By Joseph Knoop
Spencer Miller is, in many ways, a modern embodiment of “The Little Engine That Could.” Noticeably lean and on the shorter side, it’s not until Miller climbs onto his competition-ready bike that the distinction becomes clear. Well, as clear as anything can get when he’s leaving entire packs of older, more experienced cyclists in his dust on the mountains of Tucson.
“A year ago, I never thought I’d be out here,” said Miller, 17. “I don’t know what else I’d be doing.”
Miller, a Zionsville resident who recently finished well in the Valley of the Sun race event (out of 800 participants in 23 categories), began his journey as a cyclist when he met Matt Tanner, founder of Rollfast, a local nonprofit cycling club in 2013.
“I wasn’t very promising or fast on the bike, but Matt took me in,” Miller said. “He gave me a jersey and a team to ride for. He didn’t bring me onto the team because I was a good rider, but he brought me onto the team to supply me with the tools to get better every day.”
Miller’s biggest break yet came while attending the Cinch Cycling Camp in Tucson, Ariz. Tom Danielson, founder of Cinch Cycling and seasoned professional road racing cyclist, took note of Miller during the weeklong camp and asked him to stay for additional training.
“Coming into camp, I thought of him as just another camper,” Danielson said. “After a few days, all of a sudden I could see he had this big barrel chest, long legs, small body. He looked like a super climber.”
For Danielson, it was Miller’s willingness to listen and learn that made all the difference.
“What’s good about me is that I’ve made every mistake known to man,” Danielson said. “It’s allowed me to understand Spencer and know the solution to any problem, mentally or physically.”
Danielson has Miller training heavily for climbing and stage racing events, much of which involves hilly or mountainous terrain found in Nevada, unlike the relatively flat terrain in Indiana. It’s still a long road to traverse for Miller, but it says something when seasoned professionals like Danielson and Tanner admit the young man could make it to various major competitions one day, including the Tour de France.
“It’s really just surreal,” Miller said.
For more, go to CinchCyling.com or RollfastCycling.org.
