Marin/Rabobank teammates aspire for CES individual overall title in 2016
By Patrick D. Rosso
With the dust of the first round of the 2016 California Enduro Series settled, riders are taking a serious look at the competition. Evan Geankopolis and Amy Morrison are definitely topping the list of tough riders. The Rabobank Marin teammates are each aiming for an individual overall title in 2016 and have been putting in the work to get there.
Morrison is the one to watch in Pro Women; she took the overall title in 2015. “I like to take time off in the winter to do other activities. Go ski, trail run, do some strength training,” explained Morrison, 27. “This helps give my body and mind rest from biking and get excited again to hop back on the bike.”
You’ll usually find Morrison shredding her home trails in Auburn, CA, but the NorCal local said she is excited to get out and ride the series’ courses, plus a few select West Coast spots. “I’m looking forward to the [California Enduro Series’] Triple Crown challenge. Those three races are my favorites and it’s neat to have them spotlighted. The CES is the base of my schedule, but I’m really excited for the TDS race, EWS Aspen and Transcascadia in Oregon in the fall,” she added.
Geankopolis, another NorCal native and last year’s runner-up in Pro Men, commented that training is an important aspect of his off-season regime, however, having a good time is key too. “I just have fun riding my bike. I enjoy every aspect of cycling so training is just part of the fun,” he said. “I want to improve a lot on my endurance, but I really just want to win events.”
Sacramento living, Geankopolis looked good in early April. He came up big with first place at the Fontana Enduro, round one of the series, and said he plans to enjoy the downtime before Battle Born Enduro. “I’m doing the TDS Enduro, always awesome, and Sea Otter; other than that, just hanging out, riding some moto,” he said. “Battle Born is a fun race, plus it’s so close it’s great to get out there.”
With a heavy race schedule and plenty of miles ahead, the support of a team is a huge advantage, especially when two of the top contenders are teammates.
“Having the team atmosphere is fun; you’re always riding with your buddies,” said Geankopolis. “When you have the same equipment and do the same thing it can really help you out. It’s always great to just have someone to always ride and train with.”
For Morrison, teammates offer the chance to share the highs and lows of racing.
“I see being on a team as important support for one another to share the race season with a group of equally minded and motivated individuals; to encourage and help each other succeed as a team, “ explained Morrison. “It’s an opportunity to help each other and also take pride in each other’s accomplishments.”
Both of the riders also added in how much they appreciate the support of their sponsors.
Morrison highlighted Marin, Rabobank, as well as SRAM. Evan thanked Rabobank, Marin, WTB, e13, KMC, and Analog Forest.
No matter if they’re riding solo or deep in the pack, both Morrison and Geankopolis are two riders to watch in the 2016 California Enduro Series circuit.
“I just like to huck stuff. I don’t know if I’m any good at it, but I have a lot of fun doing it,” Geankopolis added. “It’s good to just get out there and ride.”
