Introduction

Every cyclist’s story starts somewhere—some on a borrowed bike, some on a local trail, and some on a quiet cul-de-sac in Colorado Springs. For Dave, that childhood joy of two wheels grew into a lifelong passion spanning racing, coaching, and inspiring riders around the world.

The Beginning

“My love affair with the bicycle began as a five-year-old when I unwrapped my first bike on Christmas morning,” recalls Dave. “I learned to ride right in front of my parents’ house and I was hooked.”

Soon, neighborhood greenways became racetracks, and paper routes became training grounds. “I must’ve built up a base before I even knew what that was,” he laughs.

Discovering the Track

In 1985, while watching his dad’s softball game at Memorial Park, Dave wandered up a hill and found the Colorado Springs Velodrome. “It was this massive cement oval—it completely captured my imagination.”

The following year, his parents gifted him tickets to the 1986 World Cycling Championships, held right there in his hometown. “I watched Michael Huebner, Lutz Hesslich, Harvey Nitz, Steve Hegg, and Nelson Vails race in person. On the road side, I saw Moreno Argentin win at the Air Force Academy in freezing conditions. I was all in from that point on.”

“That sense of speed, discipline, and teamwork—it drew me in completely. I knew then I wanted to be part of this sport for life.”
— Dave

 

Chasing Olympic Dreams

A decade later, in 1996, Dave achieved one of his lifelong dreams—lining up at the U.S. Olympic Track Cycling Trials in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania. “It was a time when an underdog could truly earn their way onto the Olympic team,” he says. “Our team placed fifth in the Team Pursuit, and standing on that podium was a dream realized.”

 

Coaching and Global Perspective

After his own racing career, Dave turned to coaching, becoming a USA Cycling–licensed coach more than two decades ago. He’s since helped athletes across track, road, and mountain disciplines through national development camps and ID programs.

In 2012, his coaching journey took him all the way to Rwanda, where he lived and worked with the national team ahead of the Tour of Rwanda. “Working with Jock Boyer and Kimberly Coats was incredible. As a teenager, Jock was one of my heroes—so to collaborate with him years later was surreal.” That year, Dave also served as the DS for Quebecor/Garneau, Louis Garneau’s Canadian team.

 

“Cycling has this incredible ability to connect people across borders, backgrounds, and languages. It’s a universal language of challenge and joy.”
— Dave

 

Giving Back Through the Bike

Today, Dave continues to live in Colorado Springs, coaching through Durata Training, while also working as a massage therapist and audiobook narrator. Though racing has taken a back seat, his love for helping others thrive on the bike has only deepened.

“I try to instill in my athletes that the challenges they face on the bike—and the growth that comes from them—can translate to every part of life. Seeing that transformation is the ultimate reward.”

 

Photo Caption

Dave in Rwanda ahead of the Tour of Rwanda in 2012. Photo courtesy of Dave McIntosh