Video: From The Ground Up Project's Latest Episode And We Check In With Pro Cyclist Alexey Vermeulen
- kelly jorgensen
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Check Out The latest Episode of From The Ground Up | S5 Ep. 5 | Ten Thousand Two Hundred And We Check In With Cycling Pro Alexey Vermeulen.
Now in it's 5th season, Sweet Protection has partnered with From The Ground Up project, providing helmets and eyewear to the team. Sweet Protection and team athlete, Alexey Vermeulen have come to realize how important the power of community is when taking on monumental challenges. Watch the latest episode, Ten Thousand Two Hundred. Good luck not crying through the whole thing. After watching the video scroll down for to check out answers to some questions we had for Alexey.
"We started this project because we believed the pathways of entry to the sport were changing after the pandemic. Our goal was to find a way to breakdown barriers through relatability as more people entered the sport for new reasons." - Alexey Vermeulen
Interview: Checking In With Alexey Vermeulen
Haven - For those that aren't familiar with Alexey Vermeulen, could you tell us a bit about who you are and a bit about your cycling career?
Alexey -
Haven - When you aren't racing bikes and you're just going for a ride, what bike are you most likely to take out? (mountain, road, gravel, etc.)
Alexey -
Haven - Was it a mistake telling Keegan Swenson about fueling with french toast sticks?
Alexey - Probably, time will tell!
Haven - Willie sems to really love bike rides. Who likes riding more, you or Willie?
Alexey - Willie, undoubtedly!
Haven - Unbound or Leadville?
Alexey - Leadville. 200 miles is BONKERS.
Haven - How did Leadville go for you this year?
Alexey -
Haven - Drop bars or flat for Leadville? And do you think you will be making any changes to your bike next year?
Alexey - Flat bars for me! Leadville is not super technical, but the downhills are where I lose time.
Haven - What can you tell us about From The Ground Up and what is your involvement?
Alexey - From the Ground Up started in 2021, out of the pandemic, as people started finding the sport of biking through new pathways. I am a co-founder.
Haven - How does the selection process work and how many people are picked to participate?
Alexey -
Haven - What would you say is the hardest part of preparing the participants of From The Ground Up for a race like the Leadville 100? And how does that differ in a beginner racer vs a pro?
Alexey - The hardest part of preparing FTGU riders for Leadville is helping support from afar. What is missed in the TV series is that there is a lot of alone time, a lot of training by yourself, and plenty of time to get in your head. We do our best to provide everything a rider could need to be successful, but at the end of the day, it is still a personal journey. For a pro and also an amateur (but at a lesser level), I think the hardest part is preparing to suffer. Racing above 10,200 ft is unique, and knowing your body is vitally important to a successful day.
Haven - One of your sponsors, Sweet Protection, has been supporting From The Ground Up. What has their involvement looked like?
Alexey -
Haven - Any last thoughts?
Alexey - FTGU exists for a lot of reasons, but one of my favorites is that, as adults, most of us stop dreaming and stop pushing ourselves. I have been lucky to focus on bike racing my whole life, and that has forced me to constantly set goals, whether on or off the bike. I fail a lot, but learn more in the process. I never went to college, and at this point, I say that I have been educated by sport, you learn something in those moments alone, or when you have to take a risk - you find YOU. FTGU forces riders to set priorities and be a bit scared about what they signed up for, but the overwhelming realization at the end is pure accomplishment. We never know what we are made of until we truly put ourselves outside our comfort zone.
“FTGU has given me a new viewpoint from which I enjoy racing. I get to be competitive on race day, but also build community in my sport and have a positive impact way beyond my results.” - Alexey Vermeulen
This Years FTGU Team.
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