About Chris

Chris is a cat 3 racer who specializes in Track. He joined LGBRC in 2005.

When asked how he first got interested in cycling, he replied, "Through my college roommate and LGBRC sponsor, Rob Jensen.  We were traveling Europe in the summer of 1984, where we watched 5 stages of the Tour de France. 

While in Paris, we went to a bike shop where we found a Ti-Raleigh frame for only $200 and Rob would not let me leave the shop without buying it.  That frame traveled most of Europe until I brought it home in my garment bag (it was only a 52).Rob built it up upon return home with Campy parts and I did my first bike ride in cleats.  I skipped the whole recreational phase and went straight to bike racer.      

His greatest cycling achievement? "I have been lucky enough to travel the country racing against Olympic gold medalist and Tour de France stage winners, but I think my best moment was in 1988, as a full-time bike racer (yes, that's right, no job!), I set the record for the 200 meter time trial at Hellyer Velodrome at 11.5 seconds.  The result that day was the culmination of a lot of hard work by myself and others.  The record has since been broken, but even with the advances in equipment, the time still holds up pretty well.   I'm also very proud of the fact that my name is on  the Cat's Hill trophy....actually, it's just my last name as my wife's first name is before it, but that's as close as my name is ever going to get to that trophy."

What does he do in addition to cycling? "I have two teenage children who are competitive ski racers, so the winter for our family is skiing, watching skiing, and driving to Tahoe every weekend.  Their season runs from the beginning of November to April, so my cycling season doesn't start until April.  To pay for my hobbies, I'm a project engineer for aerospace hardware."

"This is my second career as a bike racer and I can't believe I can race 45+.  The last bike race of my first cycling career was in 1992, after which I gave up riding.  My comeback started in 2005, again at the urging of Rob Jensen and my wife, Leigh Ann, as an opportunity to recover from a heart attack that I had in July 2004.  I received a stent and have to take cholesterol pills forever, so they thought an exercise program might be something I'd like to embrace.  Just like over 20 years before, Rob took me to a bike shop, though this time in Cupertino, and wouldn't take me home until I bought a bike.  After a month very easy riding, Rob convinced me to do a masters 4/5 race in Rancho Cordova.  Expecting to last 2 laps and gasp for breath, I made it to the end and even led Rob out in the field sprint where he finished 3rd.  Now I do about 15-20 criteriums a year."