Brian likes mud and suffering.
Brian was fortunate to find cyclocross. Brian started cycling in his early-30s after a painful knee injury forced him to hang up the running shoes. His good friend took him mountain biking one morning and by lunchtime he was bidding on a Specialized Epic. He missed the competitive thrill of racing 5k and 10k distances and so when a friend suggested he may like cyclocross, he gave it a try. He has since progressed through the categories and now races against the fastest 35+ CX’ers in the Pacific Northwest. He started PainCave Cycling and The Algea Velo to help other cyclocross racers get started, post race results, and get cool-looking skinsuits and gear. The Algea are the Greek spirits of pain and suffering, making them an apt symbol for the cyclocross-focused (non)team.
Kenneth Lundgren at Elite Endurance continues to sharpen Brian’s punchy accelerations and bike-handling skills. Brian even picked up road biking (with sew-ups, of course!) last year to compliment summer training and base miles for ‘cross.
Height: 6’0”
Summer Weight: 158-162 lbs.
Fall Race Weight: 154 lbs.
Birthdate: March 26, 1976
Childhood Heroes: “Luke Skywalker and Cru Jones from Rad.”
Hobbies and Interests: “Hangin’ with my ladies, hiking, camping, backpacking and espousing the virtues of cyclocross to anyone who will listen.”
Favorite Movies: “Fight Club [only movie to be better than the book!], The Usual Suspects.”
Musical Tastes: “AWOLNATION, Fugazi, Mumford and Sons, Treepeople, Thirty Ought Six, Jack Johnson, Helmet, PJ Harvey.”
Favorite TV Show: “Arrested Development.”
Favorite Meal: “One made with my wife.”
Favorite Breakfast: “Oat groats with blanched almond slivers, blueberries, chia seeds, and honey.”
Favorite Pre-Race Meal: “Oat groats with blanched almond slivers, blueberries, chia seeds, and honey.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “An indecision bowl with Super Chocolate and Cardamom from Mallard.”
Childhood Dream: “To be a jet pilot – or an architect.”
First Car: “1986 Volkswagen Jetta GLI. My best friend had an ’85 GTI and I thought it was cool that the inside rear wheel lifted off the ground when he cornered hard. This was my gateway to Audi Quattros and I’ve owned VWs and Audis ever since.”
First Job: “Paper route – I used the money to buy my first mountain bike: a teal Univega Alpina Uno with a Biopace triple crankset and canti brakes.”
Favorite Vacation Spot: “Out in the sticks on the beach with a book.”
Pre-Race Feeling: “I often shoot out of bed on the morning of a race with a smile on my face. I like to pack everything the night before so I can focus on eating right, eating at the right times, and going over strategy in my head. You can see my heart beating through my skinsuit during the call-ups. When I hear my name and I roll up, I’m overwhelmed with confidence; I know I’m prepared and I’m looking forward to an hour in the PainCave.”
Early Racing Memory: “Showing up to my first cyclocross race, gridding up with the other beginners and thinking I have it in the bag because I’d been ‘training.’ A guy on a full-suspension mountain bike destroyed me and my remounts were an embarrassment to the sport.”
Funny Racing Memory: “This one wasn’t funny in the moment, but it’s become funnier with time. It was the first muddy race of the MFG series and Brian ‘Sally’ Fornes and I battled off the front from the start. I smashed him on the accelerations and he crushed me in the corners; it was a good battle and the race announcers loved it. I had a 5-second gap on Sally coming into the last turn and dug as deep as I could down the final stretch. Sally attacked hard and the announcers called out, ‘Can Bressler respond to Forne’s attack? OH! Bressler CANNOT answer!’ This made it to YouTube and now my friends tease me with ‘Bressler CANNOT answer!’ taunts as a matter of course.”
Greatest Racing Moment: “Winning the MFG Cyclocross series finale at Woodland Park in Seattle with my ladies cheering me on. I came into the race with good form and figured I could ride the run-up with the right line. I made sure to be off the front as I approached the run-up. I nailed the entry, rode to the top, and put a 10+ second gap on the field. I extended the gap during the race and secured the overall series win as well.”
Most Painful Moment In Life: “Watching my wife go to the hospital after giving birth to our first daughter.”
Worst Injury from Racing: “I wasn’t racing but training on the road. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I woke up in the hospital. I imagine I hit a large pot-hole and flipped over my bars, cracking my helmet and my clavicle. ”
Closest Racing Friends: “The PainCave Cycling and Algea Velo riders.”
Favorite Race: “MFG Cyclocross, Woodland Park GP.”
Embarrassing Racing Memory: “Being pulled from the Cat-4 Ballard Crit because I was too far off the back.”
Toughest Competitors: “They are all tough.”
Favorite Athletes to Watch: “I love watching the balance and focus of trials riders.”
Qualities You Most Admire in People: “Ambition and kindness.”
What You Love Most About Riding Your Bicycle: “I love the focus, especially while mountain biking or cyclocross racing. It becomes impossible to think about anything but the moment. It’s like meditation.”
