JAM Fund

Age: 16

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. In 2021, she moved up to racing in the pro/1/2/3 category. 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: 16

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. In 2021, he competed with the large field of junior men 15-16 at Northampton International Cyclocross weekend.

Age: 21

Hometown: Burlington, Vermont

Hobbies: Hockey and grunge music

Patrick joined the JAM Fund in 2021, racing in 14 events his first season with the team and landing a 3rd place podium in the elite men’s field at Hometown Cx.

While racing for the University of Vermont in 2019 Patrick won the Northampton International Cyclocross in the men’s Cat 3 field of 80 riders. He also won both days at Super Cross Cup and competed in Cyclocross National Championships. He is targeting U23 Cyclocross National Championships in 2022.

Age: 33

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. He competed in 18 races last year and got top-10 in five of them.

Age: 22

Hometown: Shelburne, Vermont

Talia joined the JAM Fund in 2022 after receiving a JAM Fund Grant over the summer. In her first three months on the cyclocross circuit, she participated in a dozen races including Rochester, Charm City, Really Rad and Northampton International Cyclocross.

Age: 18

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 and jumped into ten races his first year with the team including Rochester, Charm City and Kings Cx.

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: 16

Hometown: Chesterfield, Massachusetts

Sophie joined the JAM Fund Development Team in 2020 after being awarded the JAM Fund Grant for three years. In 2021, she raced seven events and won the Atomic Coffee Ghosts of Gloucester in the junior women 15-18 category.

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.

Age: 22

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 seventh 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 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: 22

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.

In 2021, he competed in 11 races in the elite men’s category including Rochester, Trek CX Cup and Northampton International.

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.