JAM Fund

Age: 15

Hometown: Greenfield, Massachusetts

Jessica started racing cyclocross at the age of 10 and has been a part of the JAM Fund program, including as a grant recipient, since 2017. Jessica was the overall Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series age group winner for in 2018 and 2019. She placed sixth in the Junior Women’s 13-14 category at CX Nationals in Tacoma in 2019.

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

Age: 15

Hometown: Northampton, Massachusetts

Ari has been riding bikes since he was in first grade and still enjoys burning watts in the sandpit. He joined the JAM Fund Team in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic 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 runs cross country and is the co-president of the student class at Northampton High School.

Age: 20

Hometown: Burlington, Vermont

Skills: Engineering and crashing bikes

Hobbies: Hockey and grunge music

Favorite Race: NBX Grand Prix

Patrick joined the JAM Fund team in 2021 with six years of cyclocross racing under his belt. He’s competed in cross events since 2015 and is now racing in the Cat 1/2/3 fields.

While racing for his collegiate team at the University of Vermont in 2019 Patrick won both days at Northampton International Cyclocross in the men’s Cat 3 field of 80 riders. He also won both days at Super Cross Cup that year and competed in Cyclocross National Championships. He is targeting specific races this year including U23 Cyclocross National Championships and UCI events including the USCX and Vittoria Series. We’re excited to have Patrick in the JAM Fam and look forward to what he will do this season.

Oh, and that’s drying blood on his nose, not melted chocolate ice cream.

Mark joined the JAM Fund team in 2017 as a developmental rider. He lives and trains in Boston. 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: 17

Hometown: Wethersfield, Connecticut

Favorite Race: Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross

Race category: UCI junior men 17-18 and Elite men 1/2/3

Special Skills: Catching grapes and M&Ms in his mouth from out of the air.

Kevin joined the JAM Fund program in 2021 after already having seven years of cyclocross racing under his belt. He’s been an avid cross competitor since he was ten years old. Before the Covid pandemic, Kevin raced in 21 cross races in 2019, and he managed to find four races in 2020, a year when hardly any races were held.

Kevin juggles quite a bit off the bike. He is a senior in high school, is taking college-level courses and works at a dry cleaning business in customer service. We are excited to have Kevin join the JAM Fam this year!

Age: 31

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.

Age: 21

Hometown: Berlin, Massachusetts

Favorite Race: NBX GP

Job: Freelance Content Creator

Hobbies: Rock climbing, skiing and making videos.

Chris Norvold is in his fifth season with the JAM Fund and his third 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: 14

Hometown: Chesterfield, Massachusetts

Sophie joined the JAM Fund Development Team in 2020 after being awarded the JAM Fund Grant for 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.

Photo by Kate Parrott

Age: 20

Hometown: Westborough, Massachusetts

Cycling Strengths: Never quits

Athletic Background: Gymnastics

Career Goal: Physical Therapist

Anna Savage lives up to her name as one of the most dedicated racers at the start line. She has competed in 185 cyclocross races over the past decade and only DNF’ed twice. She is in her sixth 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.

Anna represented JAM/NCC at national championships and more than 20 races each season. She earned her first UCI points in 2019, finishing 9th in the U23 race at the Cyclocross National Championships in Seattle, Washington. She captured the prestigious U19 Cat 3 Women NECX Series overall in 2015.

Anna raced on scholarship for Lees-McRae College, a USA Cycling Division 1 Varsity cycling program, before transferring to UMass/Amherst last year, where she is majoring in kinesiology. Her future goals include racing 'cross in Europe.

Age: 21

Hometown: Horseheads, New York

Daniel Vaughn 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.

Daniel raced in China in 2019 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.