Photographer Steven Goodman

Veteran Pre-1945 Competitors Category

Joseph G. Kopsky (1875-1974)

Born, Nov. 4, 1875 in New York City. He was a member of the League of American Wheelmen, riding many high-wheel bicycle races. Was one of the founders of the Century Road Club of America. Was a member of the 1912 Olympic Road Team held in Stockholm, Sweden. The team won a Bronze Medal, the first USA bicycling medal. On May 5, 1912 he set a record for 150 miles in 8:26.27. He established 4 National Road records before he entered the "Six-Day racing" field. He rode in every six-day race held in Chicago and New York from 1913 to 1925. (35 races) He was active in competition until the age of 49. When he retired from racing he owned and operated a bicycle shop and engineered racing equipment. Started the North Hudson Wheelmen and the Belleville Bicycle Club and trained many local riders. After WWII moved to Miami, Florida.

Modern 1945-1975 Competitors

Victor Vincente of America (Michael Hiltner) (Born 1941)

Born Los Angeles, CA. Started racing at the age of 16. Won his first race 1957. Was Southern California Junior Road Champion 1957. All California Road Champion 1958 & 1965. Member Pan American Team 1959. Winner of the Tour of St. Laurent 1959. Winner of the Tour of Somerville, NJ. 1960. Olympic Team 1960 & 1964. Worlds Championship Team Bern, 1961, Nurnburgring 1962 & St. Sebastian 1965. Placed 2nd in the Pan America Games Team Road race 1963. ABL of A. National Road Champion 1965. Winner of many races in Italy 1961 & 1966. Started the independent conception of human-powered vehicle 1969 and establish double transcontinental record. Santa Monica - Atlantic City - Santa Monica (36 days 8 hours 1975). Changed name to Victor Vincente of America 1978. Design, construct, pilot HPV Tachy Taxi 1979. Design and mass production of the "Topanga" Mountain Bike 1979. Promoted Mountain Bike Races 1980 to 1995. Promoted two and three mountain bike tours 1984 to 1995. Inducted to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame 1989. Design the Olympic Mountain Bike medallion for the 1996 Olympic in Atlanta. Lives in Portland, OR.

Davis Phinney (born 1959 Boulder, Colorado)

Davis began competing in 1976 and continued until 1993. He competed with the USCF National Team from 1978-1984. During that time he won the National Team Time Trial Championship in 1982 and 1983. He was also the National Criterium Champion in 1983. In 1991 as a professional he won the USPRO National Road Championship in Philadelphia. He was a World Championship Team member from 1982-88 and again in 1991. In 1983 he won a gold medal in the Pan American Games in the 100K Time Trial. In 1984 he won an Olympic bronze in the 100K Time Trial and took 5th place in the Olympic Road Race.

He was credited by Velo News as the Winningest Cyclist in US History with over 300 National and International Category 1 and Professional victories. These victories include: 1979-88 all time record holder in Red Zinger/Coors International Bicycle Classic with 22 individual stage wins; 1981-87 seven time sprint points competition winner in Coors International; 1986 first American to win a road stage in the Tour de France; 1987 Tour de France stage winner; 1988 Coors International Bicycle Classic overall winner; 1988 Tour of the Americas overall winner and sprint points winner including three stage wins; 1988 Tour de France 2nd place in green jersey points competition; 1989 Tour de Trump two stage wins; 1991 Tour de Pont stage winner and overall sprint points competition winner. Davis is married to Connie Carpenter (1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Road Race). They have two children.

When Davis retired from competition he continued his involvement in the sport as a television commentator for ESPN, ABC, NBC and CBS announcing such events as Tour de Pont, the Extreme Games, 1994 World Mountain Bike Championships, 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Tour of Italy, USPRO Championships and the Tour of America series. He has co-authored a book about cycling training, co-directs Carpenter/Phinney Bike Camps, writes for both Winning Magazine and Bicycling Magazine, was a member of the
USPRO Board of Directors from 1997-2000, was a sports marketing director for Pearl Izumi Technical Wear from 1997-98, and does charitable work for the Jimmie Heuga Center for MS and the Leukemia Society's Team in training cycling programs.

