By Terry Ritter, Team OAM Now Cyclist
USA Cycling has initiated a program aimed at getting new racers into the sport, and Team OAM NOW athletes are there to help. Through the organization of Lucas Wall, the Ann Arbor Velo Club Spring Training Series will host the Beginner Racer Program starting April 12th, with Team OAM NOW Developmental Director and Masters racer Terry Ritter, and new Elite team member Collin Snyder there to mentor and lend a hand.
The USA Cycling Beginning Racer Program (BRP) is designed to provide new racers with an enjoyable and educational experience as they learn to race their bike. The objective of the BRP is to inspire and educate new riders, thus leading to safer, more enjoyable racing experiences.
The BRP is modeled off of the highly successful Northern California Early Bird Racing Series. Established approximately 30 years ago, the Early Bird Racing Series serves over 1,000 racers annually and is the culmination of many years of hard work from USA Cycling coaches.
The BRP is broken down into five separate clinics, with each clinic holding a unique and progressive curriculum. Each clinic is comprised of three components: 1) on-bike instructional clinic 2) mentored race and 3) race debrief.
The five components of the curriculum are:
- Basic Pack Skills – Protecting Your Front Wheel
- Cornering – Choosing and Holding Your Line
- Pack Awareness & Skills
- Sprinting Basics
- Bringing it All Together
For more information about the BRP, check out the USAC site here.
For more information about the Ann Arbor Velo Club BRP, check out the AAVC STS site here.
