By Jonathan Penaloza
Hey DBC! The Elite squad has been busy this fall getting set up for the 2015 season, and we’re excited to share with the DBC our squad and our goals for the season.
The 2015 DBC Elite squad consists of six riders, with room in our budget to take on two more within the duration of the season: Jeffrey Buscheck (Category or Cat 2), Scott Cohen (Cat 3), Daniel Kosykh (Cat 1), Jonathan Penaloza (Cat 1), Aaron Snovel (Cat 2), and Kyle Thielen (Cat 3). Daniel, Jeff and Jonathan are returning riders from the 2014 season; Aaron got started and raced his way up to the Pro, 1, 2 (P/1/2) level with the DBC Juniors; Kyle Thielen had a stellar first season with the DBC Race Team beginning the season as a Cat 5 and capping off the season as the NCNCA District Cat 3 Crit Champion at Oakland GP this year; Scott Cohen is fresh out of the Juniors scene with a strong track racing background. We are all locally-based riders with strong connections to the cycling community here in Davis, and we are proud to represent the DBC both in the NorCal P/1/2 races and at larger regional stage races.
2015 DBC Elite Squad
Our biggest focus for 2015 is rider development; with a strong core of returning riders we are eager to train and race with our new members so that we may work cohesively as a tight-knit unit. Our development goals are two-fold. First, our Cat 3 members are expected to earn their 2 upgrades early in the season so we may hone our skills as a full squad in the challenging P/1/2 events. Second, our Cat 2 members are aiming to earn their 1 upgrades so we may send a complement of riders representing DBC to NRC and Nationals-caliber events, namely San Dimas Stage Race, Redlands Bicycle Classic, USAC Elite Nationals, and Cascade Cycling Classic. Our individual strengths tend toward criterium racing, which will provide us lots of opportunities to work closely as a team in local events. However, our coach Judd Van Sickle is working closely with each of us to build our fitness as all-around riders so that we may be a competitive factor and not just pack fodder at big events.
We are acutely aware of the generous budget that is afforded to us by the DBC, and are very grateful to receive the club’s support that allows us to race at a high level. The club has fostered and given us immeasurable riding skills and experience through the Race Team, the Juniors Team, and the regular group rides. We are intent on giving back as much as we can by not only racing our bikes, but also continuing to strengthen the Elite squad and ensuring that the squad has sufficient infrastructure to function even as individual members move on to bigger and better things. Shout out to our esteemed 2014 DBC Elite teammate Matt Rodrigues, racing in 2015 for the UCI Pro Continental team Airgas-Safeway. We are racing for DBC for more than just the fantastic support we receive; we are racing for DBC because we love the local cycling community and the club members that have helped us grow both as riders and members of the community. We welcome the opportunity and the challenge to continue in the footsteps of great riders who have raced for DBC in years past. Look for us out on the road, and at the races in 2015. Thanks for reading!
