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Ben Van Couvering

Photo by Ed White.

I'm on the right, teammate Kyle Hagerman is on the left. Photo by Cassie Jones.

Name: Ben Van Couvering

Age: 27

Location: Chicago

Disciplines/ Current Categories: Road 4, Track 4, Cross 3

Goals for the upcoming season: Upgrade to cat 3 on the track, and then win an event in the 3s. Win a cat 4 road race, and podium in some more. Some top 10s in the 3s in cross. Have a lot of fun racing all year long, and don't get burned out.

Why did you start racing? Because everyone else was doing it.

Why do you keep racing? Because I like what it's done for my life and my health; because it's a really difficult and rewarding project; for the countless little and big thrills it's given me over the years; because of the great friends I've made.

First Race Story: My first race was a Tour da Chicago stage in 2006. It was a mass start time trial on the knife (starting in the loop, head north Elston, and then back south on Milwaukee). The second the race started a group of 20 took off really fast and took me totally by surprise. That was the first of what would become many cold windy solo no-mans-land races.

1st Bicycle: A Huffy BMX with a coaster brake. I had a bike with a car-style gear shifter, but I have no recollection of the bike..

Current bikes: Van Dessel Hellafaster (road race), Surly Cross Check (road training), Fuji Track Pro (track race), Scattante XRL (cross), Kona Unit 2-9 (MTB), Surly Steamroller (fixed gear cruiser/occasional SS CX bike)

Favorite Bicycle story: Stopping for fried shrimp at Calumet Fisheries on the way to Pierogi fest in Whiting, IN.

Bicycle superstitions: None. I believe in Science.

Dumbest thing you've done on a bike: I tried for a preme with 3 to go, and didn't even win it.

Special Talents? I can do the cloverleaf with my tongue.

Strengths: Teamwork

Weaknesses: Post-race cheeseburgers

Final words of wisdom? Have fun, eat right, ride hard, get lots of rest.