JAM Fund

Age: 14

Hometown: Greenfield, Massachusetts

Jessica started racing cyclocross at the age of 10 after participating in the NCC Cyclocross Camp and falling in love with bikes. She has been a JAM Fund Grant recipient since 2017 and every season since, she has actively competed in cyclocross racing. Jessica was the overall Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series winner for her age category in 2018 and 2019. She also placed sixth in the Junior Women’s 13-14 category at CX Nationals in Tacoma in 2019.

When she’s not riding bikes, Jessica can be found playing guitar, drawing, or skateboarding.

Age: 25

Hometown: Wilmington, North Carolina

Strengths: sweet skills, poker-face, wrenching

Nickname: T-Dog

Trent Blackburn was already a seasoned cyclocross racer when he moved from North Carolina to Easthampton, Massachusetts in 2016 to join the JAM Fund. He was tired of being pack fodder. In just three years of working with Coach Al Donahue, Blackburn improved to become a regular top-10 finisher in UCI races. In his first season as a JAM Fund Elite Team rider, Blackburn landed his first-ever UCI podium, finishing 2nd place in the heavy mud of HPCX. "T-Dog" spent two summers in Belgium developing his road racing skills in the blisteringly fast elite kermesse races-- a challenging European warm up that benefitted his U.S. fall cross season. He is a hard-working member of the team and community, volunteering at local cycling events, our annual Grand Fundo and much more.

Age: 14

Hometown: Northampton, Massachusetts

Ari has been riding bikes since he was in first grade and he has been riding the JAM Fund Grand Fundo for the past few years, sometimes in a loose T-shirt and borrowed shorts and shoes. He joined the JAM Fund Team in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in summer 2020, and hasn’t let the uncertainty of our times stop him from the thing he loves most: riding his bike, putting in up to 100 miles on some weeks and practicing cyclocross skills with his teammate Jessica Beck. He built a cross course in his local woods to practice his skills.

Off the bike, Ari is a go-getter. He started a yard business with a good friend and they have about a dozen regular clients now. He plays baseball for the Northampton Baseball League, and is in 9th grade at Northampton High School taking classes remotely, like a lot of others are forced to do in these times.

Ari looks forward to burning extra watts in the sandpit when cyclocross racing starts back up again.

Age: 30

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Chris Niesen has a long history with JAM Fund, joining the team in 2014. He started riding bikes as a kid in the busy streets of Milwaukee after receiving the gift of a 1970’s Nishiki, which he calls his first “real bike.” A few years later while living in Cincinnati, Niesen learned about cyclocross when a friend told him about a race at Kings Park in Mason, Ohio. From then on, Niesen wanted to be part of the best athletes and teams in the sport. He moved to Western Massachusetts to ride with the JAM Fund and has gone on to be one of the team’s most dedicated racers and community volunteers, helping out with summer training camps for young kids and teaching them how to shred.

Mark joined the JAM Fund team in 2017 as a developmental rider. He lives and trains in Boston and during the Coronavirus pandemic times he has been out searching for new trails and adventures. He enjoys technical and fast courses that test his technical ability. Before getting hooked on cyclocross he was a Division I decathlete.

Favorite Quote: " I feel the need… the need for speed!"

Spirit Animal: Chicken.

Age: 20

Hometown: Berlin, Massachusetts

Favorite Race: NBX GP

Job: Freelance Content Creator

Hobbies: Rock climbing, skiing and making videos.

Chris Norvold is in his fourth season with the JAM Fund and his second year racing in the UCI elite field. Novold showed strong development and progress in 2019, starting last cross season in China at the Qiansen Trophy and taking 25th place. He continued his strong racing at the Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series where he took a few top 15s and finished 4th overall among the U23 men. He studies Marketing at Westfield State University, a life goal he says is inspired by JAM Co-Founder and Four-time U.S. Cyclocross National Champion Jeremy Powers, who went to Westfield 15 years ago. Follow him on chrisnorvold.com.

Age: 13

Hometown: Chesterfield, Massachusetts

Sophie joined the JAM Fund Development Team in fall 2020 after being awarded the JAM Fund Grant for the past three years. She is active in the community and on her bike, always present in the junior cyclocross races in New England.

In addition to her love of riding, Sophie also is a cross country ski racer. And when she’s not competing in either sport, she enjoys working with Highland cows.

We’re excited to have Sophie in the program.

Photo by Kate Parrott.

Age: 28

Jane Rossi joined JAM Fund in 2019 after her breakout debut season in Elite UCI cyclocross. As a privateer, Rossi coached herself, independently managed her racing program and served as her own mechanic. In her first season on JAM Fund, Rossi moved up in the rankings consistently producing top 10 results including 4th at the Cycle-Smart International. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design where she won the 2018 Collegiate Cyclocross National Championships. In addition to pro racing, Rossi works as a head marketing manager at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While balancing a demanding career and elite racing, Rossi actively works to give back to the community and volunteers her time to the JAM Fund Grant Program.

Age: 19

Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Cycling Strengths: Technical skills, never quits

Athletic Background: Gymnastics

Career Goal: Physical Therapist

Anna Savage is one of the most dedicated racers at the start line, competing in 185 cyclocross races over the past ten years and only DNF’ing twice. She is approaching her fifth year with JAM Fund, and there is no other woman who has been in the program longer. She received her first JAM Fund grant in 2016 and has progressed with us ever since. She has represented JAM/NCC at national championships and more than 20 races each season. She earned her first UCI points last season, finishing 9th in the U23 race at the 2019 Cyclocross National Championships in Seattle, Washington. She captured the prestigious U19 Cat 3 Women NECX Series overall in 2015. She is currently racing on scholarship for Lees-McRae College, a USA Cycling Division 1 Varsity cycling program. As part of the collegiate team, she added downhill mountain bike racing to her skillset. She is a double major in Biomedical Science and Exercise Science. Her goals for 2020 include racing 'cross in Europe.

Age: 20

Hometown: Horseheads, New York

Daniel Vaughn has been racing cyclocross since he was a junior. He moved through the JAM Fund program first being awarded a JAM Fund grant while racing for our partner Northampton Cycling Club and then transitioning to the JAM Fund race team in 2017. That year he suited up for us at Cyclocross National Championships in Hartford, Connecticut— a freezing, icy, super slippery, technical course— that didn’t seem to phase him one bit. Last season, Daniel raced in China and had solid races in the pro 1/2 category. We knew we made the right choice in supporting Daniel all these years. He is the consummate volunteer and is always willing to give a helping hand in the community.