Price to Team CF

After retiring from full-time elite competition, endurance mountain bike racer Harlan Price will continue to participate in a few competitive events for the new Team CF in 2010.

During the past four years of his career, Price raced with Independent Fabrication, but in 2010, it was time for a change. "I decided to retire. What that meant was that I wanted to get a job and not keep living the poor pro lifestyle any longer. I needed some normality," said Price to Cyclingnews.

"I want to have fun but not have as much commitment (to racing) as I did for the past four years," said Price, who was a regular for years at the National Ultra Endurance (NUE) series events, a collection of 100-milers. He is also a former series champion.

Price will still have plenty of involvement in cycling. He's now working as the Cycling Editor for regional Mid-Atlantic outdoor magazine Liberty Sports Magazine. He is also promoting a Super D series at Bear Creek ski area in Pennsylvania. Each Super D will be run in conjunction with a cross country event this summer.

"They had a Super D race there a few years ago, and had 64 racers show up. It was a mix of the different disciplines. We had a bunch of the gravity guys and cross country guys. It really mixed up the race scene."

Price has racing plans that include two popular national-level super Ds this summer, including Downieville in California and Ashland in Oregon.

In addition, he will race the BC Bike Race, the Colorado Trail race and the New Mexico endurance series - "a series of five or six underground, unofficial races that are kind of like the Colorado Trail Race" according to Price.

"The races pique my interest because they are still long endurance events, but they are more of a backcountry journey and it's more about the ride and the adventure. I didn't want to do a full schedule. I was looking for an opportunity to ride, have fun and maybe try out a different bike."

Price chose Team CF because cystic fibrosis is in his family after hearing about it from now teammate Cheryl Sornson. "It's a genetic disease. It means I might have the gene, too. I have cystic fibrosis in my family. My cousin who lives here in Philly has it. I've seen his health go up and down."

"I like the idea of cycling as a tool. Not just to promote awareness, but it's also a tool for people with the disease to feel better and stay healthier. In a way, cycling is a treatment modality."

When not racing, working or promoting, the semi-retired Price has been volunteering with the local Gearing Up organization, which helps women recovering from abuse relating to drugs, alcohol or violence get involved with cycling.

"I have a lot of time to do things I couldn't do before - get involved in other aspects of cycling," he said.

This weekend, assuming winter storms do not derail his travel plans, Price heads out to Arizona to compete on a composite Stan's team at the 24 hours of Old Pueblo.