The Valley’s Contribution to Goodwill : Brinton, the Spud Webb of Sprint Cycling, Pushes a Little Harder to Go a Lot Faster

As cyclists from all over the world pedal around the track at Moscow’s Olympic velodrome this week, one guy in the pack will stand out because he’s barely larger than his bike.

David Brinton will represent the United States in the one-kilometer individual race at the Goodwill Games, which begin today. And, at 5-9 and 137 pounds, he’s the Spud Webb of cyclists.

Sprinters are normally about 200 pounds and bulked with muscles because it’s easier for them to accelerate. Brinton was chosen to brush up against the bruisers for one compelling reason.

“Because we had a race and I beat all the big guys,” Brinton said. “It shocked a lot of people.”

Eddy Borysewicz, who coaches the U.S. team, believes Brinton can be one of the best in the world. Only 19, the North Hollywood resident has already won an intermediate road and track championship, a gold and a bronze medal at the 1983 National Sports Festival, a bronze in the 1984 Pan American Championships, and has set two American cycling records.

“It’ll be two more years till we know how high he can go,” said Borysewicz, who has coached Brinton for three years. “If he’s going to be a world champion or a national champion, if he will be one of the top in the world, or the best in the world.”

Brinton, who also works as a stunt man, began riding bicycle motocross at 12. He performed on BMX trick teams, touring shopping centers to promote motocross events.

At 14, he bought a 10-speed to practice for motocross and within a month had converted to cycling.

Although he turned professional four years ago, he did not make the Olympic team in 1984. The U.S. team won nine medals in the Los Angeles Games, including four gold, in eight events.

Still, Brinton said the U.S. team still has to prove its success at the ’84 Games was not a fluke.

“I mean, the Russians have wanted to say, ‘If we were there, we would have won everything,’ ” he said. “So, we want to say to them, ‘We won all those gold medals. We deserved them.’ We’re going over to Russia to compete on their turf. We have to show these guys.”

The rivalry has taken on political overtones, something Brinton feels as he competes internationally.

“Us and Russia are pretty much the two highest-powered countries, and the athletes are trying to show who’s better,” Brinton said. “We are definitely trying to beat the Russians, and if we can beat them on their home turf, it would be wonderful.”

The team, which will be competing in five events Tuesday through Thursday, has practiced for a month at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

In addition to the individual competition, Brinton also will be part of the team pursuit, a four-kilometer race involving four cyclists on each side. Each team member takes a turn leading the pack for half a lap, taking the brunt of the wind as the others follow closely behind.

“In team pursuit, David can be the best in the world,” Borysewicz said. “He’s very intelligent. He has an incredible body. It’s hard to say how far he can go.”

Although they are honored to be a part of the first Goodwill Games, Brinton and Borysewicz admit their sights are set on the 1986 World Championships, which will be held in Colorado Springs in September.

“This is an important event for preparation,” Borysewicz said. “We will see head-to-head competition, not only against the Russians but against all the countries.”

Brinton agreed. “The World Championships are the big thing. We’ll be on our home turf, which is important,” he said.

Off the track, Brinton has acted as a stunt double in such movies as “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” and “Quicksilver,” and he also teaches beginner’s classes in racing tactics and proper training.

Most of the time, however, he is out training, pushing himself to be the best.

“He’s very determined, a real achiever,” said Lorelei Achor, Brinton’s fiancee and a U.S. Cycling Federation official. “Once he decides to do something he goes out and does it.

“When people listen to him speak and he talks about his hopes and dreams, and then they realize he’s only 19, it sets them back. He has his head on straight and he’s determined to be a success.”