JAM Fund

Age: 22

Hometown: Wilmington, North Carolina

Trent Blackburn continues to race for the JAM Fund's development team for a second year in 2017. He's been with the JAM fam since 2015 when he was awarded a JAM Fund Grant. Since then, he has improved on the bike, getting top 15 finishes in UCI cross races and representing the team almost every weekend at the races. 

"Last cross season was my best ever, going from the 40s to top 15," he said. "I enjoyed a crushing victory at KMC Cross Festival in the 2/3 race, as well as a local elite podium at the NY Cross Uncle Sam Grand Prix. I'm seeing consistent PR's in training and some decent race results on the road, including 2nd U23 at Rasputitsa."

In June Blackburn traveled to Belgium with other JAM Fund riders for three weeks of racing around Europe.

"My goals for this cross season are to continue improving with a focus on getting UCI points as well as racing some C1's if possible," he said. 

Age: 23

Hometown: Gilsum, New Hampshire
Cycling Strengths: XC mountain and cross
Favorite Race: His next Windham, New York World Cup XC
Hobbies: Fly fishing and hanging out with his golden retriever Angel

Ian Gielar continues with the JAM Fund development team for a second year in 2017. He has been with the JAM fam for three years, winning a JAM Fund Grant in 2015. He hopes to finish in the top 15 at UCI races this fall and perhaps collect a UCI point.

Age: 28

Hometown: South Deerfield, Massachusetts

Mark has been in the wings for a long time with JAM/NCC, but this is his first official year as a member of the JAM development team. He was very active in the cross scene last year, competing in more than 20 races and getting several top-ten finishes in the Cat 3’s.

Chris Niesen continues on the JAM Fund develop team for a third year in 2017. He raced in China in 2015 and enjoyed the experience of travel and racing afar. That trip pretty much busted his bank account, but he's back at it.

Age: 18

Hometown: Berlin, Massachusetts

Chris Norvold joins the JAM Fund Development Team in 2017. He's a high school senior and will be moving out of the junior ranks into the U23 category in races this season.

"My goal is to get good grades with good racing. Well, at least one of those," he said.

Age: 17

Hometown: Horseheads, New York

Daniel Vaughn joined the JAM Fund Development Team in 2017, racing in the JAM/NCC kit at Cyclocross National Championships in Hartford, Connecticut in January. He is in 11th grade and always makes time for homework and training. Last cross season, he competed in more than 20 races including six junior UCI category races.

"My favorite race last year was Nationals in Hartford because the snowy conditions were super fun," he said.  "I got to hang out with the JAM crew and explored the city of Hartford for a couple of days. I also had a pretty good result finishing 24th."

Age: 19

Hometown: Leverett, Massachusetts

Kale Wenczel joins the JAM Fund devo team in 2017 after twice winning a JAM Fund Grant. He studies Architecture Design at UMass as a part-time student so he has time to train.

"I had a blast at nationals last year until bad luck,"he said. "But mostly I really enjoyed hitting all the UCI races once I upgraded. It was super fun getting to race two really hard races every weekend. The Supercross Cup I remember very vividly for extremely cold, windy and muddy day two after a hot and dry day one."