Lodi News Sentinel ran an article on our family and our involvement with cycling......
Here is the
article:
Chains that Bond
By Anthony CusumanoNews-Sentinel Sports Writer
Laura Christensen jokes that her family's bicycling endeavors would make a good reality television show.
More like "Eight is Enough."
The Christensens, all eight of them, have been known to take over the streets of Clements en masse aboard their bicycles, as some siblings train for road races.
Nathanael, 17, Joseph, 14, Abigail, 12, and Jonathan, 10, all race competitively, while sisters Ashton and Adrielle and parents Laura and Rolff bike simply for recreation.
"We're a large family and we've always cycled as a family," Laura Christensen said. "We did swimming, but we had to be on one page. We couldn't be going to six different sporting events. With cycling, all the events are in the same place."
While eldest brother Nathanael set the standard for competitive cycling in the family, Joseph is quickly making his case for bragging rights. In fact, Joseph is coming off two top-20 placings at the USA Cycling National Championships.
There, he finished 14th in the criterium, 16th in time trials, and 29th in the 30-kilometer road race in the boys 13-14 year-old division.
"The races were really fast and I was surprised the competition was so tough," Christensen said. "It was definitely an awakening experience. I wasn't sure how to prepare for nationals. I just did shorter rides faster, and did a couple sprints."
The criterium portion of the race consisted of short, circular laps at a park, while the time trials were on a closed-off portion of the freeway. The road race was the most challenging with many hills.
With Nathanael and Jonathan also competing at nationals in separate divisions, Joseph had the support of his family behind him.
"This is a team sport for sure," Joseph said.
"At my age, you don't have a big racing team with you. Since I don't race in the same categories as my brothers, we're not against each other — it's a team. We're against everyone else, but together out there."
With so many of her children involved in cycling, Laura Christensen has perfected the role of "Team Mom." She and her husband usually get up at the crack of dawn to drive their children to races, while Laura prepares the high-energy meals they need for competition.
Just as her children are committed to the sport, Laura is as well — but in a uniquely non-competitive way.
"When the Tour of California came through Stockton, I took pictures of the feed boxes to figure out how to do mine," said Christensen, who also happens to hand out water bottles to the pros on occasion.
Joseph, whose first race was only three years ago, has fond memories of racing around the family's property in Clements with Nathanael. Shortly after being referred to local USA Cycling coach Robert Fuller, his racing career took off.
As a member of Fuller's Sprocket Rockets youth racing team, Christensen began competing in road races nearly every weekend.
"My first race was so much fun, I had to keep doing it," he recalled. "I did six races the next year, and they kept getting more fun."
Joseph, who placed second in the Northern California and Nevada Cycling Association juniors point standings this year, and Nathanael also participated in an Elite Juniors Camp at the end of June.
Attesting to his family involvement in cycling, Joseph was recognized for having the "best genetics" by head USA Cycling coach Chris Davidson.
"Joe is one of the most gifted athletes I've been able to work with," Fuller said. "He's a phenomenal athlete and one of the top juniors in the western states."
Earlier this year, Christensen won the Davis criterium and placed second at the Copperopolis road race, Cats Hill (Los Gatos) criterium, and the Northern California Criterium State Championships in Morgan Hill.
"Cycling is not real easy to pick up," he said. "This sport is full of suffering, but it's really worth it. I'm getting faster and faster, and learning how to train better. I'm mentally stronger, knowing how to take pain a little better."
Although discouraged by the negative spotlight placed on cycling with the recent doping allegations, Christensen insists his determination and motivation have not waned.
"I want to do this my whole life," he said. "It's a great sport I can stay in forever. One day I'll be a pro and hopefully race in Europe."
Christensen thanks his racing sponsors — Pacific State Bank and Anderson Homes — the Stockton Bike Club, coaches, and most of all, his family for their support.
