Michigan Cup skiers turn pro with BISSELL Pro cycling team

Tue, Jul  24, 2012 - By Mike Muha

Much of this content is from the Bissell-AG-Nuvo press release. I've added additional text - Mike Muha

The BISSELL-ABG-NUVO cycling team is proud to announce that three team riders will sign contracts with BISSELL Pro cycling team for the remainder of the 2012 racing season:

• Mac Brennan
• Weston Luzadder
• Alex Vanias

After over a half season of racing and an evaluation of performances the BISSELL-ABG-NUVO and BISSELL Pro management teams have determined that Brennan, Luzadder, and Vanias are ready to step up to the professional ranks.

Mac Brennan has racked up a number of wins and outstanding results in 2012 including wins in Hillsboro Roubaix, Cone-Azalia Road Race, West Michigan Stage Race, the Indy Crit, and a stage win at Le Tour de Mont Pleasant. Mac’s amateur career has come to a close with sixth place in an incredibly fast and competitive U23 criterium at the US Road Nationals in June.

Mac Brennan racing at the 2008 Junior Olympics

Weston Luzadder kicked off his 2012 road racing season with a series of outstanding performances in the collegiate circuit racing for Marian University. His collegiate season culminated in a National Championship victory for Marian. Weston also finished in the top-10 of a number of difficult Midwestern road events including Hillsboro Roubaix, the Burlington Road Race, and Snake Alley Criterium. Weston played a crucial role in setting up his teammate Brennan for an outstanding sixth place in the U23 criterium at US Road Nationals.

Alex Vanias has also built an impressive list of results in 2012 with an overall win at the amateur Joe Martin Stage Race, a podium finish at Snake Alley Criterium, a stage win at West Michigan Stage Race, and a win at the Melon City criterium.

Vanias did his first cross country ski race at the 2011 Frosty Freestyle, finishing 31st overall. Says Vanias,

It was my first cross country ski race ever. I didn’t know what to expect for a performance since I’ve never done it before. I decided to start towards the middle/back of the crowd  just so I didn’t get in anybody’s way if I wasn’t any good. When the gun went off, the whole thing felt familiar even though I had never done it before. I found out that I was better than most people right off the start. The problem was that there were a lot of people and barely enough space for two skiers side by side. I could see the leaders about 200m in front, and I had no way of getting there! A guy three places ahead of me caused a gap to start. I wanted to pass, but It was impossible to get around the guys in front of me without making them stop for me. About halfway through the race I made my move and dropped that group I was with right away. I couldn’t even see the next guy ahead of me! I really picked up the pace to make up for what I lost. Within a few minutes I caught and passed another guy and was on to the next. I caught  the next guy in the wooded area where the trail was narrow. The race was nearly over and nothing more I could do. I came in near the top 30-ish places. It was fun and that’s all that really matters for a first race. Now that I know what I can do though, the next race will be all business.

And business it was: in the 2012 Frosty Freestyle, Vanias finished 3rd.

Brennan, Luzadder, and Vanias have signed their professional contracts and their first race with BISSELL Pro Cycling will be the USA Cycling Pro Criterium National Championship on July 28, 2012 in Grand Rapids, MI.

The BISSELL-ABG-NUVO management team wishes Mac, Wes, and Alex all the best in their professional cycling careers.

The BISSELL-ABG-NUVO cycling team is an elite professional development squad based out of Indianapolis, IN and Grand Rapids, MI. Point your browser to bissellabgnuvocycling.com and follow @BissellABG_NUVO on Twitter for more information.