Cris first began racing as a distance runner in high school. He placed 5th at the Arizona state championship 1500 meter, running a 3:56. He won many local cross-country races and track events in the mile and two mile events. He went on to run competitively in college and his personal best on the track in the 5000 meter was 14:56. However, at college he was hit by a car on his way to work on his scooter, fracturing his knee. As rehabilitation, he began bike riding, first on a stationary bike then borrowing a friend’s bike and riding on the road. Once he bought his first bike, he was hooked. The speed and freedom on the bike was way more fun than what he experienced running and with his endurance background, he excelled.

During his first season he moved up the ranks rather quickly and was a category 2 racer by the end of the year. That same season, he narrowly missed winning the Lotoja 200 mile classic by a tire width. The following winter he was invited to attend the national training camps at our national cycling facility in Colorado Springs. Impressing the coaches enough, Cris was to be one of the 8 riders out of 45 to be asked to stay at the facility for the rest of the winter. As a result of the incredible training he received over the winter, he was asked to race for a team in Boulder, Colorado. That year Cris had many good results, including a 7th place overall at the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico.

At the end of that season, Cris had an opportunity to go to the north of France and race on an amateur team for the next two seasons. He won two French races and had many top 10 finishes and raced for the USA National team for a race in Holland. He appeared in the La Voix des Sport (the regional “voice of sport” French newspaper) so many times that people would recognize him as the “American from Audrique”, the name he was known by in the news papers.

After racing two seasons in Europe, Cris returned to the US and Boulder, Co. and was married to his wife Terri. He was selected to ride on the first Colorado Cyclist team. That year his son Max was born and two more years later, his daughter Michelle. Racing was put on the back burner as family and career began to take shape.

Now that the kids are older and career stable, Cris has returned to racing. Last year Cris had some good results. He placed 14th in the Pro 1-2 State Championships and won the Masters State Road Championship. He also won the Masters Tour of Park city road race and placed 3rd at the “1000 Warriors” Masters’ event.

As this season gets underway, Cris has already placed 6th at the Sea Otter Classic Masters road race, facing off against the current Masters National Champion. Cris placed 2nd at the East Canyon Masters road race in Utah, narrowly missing the win by a tire width yet again! He also placed 4th in the Masters Antelope Island road race in 35 degree rain/snow mix weather and afterwards need medical attention as his core body temperature dipped to the low 90’s!

His goals this season are to win more races, to have fun racing with teammates, and to get maximum exposure for all our great sponsors.