photo Jeff Kerkove.

JEFF KERKOVE had been biking since a child but things only got serious after he graduated from high school. After trying a small XC event close to where he lived he got the bug and started competing in races throughout the US. Now 20 years on he has claimed several state championship titles, raced in 24 Hour World Championships and is currently part of the Topeak-Ergon Racing Team.

The sport has taken Jeff to countries such as Nepal, Brazil and Japan and although it’s obvious he has put in the training and always remained dedicated, it is still clear that he is forever grateful for the opportunities the bicycle has given him.

Read on to find out more about Jeff’s cycling accomplishments and his ambitions and goals for the future. For anyone with an interest in biking the passion he speaks with is sure to leave you feeling inspired and quite possibly eager to get straight onto your bike!

photo Daniel Milchev.

When did you first get involved in mountain biking and what or who inspired you?

I first started competing in 1996, right after I graduated from High School. My friends and I had always been riding for fun, it is what we did as kids to get around. 

Racing was starting to get popular all over the US, so we decided to try a local XC race about two hours from where we lived, in northern small town Iowa. It was a small XC event, with about 100 people. It was 100 per cent a learning experience that basically got me hooked. I had amazing support from my parents and the local bike shop. Each did what they could to help me get to MTB events in the central part of the US. 

I wouldn’t say any one person inspired me, but rather the lifestyle inspired me. The travel, training, and like-minded people that surrounded me at these events inspired me to keep moving onward and upward. This still holds true today.

When did you first realise you excelled at mountain bike racing and that it could become more than just a hobby?

My original goal with racing was to reach the pro level in XC and to become the best that I physically could.  At the time, XC and DH seemed to be the only MTB racing formats available. Road racing was also popular, but I had no interest in it. I did well at select XC events across the Midwest, but it always was dependent on the location and field.

My weak point was sheer top-end speed, and still is to this day. With most XC events I would finish and still have gas in the tank… even though I went 100 per cent. My body was more adapted for pushing a good pace for longer distance.  So, in 2002, with 12 and 24 hour racing getting big, I tried this. It gave me something new and fresh to train for. I decided to try to go to the 24 Hour World Championships in Canada.  In order to do so I needed to qualify.

So, I signed up for a 24-hour solo event in Wisconsin, finished second in the solo men, and three weeks later found myself on the start line of the 24 Hour Solo World Championships in Silver Star, BC, Canada. 

With successes on the endurance scene, that was when my focused shifted to longer events. For nearly seven years all I did was 12 and 24-hour solo races across the US, and even an event in Japan.

photo Ergon Bike.

What was it like getting the opportunity to turn your hobby into your job?

To this very day, I wouldn’t call racing my job, or would I want it to be. I do have a daily 9-5 job working with three others in the US to run and manage Ergon Bike for the US and Canada markets. I am super fortunate that my job and passion align. They both benefit each other. I have held this job for just over eight years now and it has been super exciting being able to mix work and pleasure.

What have been your biggest successes in mountain biking and what do you wish to achieve in the future?

I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years now.  Funny thing is, each year I get better and have new experiences on and off the racetrack. I have had the pleasure to claim a few state championship titles, race a few 24 Hour World Championships, race in countries like Nepal, Brazil, and Japan, and win some personal favourite events like the Vapor Trail 125 in Colorado.

For the future, I want to keep pushing to become a better athlete as well as get others stoked on riding and/or racing.

Adventure riding is new for me, riding the routes less travelled. I hope to further this as well outside of putting on a number plate. 

I also want to help to motivate others to start riding or keep riding.  The sport of mountain biking has so many avenues to which a person can turn down.  Racing is just one small direction to go.

photo Jeff Kerkove.

How did you get involved with the Topeak-Ergon Racing Team and what is it like biking with them?

When I took my job with Ergon Bike nearly eight years ago, one of the benefits was a spot on Team Topeak-Ergon racing in North America. This was a natural fit as I was already competing, knew the endurance race scene in the US, and it was one way to help grow the Ergon Bike brand and team sponsor brands here in the US.

Riding for and working with the team and its partners has been priceless. I have met some amazing athletes, as well as seen what it takes to run a top tier MTB team.  No doubt, the international race experiences I have had can be directly related to the power behind the team name and image. The team could almost be viewed as a brand.

Right now, there are four of us on the Topeak-Ergon roster here in the US.  The remaining riders are in Europe. We really only all get together once a year for the Leadville 100 in Colorado. The chemistry of the team is unreal. Through the years and minor roster changes, the team just seems to click. It’s like everyone is on a team they were meant to be on from day one of their careers. Not may MTB teams can say they have had the life span or successes that Team Topeak-Ergon has.

How hard do you have to train and has mountain biking taken its toll on your body?

At this point in my career, I feel I have built a pretty solid base. My body knows the drill. So now for training, I just need to hone the skills before an event that I am looking to do well at.

I really love to ride, so I take the joy of riding and mix it with a bit of training or race-specific work. I am still motivated to get better, so I put in the specific work when I need to. 

Lucky for me, my body has held up very well. Knock on wood, no aches or pains to speak of. It all comes down to balance. Eat well, stay active, and know when to say when.  As I have always said, “train hard, rest harder.”

photo Daniel Milchev.

What advice would you give to someone looking to take up the sport or start to take it more seriously?

Keep it fun on and off the bike. After all it’s just riding a bike. There is always a time and place to be serious with training and racing, but ultimately it comes down to self-enjoyment and the experience. If you do it right, everything else will fall into place. Everything I have in my life; all the places I have travelled to, all the people I have met and relationships made, these are all because of the bicycle, and that is pretty damn cool!

What are your plans for the rest of 2015 and beyond?

2015 will be a balance of work and racing, just like every year. A lot of my 2015 racing will be in my home state of Colorado. Events like the Breck-Epic Stage Race, Vapor Trail 125, and Telluride 100 all top my race list.

If I am not racing I am likely working an event, festival, or expo for Ergon Bike. This year, I also plan to further my adventure riding by going higher and in more remote locations in Colorado.  

Whether I am racing or just riding, the big mountains of Colorado are my calling with the MTB.

photo Daniel Milchev.