Local teen to compete in UCI Cycling World Championships

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A recent high school graduate from Albuquerque is about to represent New Mexico and the United States in a big way.

Evan Medcalf is taking his mountain biking talents all the way to Scotland in a few weeks to race in the world championships, and he is taking some big goals for the trail out there.

“I actually started BMX at Duke City – the BMX track out there, and then kind of gotten a mountain bikes around, I’d say 10, 12,” said Medcalf. 

Medcalf just turned 18, and he is a downhill mountain biking extraordinaire right out of Albuquerque. He’s about to leave the country to not only represent New Mexico, but to represent the United States in a huge competition.

“I got invited to the world championships this year, Team USA invited me,” Medcalf said. 

This will be Medcalf’s second time competing in the UCI Cycling World Championships. Last year, the race was in France, this year it’s in Scotland.

Medcalf recalled one specific race that stood out to him, where he knew he could never leave the bike trails.

“My first mountain bike downhill official race was in Angel Fire and I crashed, and got last. And that like doesn’t seem like a big deal, but that stuck with me. Just because like, I got last, and I still stuck with it – I just loved it,” said Medcalf. 

After placing second in the national championships in North Carolina earlier in July, Medcalf is pushing for more hardware when he heads to Scotland.

“I’d love to win. That’s my goal,” Medcalf said. 

Medcalf will take off to Scotland shortly before the competition starts on Aug. 3.

For more information on the UCI Cycling World Championships, click here.