Pro mountain bike team focuses on developing east coast talent
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Forrest Conrad(Image credit: Giant Mid-Atlantic Off Road Team)
Jordan Kahlenberg(Image credit: Giant Mid-Atlantic Off Road Team)
Matt Miller(Image credit: Giant Mid-Atlantic Off Road Team)
Seamus Powell(Image credit: Giant Mid-Atlantic Off Road Team)
The Giant Mid-Atlantic team's kit for 2012(Image credit: Giant Mid-Atlantic Off Road Team)
Blasting into its third season, the Giant Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Team looks to continues to balance its goals of dominating races and developing riders in the northeast. To take on this challenge, new member Forrest Conrad will join returning riders Matt Miller, Seamus Powell, and Jordan Kahlenberg. Conrad, who is in his last season as a junior, has already begun to make a presence in the regional elite races.
As a group, the team is setting its collective focus on domestic cross country races, with forays into various endurance and stage race events. Powell, in his second year with the team, will again be looking towards US Pro XCT, Canada Cup, and domestic World Cup events in order to gain a spot on the U23 Worlds team. Based in Round Top, New York, he will also race regional Route 66 and New York State MTB Series events.
Miller and Kahlenberg have both ridden with the team since its inception, and both will be making starts at US Pro XCT and US Cup Triple Crown East events. While Kahlenberg will be looking at more US Pro XCT events, Miller will make forays into various endurance and stage race events, such as the Transylvania Epic stage race. Both riders will also race regional H2H/Campmor and Mid-Atlantic Super Series events, with highlight on the Pennsylvania State Championship event at Bear Creek Mountain Resort. Bear Creek will be playing host to the 2013 and 2014 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships, and this event will serve as a preview of the course.
New member Conrad is a fresh face to the sport, being only 17 and entering his last season as a junior. In his 2011 season, Conrad showed he had what it takes by racing regularly with the older elite categories, besting more experienced riders and showing steady improvement. He will race a mixture of regional and national level events in preparation for national championships, where he aims to crack the podium in the junior event.
Giant Bicycle continues as title sponsor for the team, supplying the competitors with 2012 Anthem X Advanced SL and XTC Composite 29er frames. "The Giant Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Team has proven they need the best in off-road performance bikes and the Anthem X Advanced SL delivers," said Brad Klipping, Marketing Manager for Giant USA. "We're stoked to partner again with the Giant Mid-Atlantic squad."
