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History

History

Some time in the mid to late '70s, the club co-hosted a race with Towson University. A chap named Pepper White was president of the club back then. In the early to mid-80s, the school hosted a race at Lake Montebello that was part of an intramural fraternity competition in which fratboys would compete in different sports for points. Two of the strongest racers at the time were Patrick Liu (a demon sprinter) and Peter Verheyen. They competed USCF since the NCCA was not founded yet. Patrick and Joe Carey (currently with the Chesapeake Wheelmen) founded the Charm City Velo club, which was sponsored by Bianchi. Kozo Shimano (yes, as in Shimano components) was also attending Hopkins at the time; he was involved with the club but did not race as much as Patrick and Peter...

The mid- to late-80s are still a bit of a mystery. Word has it that the club and team was composed mostly of frat guys who made off with all the club's equipment (including two "funny" bikes) when they left Hopkins. They may have been competing in the NCCA Atlantic Coast Conference at this time. There were also intramural frat competitions in which cycling was one of the sports, and the cycling events were held at Lake Montebello.

In the early 90s, the club was inactive, but there were two guys, Dan Mullady & Hansen Su, trying to resurrect it. Both graduated in 1996. Before leaving, they handed the club over to Christopher Chin. Christopher Gardner, Christopher Chin and Alvin Liem began racing collegiate in April of 1997 at Old Dominion University and the US Naval Academy.

Accidents and injuries have seemed to plague a few victims of the club. One such chap was Bruce Helming ('88), who flatted at a Lake Montabello race, taco'd a wheel in Towson, and was rescued from Union Memorial by his roommate John after getting hit by a car. Another unlucky fellow, Shawn Johnson ('01, '02), was hit by a car and then a deer, both of which ended quietly after a trip to the hospital and a couple staples. And yet another unlucky fellow, Matt Brancheau ('04), dislocated his elbow while riding with Shawn. However unlucky a few of our riders have been, it serves to show the determination of each Hopkins Cyclist. Everyone got back on the bike for more!

Spring 1998 and Spring 1999 saw the perhaps the most participation ever by a Hopkins cycling team to this point, with Hopkins racers entering 17 Atlantic Collegiate Conference races. Those racing included Edward Brignole, Christopher Chin, Christopher Gardner, Yasushi Katsumi and Alvin Liem. April 1999 marked the official start of the mountain biking squad, with Ted Gifford and Shawn Johnson competing in a race up in Frederick, Maryland.

Over the next few years, the club began to grow and become both a regionally and nationally recognized club.

Spring 2000 - Kris Hedges advanced to nationals in Athens, Ohio.

Fall 2000/ Spring 2001 - JHU cycling became the the collegiate cycling club of Lateral Stress Velo.

Spring 2001 - Ed Brignole advanced to nationals in Colorado Springs, CO, placing 17th in the road race, 7 seconds behind the winner.

Fall 2001 - Andrew Inglis and Shawn Johnson race at MTB nationals in Plattekill, NY. They are joined by Aaron Marks doing downhill, and Scott Burkholder. Andrew takes 2nd in the short track cross country, and the team takes 5th in Div 2 Omnium.

Spring 2002 - After an amazing season, the entire Hopkins Cycling team qualifies for Nationals. Kris Hedges, Ed Brignole, Andrew Inglis, and Reid Mumford are chosen to represent the team. Andrew wins the Crit, the team wins the Time Trial, and 5th overall in the Div. 2 Omnium.

In May of 1999, after racing two seasons in dark and light blue Pearl Izumi jerseys with "JHU" iron-on vinyl letters on the front & back, the team received its brand spanking new strip produced by Aix Team Clothing. The fourth generation of jerseys were released Spring of 2002 from Voler, as part of our assosiation with Lateral Stress Velo.

Over the past couple of years JHU Cycling has been sponsored by several great companies, and we are greatly indebted to: PowerBar, Rudy Project, Bulltek Sports, Aegis Carbon Bicycles, Gu, Polk Audio, Trek, Voler, Brignole Assosiates, Joe's Bike Shop, and Lateral Stress Velo.

Hopkins Cycling has won four national titles in the past three years. In 2002 Andrew Inglis won the criterium while the Hopkins team won the time trial. In 2003, Kris Hedges won the road race, came in third in the criterium, and led Hopkins to victory in the team trial for the second consecutive year. (Of note Hedges has moved on to racing in Europe for V.C. Pontivey!!) In 2004, Reid Mumford and Ed Brignole placed second and fifth, respectively, in the criterium. Mumford took third in the road race, and the team placed fourth in the time trial. This year Mumford returns in search of a national title while being backed by a talented team gunning for victory in the team time trial.