Vail area cyclists Bayli McSpadden and Landen Stovall have been nominated to the 2023 Bear National Team roster. The California-based Trek development team, which was founded in 2011 by Stu Bone, is one of the most successful cycling groups in the nation. Bear riders have won multiple national titles and state championships in both mountain and road disciplines and have placed 39 different athletes in World Cup and World Championship events with Team USA cycling.

“I’m super stoked,” Stovall said of making the team, which is comprised of 40 athletes from 15 different states, including 14 from Colorado alone.

“This was a long time coming; I’ve wanted to be on this team for three years now, so it was really big.”

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Stovall reunites with McSpadden — the two raced together in high school until McSpadden graduated in 2021.

“I’m excited to be teammates again,” McSpadden said.

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“We’re coming from the Vail valley and no one would have expected it — it’s cool because we both know how hard each other worked.”

“With over 165 applicants this year, we’re so excited to have all of these incredible riders on the team!!” the Bear National Team’s Sept. 7 Instagram post stated.

“We read many great personal essays, read through lots of race results, and were truly impressed with the dedication so many athletes have shown.”

Stovall’s appropriately chosen essay prompt was for “a challenge you’ve faced and overcome this year.”

“That was definitely me breaking my wrist and then still being able to place at nationals,” he said, referring to his fourth-place finish this July in Winter Park after a crash at Soldier Hollow on May 6 required surgery on his radius.

Since then, he’s been on a tear, going 2-for-2 in high school league races.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” he replied when asked what the secret to his fall success was. “I took a little time off after nationals, just trying to not get burned out, and I’ve just been having fun with it.”

One athlete he’s gotten the better of both times is Summit’s Nico Konecny. The three-time national champion, and his older brother, Lasse, are both Bear National Team riders.

“We’re good homies,” Stovall said of Nico.

“It’s cool to be his teammate now.”

McSpadden’s fall has consisted of starting college at CU-Boulder, where she’s been the No. 1 rider for the Buffs in her first two meets. The collegiate calendar, which includes the Ram Roundup in Minturn Sept. 24-25 and culminates in Durango at the national championships Oct. 13-16, has given McSpadden a carrot to chase until a planned reset in November.

“Last year I didn’t have that because I wasn’t in high school or college. Now, I have these little motivations to work for,” she said of organized fall races. The gap year did reinvigorate her enthusiasm for learning.

“It’s good — I feel motivated to do school,” she said.

“It’s been really easy balancing it with training. I think this next semester, though, will be interesting trying to figure out traveling.”

The plan for her late-fall break occurring on the early side is intentional.

“I don’t want to go into the season with the first races being sort of iffy and slowly getting into it — I want to start strong,” she said.

“So, I’m going to take a break earlier and start building the base earlier.” 

Both Stovall and McSpadden will compete for the first time for their new team in February or early March at the first international UCI races in Puerto Rico — an event McSpadden tested out last February as well.

“It’s a really good opportunity to get points against these super fast girls,” she said.

Working for it

Two years ago, McSpadden laid out her vision for making the Bear National Team roster to her coach.

“I think it will take you two years to get to where those girls are,” McSpadden recalled him presciently saying. One year later, her application was rejected.

“I kind of took that as a challenge and just was like, ‘OK, well, I’m literally improving every race; I just kind of need to keep going with that.’”

She targeted Bear athletes whenever possible. “And slowly showing that I’m fast enough to be riding with that team,” she stated.

“I’ve just surprised myself this year. Along with that came having the results to be on a team like this.”

Two years later, she was sitting on the couch in her apartment when an email with good news chimed in.

“I was kind of emotional,” she said of the moment she discovered she’d made it.

“I thought back to that time when my coach was like, ‘it’s going to take two years’ — and it was two years.”

Stovall was also rejected in his first application.

“It was kind of a bummer because I wanted it last year, so all of this year was really working to this and finally make it on,” he said. When sleet discouraged him from a 40-degree day training ride, he thought of his goals.

“It’s definitely been some motivation for sure,” he said. “Like, prove them wrong, prove them that they need me.”

Spotting a Bear jersey at races immediately legitimizes the field — and now Stovall and McSpadden are on that squad.

“It’s always been a team where everyone notices you, knows you’re good and knows you’re fast,” McSpadden said.

“I think being a part of that now is just so cool.” 

With the nomination, the Bear National Team, sponsored by Trek, will provide the pair with top-of-the line frames and components — meaning Christmas will come early for both riders.

“I will be getting a (Trek) super-caliber before the 2023 season starts and I’m super excited about that,” Stovall, who currently rides a BMC fourstroke, said.

The group also helps with the logistics of racing all over the world.

“The whole point of this team as well is giving you the opportunities to not only race in the U.S., but internationally,” McSpadden said.

“Just being on this national team opens so many doors.”

Bear also helps with flying bikes to venues, and provides lodging and bike mechanics as well as coaching. For now, both athletes are still sticking with their current coaching setup, though it’s possible that could change. Regardless, they feel confident being in good hands moving forward.

“I want to start racing internationally, I want to start getting the results. My next goal is to get on a pro team,” McSpadden said of her next ambition.

“Regardless if it’s Trek or anything, I want to get to that next level where my focus races are World Cups.”

Stovall is hoping to work his way up on the team.

“Hopefully, as a second-year 17-18, this would be my year before I get into the big, elite leagues,” he said. The age distinctions in cycling are as follows: 17-18, U23 and pro/elite.

“One more junior year — this would be when I can like really do it: possibly race worlds, hopefully win nationals, all that good stuff.”