Shifting Gears
Thanks go out to University of Arizona film students Antonia Maher and Marin Stewart who produced a short documentary focusing on El Grupo’s female riders. Watch it here.
April 20, 2020: El Tour de Tucson
El Tour: ‘A Start of a Renewed Passion’ with New Route and Look
April 17, 2020: Star Local Media
Shifting Gears: How Tucson’s El Grupo is riding out the coronavirus pandemic
El Grupo Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
6 Awesome Bike Rides That Are All About Fun
Bicycling Magazine
Read the article about why Tucson makes the number 18 spot for Bike Friendly Cities
Bike Life Tucson
Read the article about Summer Bike Camp from the Spring 2015 Magazine
A Powerful Story
By Daniela Diamente
Daniel had no idea just how profoundly bicycles would change his life. How could he? He was only 11 years old.
The group home where Daniel was living (at that time) brought kids down to a local bike co-op to do community service hours. Daniel noticed that there was a build-a-bike class and asked how he could join. Without hesitation, the instructors made it possible for Daniel, with his warm smile and eager eyes, to take the 8-week course, and thereby changed the course of his life. But they didn’t know that at the time, either.
One whole year after taking the course, and not only holding tools for the first time but also learning how to use them, Daniel called the instructors.
“This is Danielson. Remember me? You said I had to be 12 years old to join the bike riding team, and I just turned 12.”
Read Daniel’s full story here.
El Grupo Alumni Take Skills Abroad
By Julia Liatti
My first and last (at least for a while) 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo events both began on Valentine’s Day. It’s a really romantic sentiment…if you’re into dirt and port-o-potties, but otherwise I’d chalk it up to coincidence.
The first time I went to this event in February 2009 I “raced” as a high school junior. I’d only actually ridden a mountain bike approximately three (3) times prior to that. And this February 2015, as a recent college grad, I had a large hand in organizing El Grupo’s camp since the team was split into two events that same weekend. And, after all, I had helped out at three other years’ events.
I’d say I was rather under prepared both of those times! And yet, they both have made me who I am and helped me get to where I am going – which is off to Indonesia for the Peace Corps in only a few days!
Getting to Tour de l’Abitbi
Six El Grupo cyclists were selected to represent the United States at the Tour de l’Abitibi in July, 2014. El Grupo had never had so many riders participate and qualify for the race.
“The selection camp they attended in Flagstaff with USA Cycling had fierce competition that flew in from across the country,” said El Grupo director Daniela Diamente. “It is unprecedented that this many young riders from the same town and the same team make this selection.”
The riders selected were: Daniel Son, Nick Harris, Keenan & Ben Duncan, Christian Santa Cruz, and Logan Boyd.
“Each of these young men have worked tremendously hard over the years, overcoming many obstacles in their lives, and have found a path through El Grupo and riding bikes,” said Diamente. “And they are fast!”
From the Durango Herald
June 19, 2014: Fourteen-year-old Isabel Hausrath, front, and Ben Schroeder, 15, warm up for Wednesday’s Zia Town Series race in and around Ska Brewing Co. Sponsored by Zia Taqueria, Ska Brewing Co. and Durango DEVO, the short-track and enduro races are intended as training races for local professionals and other competitors as well as recreational riders who want to improve their skills, says race organizer Grady James. Wednesday’s race was the fifth of the season. Isabel is the daughter of Andrew Hausrath and Megan McEvoy, and Ben is the grandson of Ida Blockett. They are visiting from Tucson, Ariz., with El Grupo, a youth cycling organization.
From the City of Tucson’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Newsletter
