When Freshman Alex White started bike racing, he didn’t expect to get so far. White began racing in 2008 when he was 8 years old. Since beginning to race he has joined a racing team, Word-RCB by Cyclisme, and has gone on to win many awards, the most recent being the 2015 OBRA Time Trial Cup in the Junior Men 15-16 category. The TT Cup is a prestigious award that honors the fastest cyclist in the Oregon Bike Racing Association.

We asked White more about his success and how he got here.

Why did you decide to go for the Championship? Did you have to do anything before you could enter? (i.e. qualifying times, pre-championship tournaments…)

I decided to go for the TT cup because I realized that I had a good shot at the cup for 2014, after I did reasonably well at Jackfrost (the first race of the season). And because it was it was an open cup, there were no qualifications for entry.

How did you train for the big race?

I trained for the cup by practicing with my team, Word-RCB by Cyclisme, and I went to the race locations, and practiced the courses I was unfamiliar with.

Why do you like to ride your bike?

I like to ride my bike, because it gives me a good way to release the frustrations of day or week, and also when pack riding the social dynamic is fun to engage in, although in TT racing it’s you against the clock, so you can’t be social.

What did it feel like when you won?

When I won the cup I felt ecstatic, because this was something that I’d worked toward for the better part of a year, and came together.

What would you tell someone who wanted to go into bike racing? Any advice?

My advice for someone going into bike racing is to get on a team, and train with them regularly. Getting on a team is fairly easy because most teams are looking for new enthusiastic riders, and will help you build endurance and speed. For people looking to go into time trial racing, know that a lot of the race is mental, and demoralization is one of the worst things that can happen in a race. You have to stay motivated to win.

When did you first start to ride competitively? What are your future plans?

I did my first race ever in 2008 when I was 8 years old. My future plans for racing are to do an Ironman triathlon when I turn 18 years old, and to keep doing bike racing as long as my body allows me to.

How many people do you race against? How do the races work?

Mostly last season, I raced against my teammate Jaden Salama, but time trial races are individual events separated by age groups, and you get points based on your time. The fastest rider gets 20 points, second fastest gets 18 points, third gets 16 etc. until 10th place when they stop giving points.