PHASE II - ENVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
RACING IS HARD. GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO RACE IN SOME OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS IS EVEN HARDER. IN 2024, WE MADE THESE THINGS EASIER FOR TWO YOUNG ATHLETES.
Phase II provided two young athletes the opportunity to compete in three of the Life Time Grand Prix events with pro-level equipment, mechanical support, and mentorship. The mission was to create a successful and sustainable pathway from high school leagues to a potential professional cycling career. There is a large gap between high school racing and the biggest races in the U.S., making it very tough to jump into the Life Time Grand Prix as an 18 year old, Phase II provided the stepping stone needed for a young athlete dreaming of a career as a bike racer.
This opportunity fell into the hands of riders Neruda Diaz and Julia Garris. Both fresh to the world of gravel racing, they had the chance to train, race, and travel like the pros.
After an application process where over a hundred young racers submitted their credentials, we narrowed it down to one male and one female cyclist. Julia Garris and Neruda Diaz were chosen after analyzing training data and one-on-one interviews. Both fresh to the world of gravel racing, they had the chance to train, race, and travel like the pros. With the mentorship of Alexey Vermeulen and the equipment support of ENVE among numerous other resources from coaching to nutrition to apparel, they were set up with everything needed to be at their best.
The athlete's first stop was at our headquarters in Ogden, Utah, where they met each other and everyone else involved in the project before embarking on a three-day gravel camp. The next few days were followed by a full professional bike fit, lactate testing, and plenty of miles to get used to their new ENVE MOGs before they were sent off to start their individual training programs.
Flash forward to June, where Julia and Neruda face their first major race of the season, the Unbound 100. This weekend was their first taste of the race season and opened their eyes to the caliber of what is required to be a professional cyclist.
The week started, with the athletes unboxing their Phase II Pearl Izumi team kit, followed by a pre-ride of the course. Over the next few days, the athletes had the chance to meet with their sponsors and become affiliated with one another before race day.
The next race on the calendar was Crusher In The Tushar, one of the shortest races on the Life Time Grand Prix circuit but far from the easiest. Due to wildfires in Utah, the race was canceled and an alternative was needed. Enter, Ned Gravel, a Boulder, Colorado gravel race around the mountains that Alexey has been training on for years.
This 50 mile, 6,000' elevation gain race was a perfect opportunity for Julia and Neruda to race at their own pace and gain some much anticipated experience.
Julia and Neruda finish their season in Bentonville, Arkansas, for the Big Sugar Classic. Here at Big Sugar, the year of learning and growing comes to a close as the athletes are pushed to their limit to see what they are made of.
With Julia and Neruda graduating out of Phase II and moving on to new teams for 2025 where they’ll continue their growth and success, we will be introducing two new athletes as part of the ENVE development program. Stay tuned.
