Cyclist Madeline Bemis took the individual national title for ‘Best Individual Overall’ at the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships on October 21. This is the third individual title that the Milligan Cycling team has brought home since 2015.
Bemis competed in four different events: cross country, short track, downhill and dual slalom. Her scores in each race were then averaged together to determine she would take first and therefore take home a national title.
She explained what kind of training went into making this win happen. “Long hours with the team and intense interval sessions were a big part of getting ready” she stated. “For these events I felt more committed than ever; a big thing was working on the mental aspect and trying to find my limit.”
Bemis has loved competing with Milligan’s cycling team. She was inspired to pursue cycling by her father who used to ride motorcross. After an accident, her mother sold the bike which led to her father purchasing a dirt bike and bringing it along on their family vacations.
Bemis cycled throughout high school and competed in two 24 hour races, one in New Zealand and one in Italy. “I never had a consistent coach before coming here [to Milligan], so I have definitely enjoyed that.”
To aspiring cyclists, she is honest about how her school and sport coincide. “It’s a challenge to balance, but it is worth it. Riding motivates me to do school, vice versa. It can be overwhelming, but in the end, I wouldn’t trade it for anything!”