USD Races Should Be a Ride in the Park for This Cyclist

After competing in cycling events that stretch 2,500 miles over a 3-week period, a 65-minute race around the University of San Diego’s Alcala Park might seem trivial.

But to professional cyclist Jeff Pierce, this weekend’s USD Grand Prix should include competitive races featuring both professional and amateur cyclists.

“This race will be hard, especially in Southern California because the riders are so pumped up,” said Pierce, a member of the 7-ELEVEN racing team. “This isn’t a big race on our schedule, but there will be competitive races. I’d like to win one of the races. It’s not my specialty, I’m more of a long-distance racer.”

Pierce will be competing in the feature event each day: today’s 65-minute race (covering approximately 30 miles) and Sunday’s 75-minute race (about 37 miles).

Pierce, 30, signed a contract with 7-ELEVEN in 1986 and appeared in his first Tour de France that year. He has raced in the 2,500-mile event three times and won the final, 118-mile stage in 1987. This year, Pierce hopes to help his team win the event, personally win at least one stage and place in the individual top 10.

He said the mental and physical strain is similar to that of running a marathon on 23 consecutive days.

The second most grueling race Pierce has experienced is the Giro de Italia, which is also three weeks covering 2,300 miles through Italy. He will compete for the second time this summer.

This time of the year, just before the season gets under way in mid-February, Pierce usually rides 7 hours per day, averaging 500-600 miles per week. The mileage can increase to 800-900 once racing begins. He said it’s tough to ride 100-120 miles a day without “a race right in front of you to give you some kind of incentive.

During the season, which lasts until October, Pierce competes in 100-120 races. Next week, Pierce will travel to Venezuela to begin competing in the two-week Tour of the Americas, which includes racing in Venezuela and Florida.

Pierce will return to San Diego with time enough to repack and head for Europe the first week in March. He will competing for 6 to 8 weeks in Italy, France and Belgium.

Traveling most of the year, Pierce has had to leave his wife, Sue, behind in San Diego in the past. This year, Sue and son Logan plan to accompany Jeff overseas more, including the trip to Italy. Sue says Jeff traveled before they were married, so she expected the hectic schedule.

Pierce has covered many miles to reach the level he is at today. He began riding at 16 with the Wolverine Sports Club in Michigan. He became became a member of the Schwinn cycling team soon after and stayed with it until he turned professional three seasons ago.

He said it takes a minimum of 3-4 years of competing to reach the professional level, if one learns fast and is fit enough.

The Pierces agree that one professional cyclist in the family is enough. Sue takes Logan for rides, but Jeff rides alone.

“In the beginning of our relationship we went on a few rides that were more comical than a workout,” Sue recalls. “Once he got me a pair of biking shoes that hook onto my peddles. I was riding up a hill and was going so slow that I was going backwards. I couldn’t get my feet unhooked, and I fell upside down in a ditch. Jeff laughed so hard, he thought it was so funny. Needless to say, we don’t ride together anymore.”