STATS:

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Height: 6′ 1” (1.84m)
Weight: 163 lbs (73kg)
Nickname: Baumann.  No one calls me by my first name for some reason.
Current Residence: Tucson, Arizona
Education: Senior in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
Previous Teams: Brazen Dropouts Club 2006, ABD Cycling 2007, Sakonnet Technology U25 2008

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

2008

1st - Belize Cross Country Classic Road Race 2008
3rd - Stage 2, Tour of Pennsylvania 2008
5th - USA Cycling U23 National Road Race 2008
6th - Prologue, Tour of Pennsylvania 2008

2007

1st - U23 General Classification Tour of Virginia 2007

ABOUT RYAN…

How did you get started in bicycle racing?
When I was 16 years old, my dad encouraged me to race with him in an off-road Xterra-style triathlon in northern Wisconsin. Our family had always been into riding bikes together-we even took a family mountain bike trip to Montana when I was 13 years old. But this off-road triathlon was the first actual race involving bikes that I entered. After completing the triathlon at the end of summer with my dad, we began entering mountain bike races in the state-wide Wisconsin Off-road Race Series (WORS). It was not until I went to college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall of 2005 that I began riding and racing on the road bike. The road racing scene in Madison is huge, especially compared to the small town mountain bike community I was used to at home in Green Bay. I convinced myself in the spring of 2006 that I was just going to use the collegiate road racing season to get in shape for mountain bike racing that summer. It never happened - I had success on the road bike and have continued racing on the road ever since.

Tell us about your first race.
My first mountain bike race was the WORS Iola Bump and Jump Classic when I was 16 years old. I remember that I had just bought a new mountain bike from the bike shop I worked at the day before the race - and I set it up. Obviously I wasn’t too great of a mechanic at that point, so I had bike problems the entire race. Despite being frustrated with my bike, I had more important things to worry about, like crashing. I always tried to go a bit faster than my bike handling skills would allow on the mountain bike … so yes, I frequented the dirt quite a bit during my first mountain bike race. By some stroke of luck I ended up in 3rd place in my age group and got to stand on the podium. That experience has had me coming back for more ever since!

What is your favorite memory or experience on the bike?
I have a lot of great memories on the bike, but the one that stands out in my mind the most is the Belize Cross Country Classic race I won in March of 2008. The race is a 250 kilometer out and back trek across the country of Belize, complete with screaming fans along the entire race route - it’s quite an amazing experience compared to the races we are used to at home in the USA. I remember coming into Belize City solo for the win at the end of a long, hot, 6 hour race and the support the Belize fans gave to me. It was surreal.

What makes you most excited about riding for the Trek-LIVESTRONG team?
I am very honored and excited to ride for the Trek-LIVESTRONG team for many reasons: Trek bikes are my favorite and are made right near my home in Madison, Wisconsin; the team is my first job as a professional and I want to succeed at this level of cycling; and of course the LIVESTRONG Foundation is the premiere cancer research and support charity in the USA. My family has been affected by cancer in many ways, so it means a lot to me that the team is playing a big part in raising awareness of the disease. Riding for a team that represents such great companies and charities is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

What accomplishment or career achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of winning the U23 general classification at the Tour of Virginia in 2007 because I did not expect anything from that race. I had just begun racing the road bike in 2006, and the Tour of Virginia was not only my first stage race, but also my first NRC race. Taking home an overall jersey for a race of that caliber was well beyond my expectations, but it helped me realize what is possible if I continue to work hard at racing.