are less rules. People are welcoming. For the most part, you can wear what you want and nobody cares. You’re out there for hours on gravel and dirt roads with very few cars and the scenery is beautiful—you’re staring at mountains in the distance, climbing up long canyons, or rolling through bucolic plains. Maybe even hitting some singletrack for a bit of spice. Sure, the wind is brutal and the climbs can feel relentless, but there is no shortage of beauty out there to feast your eyes on while you suffer. It’s easy to romanticize the whole gravel scene, but at the end of the day, the best gravel rides are hard and long and it's up to you to have fun, push yourself, and enjoy the ride.”
Notable results:

Gravel Nation 88 - 3rd
La Grind - 2nd
Pony Xpress 160k - 1st
Gravelking Hondo - 2nd
Grit Nine-0 - 2nd


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Next up, Meet Jonathan Cavner

Cavner came into the sport from a mountain running background. Like many an injury drove him to the bike to stay fit. Once recovered from injury the lure of the bike was too great. The speed, adrenaline and camaraderie of cycling was too much to give up. He spent a year competing at marathon mountain biking before finding his love for road racing. At age 34 he was late to the sport. Discovering how each cycling disciple complimented each other he quickly progressed through ranks to cat1 in road, mtb, cyclocross and track. This journey culminated in 2018 with a win at the masters tour of the Gila, 2 national championship victories and 3 silver medals at UCI masters worlds. In 2016 Cavner did his first gravel at the Old Man Winter Rally. After being the only amateur to finish with the top riders he realized that gravel is where he belonged. This was confirmed with every subsequent gravel race victory.

Cavner’s favorite thing about gravel racing: “I love the difficulty, competitiveness and utter desperation of hard gravel events.”
Notable results:

2020 Open Range Champ, 2020 Pony XPress champ , 2019 High Plains Gravel Grinder Champ, 2019/20 LaGrind Champ, 2nd at 2019 Masters Road Race Nationals, 2018 Master’s National Champ Pursuit, 3x Silver medalist at 2018 UCI Master’s Track Worlds, 2018 Master’s Tour of the Gila Champ, 3x Steamboat Stage Race Champ


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Next up, Ashley Carelock a Texas native turned Coloradan, and self proclaimed diesel engine. She stumbled into bike racing in 2015 and quickly became hooked after winning her first race, a ten hour fat bike race in Silverton, CO. She has a special interest in ultra endurance events, especially multi day bike packing races. She lives in rural Southwest Colorado on a small farm, and is highly involved in her community through multiple volunteer activities including directing her own gravel race to raise money for local public lands.

Ashley’s favorite thing about gravel?
“My gravel bike is not just for roads. I find so much joy in taking it off the beaten track, from single track to roads that feel forgotten, roads that most people never see. I’m consistently reminded, on my own gravel rides and in races, of the beauty that exists in our world.”

Notable results:
FKT Arkansas High Country Race - 2020
Fat Bike World Champion 2018, 2020
Across Andes Bikepacking Race 1st, 2019
FKT Colorado Trail Race, Denver to Durango 2018
12 Hours of Mesa Verde 1st , 2016, 2018
12 Hours of Albuquerque 1st, 2019
24 Hours of Old Pueblo, 3rd 2018


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