Being Pro: Travis McCabe
Meet Travis McCabe
Team: Floyd’s Pro Cycling
Age: 30
Hometown: Prescott, Arizona
Congrats on your success at the U.S. National Pro Criterium Championships and Tour of Utah!
Thank you! It’s been a really phenomenal career so far. A lot of what went into all the success is due to my coach, Justin Peschka, and setting goals. Short-term and long-term goals help keep me on track and motivated throughout all the ups and downs.
How did you get your start in cycling?
I started cycling because of my best friends in high school; one of them rode mountain bikes and the other worked at a bike shop. I picked up mountain biking for fun with my friend Shane, and then I started working at High Gear Bikes, my local bike shop. I was able to start wrenching and soon began riding road bikes with “Steve-O” the owner. I fell in love with the sport. I decided to start racing and soon decided to dive headfirst into the sport and pursue a career in it. I have to give a lot of credit to High Gear Bikes and family friends Chris and Janice Dunn, who convinced my parents that I had the potential to make a living at it, and I’m so glad they did!
How does the level of racing differ between the amateur and pro ranks? What was something you had to learn to race at your level?
It’s just a lot faster, and everyone is so experienced. I feel like it requires a lot more mental acuity and understanding spacial awareness, especially in the finale. For me I had to learn how to always be mentally turned on and to just not be intimidated by the WorldTour riders. Once I finally realized I belonged up at the front of the race, it made it a lot easier.
What’s one simplified workout of yours that our readers can do to maximize their sprint? Can you describe how it helps?
One easy workout I would recommend that you can do on any ride is to do what is called a standing sprint. Make sure you’re in a bigger gear than you would normally be in (I’m usually doing it in my 11th) when you stop, and when the light turns green, clip back in, and once you’re securely in, try to get up to speed as quickly as possible! It’s pretty hard, because you will be in such a big gear, but as you start moving, it gets somewhat easier and faster. If you really want to push yourself, try to get all the way “up to speed” and continue sprinting until you feel exhausted. It usually only takes 30 seconds to reach max effort, and I’m pretty wrecked afterwards. It’s also fun to do with a friend and see who gets up to speed first! This workout is really great, because it helps build that neuromuscular response, as well as muscular response, to high amounts of loaded torque! If you can do more than five of these in one workout, I would be impressed!
You got to wear the stars and stripes for Team USA at the Tour of California. Can you describe what it was like mixing it up with riders like Peter Sagan?
It was a pretty surreal experience racing with Team USA. Everyone was so supportive and heard so many people cheering for us! It was an incredible opportunity and super fun being able to prove that Americans can hold their own against the very best like Sagan!
CBD—have you tried it? Do you use it? Does it work?
I use it every day! Love it.
Any shout outs?
So many shout outs! So much thanks and gratitude goes to Steve-O and Cindy Alward, my mom, dad and sister. The Dunn family. The Hincapies and Floyd. All the guys I’ve raced with over the years. Paul Thomas, Corey Steinbrecher, my coach of five years Justin Peschka, Emma Collins, and everyone else who’s believed in me over the years.
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