Our Rad Racing NW October 2011 Rider Spotlight is on Steve Fisher
Steve is one of those racers who lets his legs do the talking. He’s always in the mix, always a factor in the race and never gives anything but 110%. Now that he’s in the U-23 ranks, Steve is a mentor to his younger teammates and an excellent example of how to be a winner with class.
How did you get started with Rad Racing?
I started racing bikes when I was thirteen years old, first cyclocross and then road racing. As I matured and started to take racing a bit more seriously I favored cyclocross and Rad Racing was an excellent program to help me reach the next level in my racing. I joined the team when I was fifteen to begin reaching for the next level as a cyclocross racer along with several other good friends my age.
Tell us your best cycling story with you as the star.
The 2007-2008 cyclocross season was my last one as a junior and I’d been traveling to all of the USGP series races that season. I’d come tantalizingly close to winning some of them, was sitting second overall in the series, but a victory had escaped me. USGP #5 of the 6 race series was one of those incredibly nasty days that makes racing in Portland what it is. I had a perfect day on the bike, simple as that. I had a good start, I was handling my bike well in the mud and I had good fitness. Within the first two laps of the race I was alone in the lead and I cruised all the way to the win. You don’t get many perfect days in cycling, but the ones you do get will be remembered forever.
Why are you into cycling?
My parents rode bikes recreationally while I was growing up so I got into riding with them. I did the STP (Seattle to Portland) ride when I was thirteen on a mountain bike. I’m not exactly sure how that led me to believe that I wanted to try racing bikes, but that was the result. So a few months later I was on the start line of my first cross race with that same mountain bike. I’m almost certain that I got last, but I was hooked.
What are your goals this season and overall in cycling?
My only goals for this cyclocross season are to have fun, hang out with my Rad Racing family, and stay fit. I’m slowly transitioning my focus towards road racing and thus my biggest goals in cycling for the next few years lie there. I would like to secure a contract with a professional road team within the next two years.
