Hello, my name is Julian Simioni

During the cold winter months, as many as eight members of the MSU Cycling Club could be found in Julian Simioni’s McDonel Hall dorm room, all riding their bikes on stationary “trainers” with the windows wide open, everyone watching a movie or listening to music.

“The road-racing season started on Feb. 22, when it was still really cold, so we had to train all winter,” said Simioni, a computer science senior and president of the club.

Now that it’s spring, races are held every weekend, each drawing teams from 20-25 schools, he said.

Because cycling is a club sport, it is funded by the team members, who pay for gas and hotels on race weekends.

“I like the competitions because it’s so tough, like the fact that it forces you to improve,” he said.

Simioni said he has four bikes on campus and a fifth at home, and he usually rides 10-12 hours per week.

He said the team has group rides almost every day, and about half of the members are serious about their racing.

“The people in the club are a lot of fun. They’re all my best friends now.”

—Compiled by Laura Leebove

Published on Tuesday, April 8, 2008