Robbie Farrens

Stockton National Road Racing Champion

Stockton's Robbie Farrens is only 14 years old, but he already represents the U.S. on a national level: This past June he took first place in USA Cycling's National Championship for Road Racing. Farren's 13 to 14 year-old age division included roughly eighty kids competing from all over the country, some of which were equipped with personal coaches, trainers, and sponsors. Farrens, however, was simply taken under the wing of his fellow local cycling enthusiasts, fueled by passion and dedication, which helped him clinch his first championship title.

Farrens says his interest in cycling began when he was only 8 years old, but he didn't begin to train seriously until he was 10 years old. "It's a sport I like to do. It keeps me in shape and I love meeting new people," he says. "I don't plan on cycling as a career, but I want to do it for the rest of my life." In order to train for the championship race, Farrens biked with local adults from the Delta Velo, Michael-David, and DJ's Excavation cycling teams, intensifying his training once school ended. "I look up to the cyclists on those teams because they really helped me out when I first started," he says.

On a normal day of training, Farrens cycles thirty to forty-five miles on hilly terrain, though on some days, that mileage is doubled. All the hard work paid off when he crossed the finish line and earned his first championship title. "I practically went into shock," he says. "It was amazing. I never imagined I would do that." Bicycle Café in Lodi presented Farrens with a custom-painted Guru bike as a symbol of their local support, and to reward his hard work.

Farrens says he doesn't know when his next major race will take place, though he plans to compete again in the future. For now, the Stockton local has begun attending boarding school in Pebble Beach. Each morning he wakes up at 5:30 a.m. for an invigorating twenty-mile ride, and returns in time for breakfast and classes. Farrens says though he isn't currently training for a specific event, he continues to cycle for fun and to stay in shape. On whether kids should consider getting into cycling, Farrens says go for it. "It's a sport that no one judges you on by how well or how bad you do, we're just having fun with it. It's not all competition."

For more information: Lodi Bicycle Café, 605 W. Kettleman Ln. Lodi, (209) 224-8708 www.lodibicyclecafe.com or www.usacycling.com