COLIN CARES
Birthdate: August 3, 1987
Hometown: Boulder, CO
Education: Colorado College

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
*Member of 2006 U.S. World Championships team--Rotorua, New Zealand
*3rd place 2006 U.S. National Championships U23 XC--Sonoma, CA
*15th Place 2006 Norba National XC; Mount Snow, VT
*19th Place 2006 Norba National XC--Brian Head, UT
*First Place 2006 D2 Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals--Angel Fire, NM
*Member of 2005 U.S. World Championships team--Livigno, Italy
*1st place 2005 Norba National Junior XC--Phoenix, AZ
*1st place 2005 Norba National Junior XC--Park City, UT
*1st place 2005 Norba National Junior XC--Snowmass, CO
*1st place 2005 Norba National Junior XC--Brian Head, UT
*1st place 2005 U.S. National Junior ST--Mammoth, CA California
 
Off the bike, the ambitious Colin Cares hopes to see the world as a tourist, live in a foreign country, become fluent in a foreign language, and go to graduate school. 
FAVORITE PASTIMES: Colin likes to get outside and go fly fishing, hiking, and alpine and nordic skiing when not out on the trails. He also enjoys peanut butter, coffee, dark chocolate, cheese, good non-fiction books, most any music, and golden retrievers. 
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Cares began mountain biking with his alpine ski team in seventh grade only as a supplement to skiing. He soon decided to make the switch and ski in effort to become a better mountain biker. By his junior year of high school Colin was cycling full time. 
DID YOU KNOW: Colin's favorite race is the Winter Park Series as that is where he began racing. Overall he enjoys singletrack courses with long climbs, similar to Boulder, his home. 
GOALS: Cares' short term goals include finishing in the top 10 in a national pro race and qualifying for the World Championships. In the longer term, he'd like to race mountain bikes for as long as it is satisfying and also dreams of going to the Olympics. 

TAD ELLIOTT
Birthdate: July 2, 1988
Hometown: Durango, CO

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
*1st Place 2006 Norba National Junior XC--Brian Head, UT
*1st Place 2006 Norba National Junior ST--Brian Head, UT
*1st Place 2006 Norba National Junior ST--Snowmass, CO
*1st Place 2006 Norba National Junior XC--Snowmass, CO
*3rd Place 2006 U.S. National Junior XC--Sonoma, CA
*5th Place 2006 U.S. National Junior ST--Sonoma, CA
 
Tad Elliott is only the sixth member to be named to the USA Cycling National Development Mountain Biking Team. An accomplished Junior competitor, he looks to follow in the successful footsteps of other former development team riders. 
FAVORITE PASTIMES: Elliott lists his hobbies as adventure running, reading Rick Reilly, and driving his sweat Dust Buster Minivan.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: At age fourteen Tad began biking with a friend for fun and upon his friend's suggestion Tad quickly entered his first race. That's all it took as Tad has been riding ever since. 
DID YOU KNOW: Elliott has a twin brother that races downhill. Tad is also a world class nordic skier with aspirations of making the junior world championship team in that sport as well. 
GOALS: Recently graduating from the Junior ranks, Tad is aiming to get comfortable racing in the pro field and to make it to the U23 World Championships. Eventually he hopes to move up through the pro field and win some races as his career progresses. 

SAM JUREKOVIC
Birthdate: February 16, 1986
Hometown: Jackson Hole, WY
Education: University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
*3rd place 2007 Pan American Championships
*2nd place 2006 U.S. National Championships XC--Sonoma, CA
*7th place 2006 Norba Nationals--Snowmass, CO
*11th place 2006 Norba Nationals--Sugar Mtn., NC
*2004, 2005 and 2006 U.S. National Mountain Bike World Championships
 
PERSONALS: Sam Jurekovic wants to eventually finish college and return the favor by becoming a teacher and inspiring new generations to come. He hopes to one day have a family and own a home. A travel lover, Sam wants to go back to some of the places he has had to opportunity to visit throughout the world and spend some quality time; maybe even owning a winter home at one of them.
FAVORITE PASTIMES: At the top of Sam's list of favorite activities, to no one's surprise, is mountain biking. He also lists nordic skiing, running, hiking, camping, snowboarding, rock climbing, bowling, slacklining, hanging out at the river, and generally anything outdoors. 
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Jurekovic became involved with competitive sports when an ambitious elementary school teacher started after school mountain bike rides for the students. With only an old bike, Sam decided to attend the rides regularly and had so much fun that he saved to get a nice, new bike. In the 5th grace he competed in his first mountain bike race, and has been hooked ever since.
DID YOU KNOW: Sam's favorite races take place in his hometown of Jackson Hole, WY. The Cache Creek to Game Creek Race, the Rendezvous Mountain Hill Climb, and the Teton Pass Hill Climb all bring back memories of his initial love for the sport. They are also always a good meter to which he can gauge his fitness level from year to year. 
GOALS: Jurekovic is aiming to be one of the top five Americans in the world in international mountain bike points and finish in the top ten at the Mountain Bike World Championships. He also hopes to make the U.S. Track Talent Pool and compete at several of the track world cups over the winter. Beyond that, Sam wants to win a world title, go to the Olympics, and one day win an Olympic medal.