Ty Magner will rev up his dash engine for a fifth season at L39ION of Los Angeles, ushering within the twentieth racing season in his profession in 2025. Podium visits have been a behavior, 110 of them and counting, with groups like Hincapie Sportwear Devo, UnitedHealthcare, Rally Biking after which L39ION, however a disappointing 2024 had him with “one foot out the door occupied with the long run”.
It was the day after “a shit race” on the Armed Forces Biking Basic, an occasion the place he gained in 2022 and had been prime 10 two different years, that he recommitted to incomes a dwelling on a motorcycle and scrapped retirement plans. He advised his L39ION teammates, “I am not quitting”.
“I used to be on the sting of 2024 being my final season as a ‘professional’, however I used to be having a horrible spring – no legs, sick – and I noticed it was as a result of I had one foot out the door occupied with the long run. I bear in mind getting again to the resort sitting with Alexis [Magner], Alec [Cowan], and Justin [Williams] and advised them fuck this, I am not quitting.
“From that time on, beginning with Clarendon Cup, my head was again in it. My coaching obtained higher, racing legs have been slowly coming round,” Magner advised Cyclingnews, as he then put an finish to DNFs and mid-pack finishes to earn eight prime 10s within the second half of the season.
The previous U23 and USPro criterium nationwide champion mentioned his profession on the bike has given him a life that he wouldn’t commerce for something. Whereas the definition of ‘professional’ might not be outlined by WorldTour requirements, he mentioned it delivered greater than race wins.
“Personally, I’ve had over 80 high-level wins within the crits, my drive now’s to get the crew again to successful. I do know when the crew is working because it ought to that results in wins not just for me however for everybody on L39ION. I’m doing my finest to be one of the best teammate I may be,” Magner mirrored.
“The purpose is pushing the game ahead as a crew quite than people. Groups are the spine of motorbike racing.
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“Loopy to assume again on. 2011 was my first 12 months making a dwelling as a bike owner. Biking has given my spouse Alexis and I the whole lot – our marriage, our dwelling, buddies, animals, journey. All from racing bikes.”
He is form of the Carl Edwards for criterium racing, on par with the identical variety of high-level victories as the most recent member of the NASCAR Corridor of Fame. In Magner’s fifteenth season as a professional, he plans to be on the beginning line with L39ION this weekend at Valley of the Solar Stage Race in Arizona, the primary time he is been to that occasion. It serves as a proving floor for lots of the prime juniors and aspiring professionals, and a three-day race camp to kick out cobwebs for veterans.
Whereas Magner has had success in multi-day races, successful levels on the Tour of Utah and Tour de Beauce, it is the US-style criterium the place he makes his bread-and-butter. 2023 was a bounty in one-day races, taking 13 prime fives, with victories at Tulsa Powerful, the Crystal Metropolis race at Armed Forces Biking Basic, Boise’s Bailey & Glasser Twilight Criterium and Salt Lake Criterium.
“USA CRITS kicks off in April, so we nonetheless have a number of months for the meat of the season. A crew purpose would be the ACC [American Criterium Cup] because the schedule has been condensed. Tulsa is a blast to win, Boise is an efficient one too,” the 33-year-old fastman mentioned.
“However Athens is and can all the time be the one I need to examine off. I’ve lived right here in Athens since 2009. In 2010 I made the break of 5 within the pouring rain and Karl Menzies gained. Karl and I have been teammates in 2016 on UHC, and I imagine he turned 40 that 12 months. So if you happen to carry the two, subtract a bit, multiply by 3, divide that… it could make Karl my age when he snagged the win. Who is aware of! Might be cool.”
Magner has been on the rostrum a number of instances at his hometown race, however by no means on the highest step. His spouse Alexis, now racing for Cynisca Biking, has now gained the Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium twice.
The husband-wife duo blended in cyclocross racing on the finish of final season with teammate Robin Carpenter. After a few strong races, Ty determined to compete at USA Biking Cyclocross Nationals in Louisville. He gained one other nationwide title within the course of, within the males’s 30-34 age division.
“The Georgia CX collection is unimaginable with some actually passionate promoters and racers, like depraved expertise Matthew Crabbe, who’s on his technique to the highest of the game at solely 15. It stored my coronary heart within the sport, my legs turning, and it was enjoyable to be considerably aggressive within the native UCI races, which gave me some intrigue for nationals,” Magner mentioned.
“Cool to snag one other jersey, I want I’d’ve gained a junior nationwide title then I might’ve had a title in all classes!”