Andy began his racing career in 1975 at age 15. He became a member of the National Team in 1979. His National awards include a 4th in the Junior Individual TT in 1978 and a gold in 1980 in the same event. He also finished 4th in the National Road Race that same year. He was a member of the 1984 gold medal team that won the Team Time Trial. His World Championship results include a bronze in the Team Time Trial at the 1979 Junior Worlds and a silver medal in 1980 in the same event. Andy rode on the National and World Teams as an amateur until 1983. In 1985 he turned professional and rode on the World Professional Team from 1985-1995. During his professional career he rode with Levis/Raleigh, 7-Eleven, Motorola, LaVie Claire, Banesto, and US Postal. His major International Results are numerous and include: Coors Classic 2nd overall twice, 3rd overall, 4th overall twice, 5th, 7th and 8th overall; Tour de Trump stage win in 1990; Tour de Romandie 3rd overall twice, a stage win and overall 1st place in 1992; Tour de Pays Basque stage win in 1989; Giro d'Italia 10th overall, 5th overall, 3rd overall. Hampsten became the first American to ever win the Giro in 1988 where he finished 1st overall with two stage wins; Pris Nice stage win in 1988 and 5th overall in 1991; Tour of Switzerland 3rd overall and KOM title in 1991, 3rd overall and stage win in 1990 and 1st overall twice both in 1986 and 1987; Hampsten had four career top 10 overall finishes at the Tour de France with an 11th in 1990, 8th overall twice once with a stage win in 1993 and again in 1991 and twice placing 4th overall in 1986 and again in 1992 with a stage win. Hampsten also won the white jersey as the best rookie in the Tour as well as the 1st place team award in 1986 for his role in helping teammate Greg LeMond win the Tour de France. Hampsten's career spanned 20 years of cycling. He was an excellent Road Rider, Time Trialist and climber. His successes in Europe as one of our first American Professionals helped establish the credibility of our riders and opened the door for many American riders in the years that followed.

Mountain Bike Category

Ned Overend (August 20, 1955)

Ned was one of the pioneers of the off-road (Mountain Bike) racing scene. He dominated the racing scene from 1984 to 1990 winning the first ever NORBA Championship. At the height of his career he won six National titles, numerous World Cups and countless otherraces all over the world. In 1990 he also won the first UCI World Mountain Bike Championship. Throughout the 1980's and early 1990's he was the man to beat on the off-road circuit, but few ever did. Known as "Deadly Nedly", he was still winning World Cup events when most men his age were having a mid-life crisis. In 1994 Ned won both the Swiss and Italian World Cup events. Ned has also written several books and has starred in videos on mountain bike riding and competition. Ned retired from professional competition in 1996.

Contributors Category

Fred DeLong (1915-1995)

Born in Philadelphia, PA. Began racing in early 1930s with the Century Road Club and was club champion and placed in the top three in state champion events. Had a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel. Traveled extensively in Europe, where he visited bicycle and component factories which gave him invaluable experience which he used in developing ISO standards. In the early 1970s, he began to serve on the International Standards Organization working on lighting, wheel retention, bicycle fork and frame fatigue strength, brakes, tires and rims. Published the DeLong's Guide to Bicycle and Bicycling in 1974, the first book in engineering aspects of cycling since 1896. DeLong worked as an expert witness for the defense in bicycling safety lawsuits. In 1988 because of DeLong's work, the US bicycle manufacturers were represented on the ISO working groups on bicycle safety. Founded the Great Eastern Rally in 1964, which has since been a yearly cycling event for thousands of riders. Recipient of the first Paul Dudley White Award, established by the League of American Wheelmen. Wrote over 200 technical articles for trade publications and wrote the BIA's owner's manual on bicycle repair and safe cycling in the 1960s.