Maize Wimbush is a 14-year-old competitive cyclist. She has been racing since the young age of seven years old (non-competitively) and started competitive racing (USA Cycling) at the age of nine, with the ultimate goal of becoming the first black female U.S. Olympic cyclist, competing in the 2028 U.S. Olympics. She currently races for TWENTY20, an elite Women's Olympic Development Cycling team, you can read more about TWENTY20's program, here: https://usacycling.org/article...
Maize completed her 2016 cycling season ranked #1 on the East Coast in her age group! In just her second season, she won the Mid-Atlantic Bicycle Racing Association (MABRA) BAR. Her personal success and determination are truly an inspiration!
We got the opportunity to chat with Maize and ask her about how cycling has impacted her, her favorite cycling memory, the best advice she's received, and more!
How did you get started in cycling?
[MAIZE]: "When I was five years old, I was asking my dad for a road bike because I saw him going out and riding with his friends. He said they were going too fast for me, but eventually, for my seventh birthday he bought me my first road bike, it was a Felt. From there, I was racing locally, nothing competitive at that point, just junior races. At age nine, I started racing competitively, I got a new bike and from there on, it's history."
How has cycling impacted you?
[MAIZE]: "Before cycling, I was not as productive as I am now. Cycling has helped grow my social life, I've made many new friends, I've been outdoors more, and I now have a network to talk with successful people in the cycling community."
What is your favorite cycling memory?
[MAIZE]: "Last year, in Smoketown, Pennsylvania, I got to race with a teammate and good friend of mine. This past year was the first year I began racing with women. This race specifically was special to me because it was the first race I placed top 5, I finished fourth. Before this race, I wasn't placing as such, I was more-so getting experience racing with women."
What is your best cycling accomplishment?
[MAIZE]: "In another race from last year, I experienced a completely different feeling than I've ever felt before. As I was coming to the finish line, a person I use to race with suddenly crashed, and I quickly had to maneuver around her and sprint to the finish. I ended up placing 3rd in women at that race."
What's the best advice you've ever received?
[MAIZE]: "The best advice I've personally received was from Justin Williams, last year in May, while I was in California. He told me when I'm racing to be in the top five when I come out of the last corner. I'm a sprinter, so if I can sprint, I can at least finish in the top five."
Celebratory photo: Dominion Cycling Photography
