The NYAC has a proud tradition of cycling champions dating back to the late 1800s and our most famous competitor, Arthur Augustus Zimmerman, who is considered America's first superstar athlete. Members include Deirdre Murphy, a masters' world champion and competitor in the 2000 Olympic Games, and John Eustice, a US professional champion.

For more information, please contact John Della Ratta, Chairman, at nyacbike@aol.com.      

Elite Cycling Team
2010 Report


The New  York Athletic Club Elite Cycling Team has its first season in 2010, and  performed way beyond expectations. The team, comprised of former elite rowers including world and national champions, Olympic team members and medalists, showed strength and aggression throughout the season. More importantly, they took time to learn the subtle -  yet crucial - rules of racing and preparation for  competition

The New  York Athletic Club Elite Cycling Team has its first season in 2010, and  performed way beyond expectations. The team, comprised of former elite rowers including world and national champions, Olympic team members and medalists, showed strength and aggression throughout the season. More importantly, they took time to learn the subtle -  yet crucial - rules of racing and preparation for  competition.

The Elite Cycling Team represents the New York Athletic Club in a consistent and excellent manner. Their early morning Central Park training sessions now set  the discipline and skill standards for the other racers in the park - they ride like pros. Cycling is a devilishly difficult sport to learn and it takes years of experience to merely begin to understand the workings of the  "peloton." It is is less of  a pure endurance sport and more of a high-speed aerobic game, with plays, counter plays, offensive and defensive moves. The strongest man in the race can finish in last place if he doesn't race well, for example. So the biggest  learning curve for our former rowers is to learn the crucial cycling art of  carefully dosing out physical efforts in an efficient and effective, race-winning manner. What they lacked in experience, the NYAC Elite Cyclists made up for in power, courage and racing spirit. They were consistently the "ones to beat" in almost every race they rode, and the wins, leaders jerseys and podium placings have already begun to add up.

We are already building the team for the 2011 season which promises even better results  with a year of experience behind us. The following report will give an overview of both the racing results and community service of the 2010 NYAC Elite Cycling Team. 

The 2010 Harlem Cycling Classic  was also the Official New York  City Representative for the world wide Olympic Day Celebration      NYAC Elite  Cycling Team members Matthew Hughes and James Koven, both former Olympians,  represented the NYAC at the celebration. Additionally, the racing team organized  the children's races that have traditionally opened the day of pro/am  racing.

2010  RANKINGS Season Highlights include:
1. Focus on  rider development: all USCF Category 5 riders now eligible for Category 4 upgrades; some Category 4 riders now  approaching upgrades to Category 3
2. Category 5  wins for new riders: Bobby Kennedy  provided the first win of the season in the CRCA C Field, taking the sprint  after a lead-out from Al Gordon; Eric Linenberg was also victorious at Floyd  Bennet Field
3. Podium  positions in CRCA Club Championships: Second Place from Michael Parkes in the C Field at  the CRCA Club Championship Road Race, and third place for Andrew Dunn in the B  Field; Andrew also placed third in the Club Individual Time Trial  Championship
4. Stage Race  successes for Cat 4 riders: One win  and one fourth place in General Classifications at out of town stage races: Matt  Hughes won Category 4 at the Tour of Syracuse, including the King of the  Mountains contest, while Andrew Dunn was tied on time for third place in  Category 4 at the Tour of the Catskills, winning one stage and placing third in  the King of the Mountains
5. Top ten  finishes in high-caliber Cat 3 racing: Tony Loden placed 5th overall in  Category 3 at Superweek in the Midwest, having raced 16 of 17 consecutive days; Tony also placed 6th in the NJ State Road Race Championships; Paul Daniels  placed second in Category 3 on the final stage of the Tour of Millersberg Selected NYAC Elite Cycling Team  photographs: Andrew Dunn in the leader's Yellow  Jersey at the Tour of the Catskills Colin Farmer leading from the front  at the Tour of Syracuse Matt Hughes on his way to victory at  the Tour of Syracuse