The Search for America’s Next Tour de France Winner
I’ve known Roy Knickman since I was in high school. That’s when I started racing bikes in San Diego. Roy was about the same age as me and lived up in Ventura, a couple hours north. So we were in many of the same junior bike race fields. Of course, he was often solo and lapping the field in a criterium while I was, at best, a very average mid-pack rider. But still, I was well aware of Roy.
In late 2019/early 2020, just before the pandemic, I reconnected with Roy and his Lux junior team. While I had met a number of his athletes out on rides near my house, it was Allen Lim who brought me over to a dinner during the early 2020 Lux team camp. Seeing Roy again after so many years was fun. We all look the same, only decades older. I had dinner with Roy, Allen and the team, as well as some mentors like Megan Jastrab (and I think former Lux rider Brandon McNulty was there, too). Roy took the team through a bunch of tactical training exercises that were amazing to watch: “OK you’re in a stage race, and three riders are off the front by a minute, you’re behind in a group with the GC leader, and a sharp right turn is coming up in 3 kilometers that means you’ll be riding in a crosswind. Do you chase after the lead group or not?” It was great to see real teaching going on, like a bike racing class.
In addition, spending time with Roy that night and the next day, and riding with the athletes, I learned about his inspiring approach to coaching young people. Basically, “We’re here to make better humans, and if we win some races along the way that’s great. But winning is not the actual goal.” It was incredible to hear this from the leader of one of the world’s winningest junior bike racing teams.
So it was exciting to play a small role in helping Roy get his new junior team going, which is a partnership with Zwift (and CEO Eric Min), Canyon, Pedal Mafia and I’m sure many other brands later this year. While the team name and the athletes have yet to be revealed, I am confident this is a winning combination: Roy + powerhouse brands + North American athletes. Of course, the world’s largest grass roots bike racing program (NICA MTB) is here in the United States, with over 30,000 athletes. Perhaps Roy can align with them? Mark Riedy and I interviewed Roy for the podcast so we could learn more about his plans. I hope you’ll listen to the conversation and root for this team once they start racing in 2027.
