A Sobering Reminder: The Reality of High-Performance Sport
In elite sport, you become accustomed to a certain level of uncertainty. Your performance is constantly measured, your position always earned. But nothing can truly prepare you for the day the entire structure you've built your dreams upon suddenly shifts beneath your feet.
On June 30th, that shift happened. It was announced that the USA Cycling men's sprint program was undergoing a massive change, pivoting its focus leading into the LA 2028 Olympics. For now, the program will no longer be concentrating on the Team Sprint, instead shifting resources to individual events. As a result, the men's sprint squad was drastically downsized.
Only two of us remain.
The news was devastating. In an instant, the team I had spent the last year training with, traveling with, and fighting alongside was dismantled. These weren't just my teammates; they were my friends. We had pushed each other through grueling workouts, celebrated victories, and supported each other through setbacks. To see them exited from the program so abruptly was a profound and painful loss.
Former teammates in Team Sprint at a Time Trial Event in December
The training environment I had come to rely on, the camaraderie and the shared sense of purpose, has been completely altered. Beyond the personal hurt, the decision served as a brutal reminder of how cutthroat high-performance sport is. There is no room for complacency. You can never get comfortable with where you're at, because the landscape can change in a heartbeat, for reasons entirely outside of your control.
It's a tough pill to swallow. It hurts to see my friends' journeys take an unexpected and difficult turn. It’s unsettling to adapt to a new and very different team dynamic.
But as the dust settles, one thing becomes clear: this is a catalyst. This painful change has stripped everything down to the essentials. It has instilled a new, sharper sense of urgency and focus. It is the harshest possible reminder that every single day, every single session, is an opportunity that cannot be wasted.
My heart goes out to my former teammates, and I will carry the lessons we learned together with me. For those of us still on the path to 2028, the mission has not changed, but the reality of it has become starkly clear. There is no safety net. There is only the work, the performance, and the relentless drive forward.
Focusing on Aero Positioning
