Taylor Phinney
STATS:
Hometown: Boulder, CO
DOB: June 27, 1990
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 180 lbs.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2008
Elite World Cup Winner - Individual 4k Pursuit, January 2008 Los Angeles World Cup
Tied overall World Cup Overall Points - 2nd overall by decision - February 2008 for Individual Pursuit
Ranked top 5 Individual Pursuit rider in the World (uci.ch)
Stage 4 Time Trial at Pays Du Vaud - Junior Stage Race in Switzerland First Place
3000 meter Junior World Record holder - pending uci.ch May 2008
Junior World Champion - Individual Pursuit July 2008
Junior World Bronze Medalist - Individual Time Trial July 2008
2008 Olympic Team - 7th place Individual Pursuit
Elite National Champion - Individual Pursuit October 2008
Elite National Champion - Team Pursuit October 2008
Elite National Champion - Kilometer time trial October 2008
2007
Salida Criterium - Cat Pro 1/2 First Place
Winner, Tour de L’Abitibi - stage race Canada July 2007
Junior World Champion - Individual time trial August 2007
Elite National Champion - Individual 4k Pursuit October 2007
2nd overall, cat 2 Tour of the Gila
2006
11 Cat. 3 wins (2 for overall stage race wins)
Junior National Championships Time Trial (Jr. 15-16), 2nd
Junior Cyclo-Cross National Championships (Jr. Elite), 3rd
How did you get started in bicycle racing?
Both of my parents were very accomplished cyclists (Mom won a gold medal in the Olympics, Dad won a bronze) but I always played soccer until I was 15. The thought of being a bike racer never really crossed my mind until I quit soccer and decided to pursue cycling. My parents being who they are made it very easy for me to cross over and it’s all history from there!
Tell us about your first race.
My first race, I raced in a 7-11 jersey and won. It was a criterium in Colorado, and I raced in the Junior 15-16 division. After winning that, I raced the Junior 17-18 race which was about 20 minutes later and won that as well.
What is your favorite memory or experience on the bike?
My favorite memory riding the bike would be winning the Junior World Championships for the Time Trial in Aquascalientes, Mexico. I was definitely not a favorite and surprised everyone including myself. It is still to this day, the best day of my life.
What makes you most excited about riding for the Trek-LIVESTRONG team?
I am very excited to represent the LIVESTRONG name because of my friendship with Lance and my connection to not only cancer, but my connection to other diseases. Lance is definitely a big hero of mine, but also a good friend. I want to show him what I’ve got this upcoming year and at the same time be a part of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign. My Dad, as you may or may not know, has Parkinson’s disease, and I would like nothing more in the world then to cure him of this burden. I think being a part of the LIVESTRONG brand is very good publicity for me and for the Davis Phinney Foundation. His father, Damon Phinney, my grandfather, died from cancer so it hits pretty close to home for me to be fighting this particular disease while racing my bike.
Did I mention that Trek makes the best bikes in the world? Yeah, I’m pretty excited about that too!
What accomplishment or career achievement are you most proud of?
Being part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic team has to be my proudest achievement. Although I was very disappointed at how the race went, the effort it took for me just to get there will be something I will remember for the rest of my life. And the experience is definitely an experience of a lifetime. Although, I look back on the Olympics with somewhat of a frown, it is an experience I can use for the rest of my career as I go forward and progress in the sport of cycling.
