TAMPA (FOX 13) -
Meet the best riders the U.S. Military has to offer. Together they're 80
active service men and women.
"We go out and do some pace lining, some professional race
tactics," said Sean Colman, coach and rider.
"We take them around the country every year," said Bill Jacobus,
cycling manager for the U.S. Military. "We'll take them to some of the big
races in the country; really let them go as far as their potential will take
them."
While serving our country, these men compete against professional cycling
teams from around the world. Just last year Dan Cassidy, who's currently on the
front lines in Afghanistan, finished second at the International Cycling
Classic.
"These riders dedicate their time after work on the weekends,"
Colman said. "They joggle deployments. They joggle regular work schedules
around cycling."
Ranjodh Gill was a surgical nurse for the Army. Now, he works for the
government developing training material to treat military members coming home
with brain injuries.
"We are not categorized as pro because we don't get paid for
cycling," Gill said. "We do it out of passion. We still have full-time
jobs and a day job."
The team is in the Bay area getting ready for the start of the cycling
season. This week they're riding more than 400 miles.
"This program has helped me to tap into a potential that I would never
otherwise get it," Gill said.
