As part of their participation in the Bikerumor Media Cup, the race within a race for us blogger/journo folk at the 2010 Breck Epic, each competitor has been asked to provide a photo or two and share a bit about themselves, mad libs style. So far, you’ve met Rich “Team Dicky” Dillen and Doper Suck’s Brandon Dwight. This week, Jasen Thorpe, former editor at Mountain Bike and current PR flak for Speedplay (which is why he already has a set of their new Syzr pedals that we’re lusting after), Gore Ride-On and others:
Name: Jasen Thorpe
Hometown: Emmaus, Pa.
Breck Epic Race Bike: 2009 Trek Superfly, from the Gary Fisher Collection. (Did I say that right?)
Bike Spec: Fox F29; Dura Ace 7803/XTR M960 30/39crankset; Speedplay Syzr pedals; Ride On Cables; Stan’s Rims, some other stuff…
Bike Weight: No idea. I’m not that guy anymore. I swear it. I’ve been told that it’s “light for a 29er,†which I think means that it’s heavy, but still fast.My name’s Jasen and I’ve been riding bikes since I was six or seven years old and racing for the better part of 22 years. I used to race like I meant it, and occasionally did ok. My favorite racing accomplishment is finishing in front of Bicycling Magazine’s Mike Cushionbury in any event while acting like it doesn’t matter to me, because it really pisses him off, even though he tries not to show it. We’re good like that.
I’m ‘racing’ in the Bikerumor Media Cup because I used to be a media wonk, and race promoter Mike McCormack said that I should join Tyler and the guys. Tyler was kind enough to play along even though I’m actually a PR lackey now. Unfortunately, Rich Dillen is racing in the Cup too, which sucks because he is likely to show up with a posse of Bad Idea Racing bloglodytes and a ridiculously large moustache which he will use to scare women and children and block aggressively on the singletrack. (Note to competitors: start in front of Dillen, watch out for his posse. You will recognize Dillen because he wears arm warmers with a sleeveless jersey and he means it. And the moustache sets him apart as long as Mike Ferrentino doesn’t show up.)
However, Brandon Dwight is racing in it too, which is good because he killed all of us last year, which really takes off any pressure to perform this year. (Note to competitors: Brandon is fast.)
Thus far, my training has consisted of riding my bike while holding my breath in an effort to simulate the conditions in Breck. Those people just have no air in their air. Damn do they have some good trails, though. In the month leading up to the Breck Epic this August, I’ll be preparing by hanging out in Colorado looking for a place to live (Front Range, not Boulder). Thinking about moving the family out there this fall… (note to competitors: if you have advice on where I should live and that place has good mountain biking right out the front door, I’m listening)
If I win the Cup, I’ll celebrate by swimming in the Blue River wearing just my Breck Epic belt buckle. Unless McCormack says that’s a bad idea. He’s like Breck’s de-facto mayor, or sherriff, or both, or something. (note to competitors: do not cross McCormack. Also, do not show up to his kid’s birthday party dressed like a pirate, no matter how well meaning you might be.)
More “action” photos after the break…
