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Chatham cyclist Shawn VanGassen has travelled the world competing in races of all lengths on roads, trails and gravel.
Published Sep 17, 2025 • 3 minute read
Chatham’s Shawn VanGassen, right, flashes a peace sign Saturday during his 515-kilometre fundraising ride on Riverview Drive for the Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent. He was joined by longtime friend Jeff Chow of Windsor for the final laps of the 16-hour ride. (Mark Malone/Chatham Daily News)Article content
Chatham cyclist Shawn VanGassen has travelled the world competing in races of all lengths on roads, trails and gravel.
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He now lives in California, but he was home last weekend for one of the most important rides of his life.
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The 51-year-old VanGassen cycled 515 kilometres as a fundraiser for the Alzheimer Society of Chatham-Kent. He was pedalling in memory of his mother, Patricia, who died in August after living with dementia.
VanGassen took off late Friday night from Enbridge Gas on Grand Avenue West and headed to Prairie Siding. He made 25 round trips in 16 hours.
It was just the latest endurance test for VanGassen, who covered more than 4,900 kilometres from coast to coast during Race Across America in June.
He raised money during that trip for LAM, or lymphangioleiomyomatosis, a rare condition that can affect the lungs, kidney and lymphatic system. His good friend, Patricia Ortiz, suffers from the disease.
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After tackling two long rides to help others, VanGassen is excited to do more events that benefit his community.
“This could be the start of something bigger,” he said.
Race Across America began in Oceanside, Calif., and ended on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J. Solo cyclists had 12 days to make the trip.
VanGassen went through 13 states and three mountain ranges in 11 days six hours eight minutes. He was the fifth solo cyclist to cross the finish line this year and reportedly only the third Canadian since the race’s inception in 1982.
“You do a lot of training and riding your bike gives you a lot of time to have thoughts with yourself,” he said with a laugh. “I always take myself back to Chatham because that’s where I have my best experiences riding my bike and racing.”
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VanGassen grew up on Tweedsmuir Avenue across from Chatham Memorial Arena. While players there dreamed of the NHL, he wanted to be a pro cyclist.
He began racing competitively as a teenager and won an Ontario championship in 1990. He later moved to California where he found sponsors and could devote more time to cycling.
After his competitive career wound down, he was still passionate about riding. By 2017, he was doing double-century races of 200 miles.
“I got hooked on it because it was pretty fun and it’s not as serious,” said VanGassen, who lives in Rancho Bernardo near San Diego. “There’s pit stops. They’re really not races. They’re sort of just fun events that are supported for you to challenge yourself.
“After I figured out I could do a 200-mile race, I got into this ultra-cycling stuff a little bit.”
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After watching part of a 24-hour race through the nearby desert, he decided to try the world time trial championships.
He failed on his first few attempts to reach the 400-mile limit. In 2021, he completed 405 miles, or more than 650 km, in 24 hours to qualify for Race Across the West.
Race Across the West goes from Oceanside, Calif., to Durango, Colo. In 2023, VanGassen placed third in his age division by completing more than 1,325 km in three days 17 hours 53 minutes.
To get ready for Race Across America, he was cycling for more than 20 hours a week and sometime more than 30. He did that while working full-time as a mechanic for Tesla.
“My training is based on my work schedule,” he said. “Otherwise, I’m afraid I’d probably be riding 40 hours a week. I do high-intensity for five days, basically, and then I do long endurance for two days.”
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VanGassen is coached by legendary ultra-cyclist Marko Baloh, who praised him online after Race Across America.
“Achieving the fifth place in his first try is a monumental achievement,” Baloh said. “His crew was small, but they knew what they were doing and did an exceptional job. …
“I have a feeling that he has one more try in him to do it faster and test the limits of what he is able to achieve time-wise.”
VanGassen was proud to raise awareness about LAM, a disease in which an abnormal growth of smooth muscle cells can lead to a loss of lung function, fluid buildup in the chest and abdomen, and the growth of benign tumours in the kidneys.
He also paid tribute to Ortiz, who helped him through his own lung problems a few years ago.
“I want to raise money to help my friend and all those fighting the disease,” he said.
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