Dan Rapp

1.    When did you start racing and why? 

I did some mountain bike races on and off just for fun since about 2002 but didn’t get (more) serious until I joined Headwind Cycling in the fall of 2012. I started road racing mainly as motivation to stay fit but I’ve really fell in love with pretty much everything about cycling. It’s not just about fitness but also strategy, technology, and teamwork. And the cycling community is amazing and diverse.

2.    What makes you love cycling so much?  

Whoops, see question #1.

3.    What different cycling disciplines do you participate?  Race or recreation?

Mountain and road. I’ve raced both this year. I’ll keep racing for sure but I have to admit I really love recreational riding. Everyone’s a winner on a hard ride when you have fun!

4.    What do you take in your jersey on long rides?

Just a few things in my jersey: Car key in my right pocket, cell phone in my middle pocket, and food in my left pocket. Food is Kind bars, usually one for every hour of riding. There’s lots of varieties and they’re ALL good. Really! Up until now I’ve taken shot blocks for instant energy. They work well and are easy to eat while riding but I seem to be losing my taste for them. I think I’ll switch to Honey Stingers (taste awesome but harder to eat on the go). Oh yeah, and sometimes I take a banana.

5.    What piece of your cycling gear(clothing, wheels, anything) is your favorite? 

I have to say I really, really love my bikes – both of them: Cannondale CAAD 10 for road and Trek EX9 for mountain. I obsessed quite a bit over choosing each one based on value and performance. I feel like they are the best possible bikes for me and my riding style and they look really cool, too!

6.    Which pro cyclist will you cheer for in the 2017 pro peloton?

Peter Sagan for sure. I love his riding style and his rebel attitude. And like many I will miss Jens Voigt. I really loved watching him ride. He was an inspiration to old(er) riders everywhere!

7.    Which pro cyclist do you think your style is most like?

HA! None of them?? I aspire to ride like Peter Sagan. I feel like I’m pretty good at climbing, but not a true climber, and I feel I do well in rides with some climbing that blows up the peloton but not so much that it blows me up!

8.    What do you eat after a long ride or race?

I like a diet Coke right after a hard ride or race. I know it’s not good for me but it settles my stomach and makes me feel better.

9.    What is your favorite race memory, what race was it and why do you remember it?

I think my best race was at the Smith Dairy race in 2013. I was feeling really strong and passed everyone up the 2nd big climb. There were only 3 of us with a decent lead on the rest of the peloton after we crested the hill. That was an awesome feeling!

10. What advice do you give to your team member or a new team member?

Support the team and the team will support you. I didn’t have a great season this year with lots of other things taking priority over racing and even riding. If the team wasn’t there I might have fell out of it altogether. But the team urged me back and I did some races even though I was totally unprepared for them. Nobody said anything about how badly I did and I felt they were just glad I came out.

11. What are your 2017 goals?

My goal is to stick to my training plan this year. I didn’t have one the first year besides just go on group rides. Last year I started with one but it (I) fell apart. This year I’m going to have a realistic plan and try really, really hard to hold myself to it. Anyone want to be my accountability buddy? J

12. When you aren’t pedaling your bike what do you like to do?

I have a job that I really love and I bring work home a lot – not because I have to but because I like to. I also help run my wife’s Spa business, mostly website admin, marketing, and finance. We’re starting to really grow now and that’s super exciting! And I occasionally binge watch Netflix and TED talks when nobody’s home.