10 Questions With... Nate Wilson

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Nate Wilson has come a long way since his first MABRA races with the NCVC Juniors team.  Now in his first year at UC Boulder, Nate rides for the Kelly/LSV Amateur team and the UC Boulder Cycling team.  Following his NRC debut at last summer's Cascades Cycling Classic, he placed second in the 2009 USA Cycling Juniors (17-18) Road Race.  Fresh off an outstanding effort guest riding for Bike-Reg.com/Cannondale at the Redlands Cycling Classic, Nate steps into the hot seat for 10 Questions.  

10 Questions With... Nate Wilson

(GamJams) How did you get started in cycling?

(Nate Wilson) I got started in cycling through a friend, Burke Nash, on the track team in 6th grade.  He raced on NCVC and told me about cycling as a sport.  I was interested.  His dad ran the juniors program at NCVC and they did a lot to get me set up, getting me a bike and hooking me up with the team.  I ended up really liking it in my first year racing and just started racing more and more.


(GJ) How and when did you know that cycling was going to be your thing?

(NW) In 2005, I was 14 and went to the Junior National Championships in Park City, Utah.  I got destroyed.  I was heartbroken and decided if I wanted to continue this sport without serious depression I had better start training.  That fall I started working with Sue Hefler, and have been getting coached by her since.  When I started working with Sue is when I realized that I wanted to go as far as I could in this sport.  She seemed to have confidence that I could accomplish something in the sport and that gave me confidence.  Also, the support from my family is always giving me confidence to keep trying for the highest level in this sport.


(GJ) What have you found to be the toughest and easiest things about racing in the NRC events you’ve done so far?

(NW) The toughest thing is everything, simply put.  In the NRC races the talent level is just so deep, in that almost everyone lining up is very good.  The races are just really hard, you’re battling with 150+ other guys who all want to be at the front when you want to be in the front.  Also...they’re just fast, not much more to it.  The strength is just a whole other level from racing on the local level, you have to really suffer some days or plan on losing 20 minutes.  The easiest thing, well nothing comes to mind really as being easy.  The one thing that can be advantageous is that sometimes the local races can be hard because of small fields, but with such a big bunch it’s very easy to hide.  However, if it goes single file and your in the back, that’s 150 guys back not 30 or 40.


(GJ) It takes more than good results to break into top level races and teams.  Describe your approach to the off the bike portion of the game.

(NW) Well, I don’t really feel like I have a good answer to this question, as I feel like this is an area I struggle with.  The simple answer is the biggest thing to getting on the big teams is networking off the bike, trying to talk to the directors at the races or through e-mail.  It is difficult to get in touch sometimes with the directors, because come October they’re receiving tons of e-mails and resumes every day.  Otherwise I try and keep a positive mental outlook on how everything is going and try not to beat myself up over the little things.  Those that know me, know I’m not always very good at this, but I’m getting better.


(GJ) Who were the racers you admired as you were growing up in the sport, and what riders interest you now?

(NW) For me I’ve never really looked up to the Pro Tour guys.  I’m in awe of them, but for me the guys I’ve always looked up to have always been those that I think are on a level attainable for myself.  So for the past four or five years coming up through the ranks, the guys I’ve really looked up to have been the top local guys.  Guys that I always felt I could achieve their level, but were still above me.  The guys that have really stood out for me, are guys like Blair Berbert, Russ Langley, and Ryan McKinney.  Now that, I’ve stepped up my own level in the past couple years the guys I’m looking up to now are just that next tier of riders.  Right now I’m keeping a watchful eye and trying to learn from guys like Matt Cooke, Phil Zajicek, Chad Beyer and Chris Baldwin. 


(GJ) What are your strengths and weaknesses in racing?

(NW) I’ve worked and am working to limit my weaknesses as much as possible.  The obvious weakness for me is sprinting, I’ve had some good results sprinting out of a break, but at the end of the day I don’t think I’ve ever finished top 10 in a field sprint.  As far as my strengths I would say all around.  I’ve had some good rides on climbing type races, and on most days tend to go uphill reasonably well.  Also, I really love the technical crits where a break has a good chance of going.  I think I’m a fairly good crit rider, which is something I pride myself on as it seems like a lot of climbing type guys struggle sometimes with crits.  Right now I’m trying to focus on being a GC type rider I guess, the one big limiter there I think is time trialing.  I had some good rides in TT’s in the juniors, but never great.  I’m working to improve it, but I right now I feel like my biggest limiter will always be time trialing.


(GJ) Sometimes the mental game is the hardest part.  Any particular things you do to get your head ready for racing?

(NW) For me the biggest thing is not thinking about the race too much, and just tell myself I’m going to crush it.  I really like to go into a race knowing I have the ability to race aggressively. If I go into a race thinking I have to race with a defensive style, the race is lost for me before it even starts.  Also, a lot of times I like to watch a movie before a race that usually gets me pumped up.  I used to watch the movie PRO about the 2004 US Pro race a lot before races.  Now I really like watching underdog story movies.  I guess because that is how I feel going into the big races, but watching these movies helps me.  Lately I’ve been watching Tin Cup a lot, with Kevin Costner.  It’s a golf movie, but it’s an awesome underdog story and gets me pretty amped.  I would recommend it to anyone that wants to go fast.


(GJ) You’ve had your first collegiate racing experiences this year.  What’s collegiate racing all about?

(NW) Fun!  It’s pretty laid back, no one really takes it too seriously.  For me it’s been nice to get some races in the legs in the beginning of the season, since there is no Tradezone out in Boulder to do.  But most of all it’s just fun, hanging out with other kids from the school, having a good time, and getting in some good race efforts.


(GJ) If you could choose any race in the world to win, which one would it be?

(NW) I guess if I could win any race it would be the World Championships, I think just to say you were World Champion is an incredible thing.  Right now though, all I really want is to win u23 National Championships, that is the current focus...then I’ll worry about worlds.


(GJ) “In 12 months I’d like to...”

(NW) Have a pro contract or be racing in Europe with the u23 national team.

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David Kirkpatrick is a Features Editor with GamJams. He is enjoying growing fame through his blog Flamenco Chuckwagon, and as promoter of the lauded Lost River Classic.

Comments

[Susan Hefler]

Does this mean we are going to be watching Tin Cup 50 times in Gila??? Man just when I was ready for PRO again...You know I will always be proud of being your coach. It has been an outstanding journey for me, and I am sure there is much more to come. Keep up the great work and never forget where you started.