IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Mason Wilson rides past corn fields on country roads, logging thousands of miles each year in training that earned him a spot on the USA Junior National Cycling Team.
The 17-year-old cyclist logged almost 9,000 miles a couple years ago and surpassed 10,000 miles last year.
“Last year, I got over 10,000. This year, I’m probably on track for more than that,” Wilson said.
Paying his own way
Wilson pays for half his own equipment. In middle school, he biked 40 miles round trip to his grandparents’ farm to earn his share.
“I was riding to my grandparents farm for work. I’d work there, make some money, and then ride back,” Wilson said.
His father, Caleb Wilson, recognized his son’s speed early when they raced together.
“That race, he blasted off the start line, left us all behind, and we never saw him again,” Caleb Wilson said. “That was the moment I knew, we were probably done racing together.”
From gravel to pavement
After excelling in several national gravel races, the Olympic Training Center invited Wilson in for testing. That feedback pushed him to switch disciplines from gravel to pavement.
“They told me that I have potential to possibly race at a really high level. They told me that I should try a road season,” Wilson said.
Wilson has now committed everything to cycling.
“He liked other sports too. He chose to give those up over time, and focus on this sport. Not just to be better at it, but because he loves it,” Caleb Wilson said.
Training through Iowa winters
During an Iowa winter, Wilson goes on four-hour rides inside, staring at a blank wall.
“It’s really hard to keep the energy up when you’re hurting bad. The thing that I do to keep myself motivated is to remember how good it feels when you’ve accomplished something really meaningful,” Wilson said.
He will head to the Czech Republic with Team USA for world junior races in May.
“My big goal right now is that I want to make it to the world tour, which is the highest level of road racing,” Wilson said.
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