News & Stories
Loppet Cycle Works Announces New Performance Team for Junior Mountain Bikers
Loppet Cycle Works (LCW), the cycling department of the The Loppet, is excited to announce the launch of its new Performance Team for the 2025 season. This specialized program will offer dedicated junior mountain bikers ages 14-18 the opportunity to elevate their training and racing to match their long-term athletic goals.
The Performance Team will be led by Coach Greg Rhodes, PhD, who brings over 25 years of coaching experience in cycling and endurance sports. Coach Rhodes has worked with Olympic and World Champion Mountain bikers and holds a PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota with a focus on Exercise Physiology and Sports Performance. “The Performance Team is designed for riders who have shown commitment to endurance training and are looking to take their training and racing to the next level,” said Coach Rhodes. “We’ll provide specialized workouts, personalized training plans, and coaching support at races to help these athletes reach their highest potential.”
The Performance Team will complement LCW’s existing Competition Team programming, offering:
- Specific workouts designed to develop all aspects of fitness and technical riding skills
- Team training plans providing guidance on additional training for race preparation
- Coach support at select Wirth on Wednesday (WoW), Minnesota Series races, and National level races.
- Customized training that integrates with athletes; participation in other endurance sports such as cross-country skiing, running, road cycling, cyclocross, and gravel events
“We’re creating a supportive team environment with positive training approaches for riders who strive to reach their highest potential,”; said Todd Bauer, co-director of Loppet sport.” This new program represents our commitment to providing high-quality coaching and development opportunities for youth cyclists at all levels.”
The Performance Team will train on local trails while utilizing the trails at Theodore Wirth Park and the Trailhead facility as their “homebase”, which offers over 12 miles of single-track trails and progressive skills instruction areas as well as a dedicated strength training facility for off- bike conditioning. Session 1 runs from April 7 to June 27, 2025, with practices on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5:00-6:30 PM. Additional sessions will be offered from July through October and December through March.
Interested athletes must complete an application process to join the Performance Team. For more information or to apply, visit the online application form or contact Coach Greg Rhodes at lcw@loppet.org. Applications will be accepted until April 18, 2025.