Anthony is a first year pro in 2011 with aspirations of qualifying for the World Cup. Specializes in XC, STXC, Super D, Cyclocross , and Stage Racing.

When people first meet me, they always say, “Oh, you must have been riding since you were three years old.” Surprisingly, that’s not the case. See my Dad’s idea of a bike ride is to go out all day and ride a minimum of 85 miles with at least 8,500 feet of climbing. As a kid (a rather chubby one), these rides were absolute hell. I grudgingly did them a 3-4 times a year, usually in exchange for a new pair of shoes or permission to take the car. I dreaded riding more than geometry and never thought I would fall in love with the sport.

I played inline hockey from the age of 12 and that was always my passion. In my early 20’s, I began competing at the Elite level. I even moved to Asia to play for the Hong Kong National team and later for a team based in Tokyo, Japan. I was playing 6 times a week and was extremely fit.

Playing inline hockey in Asia was a great experience, but didn’t pay the bills. So I decided to move back to California and get a degree in International Business. Shortly after my return home, my Dad asked me to join the “Big Easy”. Which is roughly a 85 mile ride that criss crosses the steepest parts of the Santa Cruz mountains. Big –YES , Easy-No! Although the ride lived up to its reputation, I found it to be enjoyable. I then realized cycling would be great cross training for hockey, and started riding several times a week.

The Sea Otter in the spring of 2006 marked a dramatic change for me. My dad coaxed me into entering the Sport XC race. He said, “Hey I am 55 years old and racing, you can’t let me show you up.” I reluctantly entered the race and was nervous as hell in the days leading up. At the start line my nerves were at an all time high and I felt like bats, not butterflies were in my stomach. After what seemed like days, the gun finally went off. When I reached the top of the hill, I looked back and no one was within 300 meters of me. I was stunned, because I thought I was going to get dead last. After 18 miles, I managed to get the last podium spot in that race (6th/ 75). I was pretty stoked and became a rider at the age of 24.

Flash forward to 2011, my life now revolves around cycling. All my friends are cyclists and those who weren’t originally have been recruited. The first site I check when I wake up is cyclingnews and I actually shave my legs. My vacations are either to epic ride locations or to races. I have ridden around the entire island country of Taiwan (4days) w/ my friend Corey Bray, ridden entire stages of the Giro di Italia, Vuelta de Espana, & Tour of California, and somehow survived the Specialized Vegas ride. I have raced in Germany, Italy, Canada, Costa Rica, South Africa, Japan, China, and Taiwan. I now compete in Cross Country, Short Track, Super D , Four cross , Dual Slalom, Dowhnhill, Stage Racing, Cyclocross, Road Racing, Time Trial, 6/12 hour racing, Leadville, Triathlon, XTERRA, and Duathlon.

This year, I started racing XC professionally and will race CX professionally in the fall. My goal is to qualify for the world cup next year. I have a lot of training and hard work ahead of me, but hey anything is possible. I am very fortunate to have the support of the best brand in the world. Call me biased, but I think most people would agree.