Gulo Ambassador Carson Becket
We checked in with Gulo ambassador and pro mountain bike racer Carson Becket to get a few words on his win this past weekend. With the UCI mountain bike event held in Banner Elk, NC, he had an advantage and he seized it nicely. The UCI is the leading governing body of top-level bicycle racing in the world. For an event like this to come to Lee’s McRae College in Banner Elk, NC, was a huge step for mountain bike racing in the southeast.
Treacherous conditions and course knowledge gave the winning edge
“I’m really familiar with the Banner Elk (mountain bike) course because we raced it throughout college while I was at Brevard. I pretty much had most of the sections locked into muscle memory, but the overnight rain made it treacherous nonetheless. I took the aggressive option and led into the singletrack off the start, knowing that it would be better to have a clear trail ahead of me and minimize the risk from others.”
He went early and stuck it
“After half a lap, and the gnarliest portion of the trail, I found myself off the front with a ~30sec gap. Knowing it was still early in the race and being a bit timid about the situation, I started to doubt myself a bit. Yet, I knew this was a unique opportunity so I dug in, rode my lines, and pushed the pace where I knew I could. I stayed away after that initial lap and took a solid first UCI win.”
Victory aboard his Gulo GMD27 Wheels:
“I rode the GMD-27s, the middle child of the XC and Enduro wheelsets. It’s the perfect blend of lightweight and durable and I utilize it for the wider rim width, which allows me to still run 2.25 XC tires. They are some of the most responsive wheelsets I’ve been on; being that the Banner Elk course was steep and very aggressive, I loved having immediate feedback when I got on the pedals.”
Carson Becket has been a Gulo rider since our company started in 2020. He has helped develop our products as well as being a top performer. He is a Brevard College Alumni, USA Cycling Certified Coach, and professional racer. Follow more on Carson via Instagram @carsonjbeckett or at carsonbecket.com