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USA Cycling names academy club best in country

The weather was warm and sunny, but the Air Force Academy cadets who gathered in Arizona recently were not on vacation — unless you count riding between 80 and 115 miles a day as vacation.

“Instead of spending time with family and friends, they’re spending some time down here in pain and agony,” said Maj. Jim Weinstein, the officer in charge of the academy cycling club, which held a training camp near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base the week after Christmas.

That pain and agony was tempered somewhat by a piece of good news: USA Cycling had chosen them as their Collegiate Cycling Club of the Year.

“The team put together a great nomination package” but didn’t expect to win, Weinstein said. “It was a real surprise to me and the cadets.”

The award recognizes the cadets’ leadership activities and training programs as well as their 32 wins.

The team holds weekly meetings about nutrition and race tactics, brings in professional cyclists to speak, and runs a “Borrow a Bike” program to get new riders behind handlebars. Since more than 90 percent of members arrive at the academy with no racing experience, cadets have to mentor new riders to keep the team going, Weinstein said.

“Three years ago, there were only 12 members,” he said. The club now has 40.

The leadership lessons come on the road as well as off, Weinstein said.

“It teaches teamwork in an abstract way. With a cycling race, it’s very fluid. The leader changes ... the tactics have to change.”