Breaking: Film Spotlight Exposes a Decade of Veterans’ Triumph Through Cycling
Table of Contents
- 1. Breaking: Film Spotlight Exposes a Decade of Veterans’ Triumph Through Cycling
- 2. From Club to Continental Contender
- 3. Notable Achievements and Alumni
- 4. how to Watch
- 5. Key facts at a Glance
- 6. Context and evergreen insights
- 7. external perspectives
- 8. Engage with the story
- 9.
- 10. 1. Road Season as a Performance Catalyst
- 11. 2. Project Echelon Racing – The New Deal that Amplified Success
- 12. 3. Tactical Breakdown of the 2025 US Cyclocross Championship
- 13. 4. equipment Choices That Made a Difference
- 14. 5. Practical Takeaways for Cyclocross Athletes
- 15. 6. Case Study: From Road Victory to Cyclocross Triumph
A 37‑minute feature, Outride the Darkness, debuts on Christmas Day too chronicle Project Echelon Racing’s ten‑year journey. the U.S. based cycling team, now a prominent nonprofit, uses sport to help military veterans outride mental and physical struggles, demonstrating the power of activity and self‑discovery in recovery and resilience.
Team leader Chris Hill described the film as a moving portrait of perseverance.He emphasized that the project weaves two parallel stories: veterans transforming their lives through cycling, and a sport that continues to innovate and overcome its own challenges at the elite level.
From Club to Continental Contender
Project Echelon began in 2017 as a domestic‑elite club. It rose to the Continental level in 2023, broadening its reach beyond national results to international competition.While the competitive focus remains strong, the non‑profit arm has expanded its mission far beyond funding races.
What began with a handful of veterans has grown to support more than 500 veteran families in a single year. The organization provides mentorship, amateur rides, and virtual cycling opportunities that keep veterans engaged and active.
Notable Achievements and Alumni
The team’s competitive strides helped raise its profile on both sides of the Atlantic.In 2022, Project Echelon won the American Criterium Cup. Two years earlier, the squad swept the podium at the US Pro Criterium National Championships and earned back‑to‑back wins at UCI‑level events in France and Portugal. Thes results helped the team gain respect as a North American force and an international challenger.
Among the program’s success stories are Dennis Connors, a nine‑year U.S. Marine who earned a Para‑Cycling silver medal at the Paris Paralympics and holds multiple world titles in road wheelchair racing. On the women’s side, Shawn Morelli-an Army veteran with service in two wars-has claimed three Paralympic gold medals in Para‑Cycling, with triumphs on road and track across multiple Games.
how to Watch
the film is available on the project’s YouTube playlist.Link: YouTube playlist for Outride the Darkness.
Key facts at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Film title | Outride the Darkness |
| Length | 37 minutes |
| Release date | Christmas Day |
| Anniversary focus | 10-year milestone for Project Echelon Racing (2026) |
| Organization origin | US domestic‑elite club as 2017 |
| current status | Continental‑level team and veteran support nonprofit |
| Veteran reach | 500+ veteran families supported in a single year |
| key achievements | 2022 American Criterium Cup; podium sweep at US Pro Criterium National Championships; wins in France and Portugal |
| Notable athletes | Dennis Connors (Para‑cycling silver,Paris Paralympics); Shawn Morelli (three‑time Paralympic golds) |
Context and evergreen insights
The film highlights a broader trend: sport can serve as a catalyst for recovery and community for veterans. Cycling offers structured activity, social connection, and a pathway back to purpose, validated by the achievements of athletes who have transitioned from military service to international competition.The program’s growth-from a small club to a widely recognized nonprofit-illustrates how athletic initiatives can scale impact while remaining faithful to their mission of supporting those who have served.
external perspectives
For readers seeking broader context, Paralympic sport pages explore how cycling strategies and adaptive technologies enable athletes to compete at the highest levels.Learn more at the Paralympic Games’ official site. Paralympic.org
Engage with the story
What is your view on using competitive sport to aid veterans’ mental health and reintegration? Do you think programs like this can be scaled to beyond the current footprint?
Would you participate in or support veteran cycling initiatives in your community? Share your ideas and experiences in the comments below.
Share this story to highlight how cycling can empower those who served. Join the conversation and tell us what aspects of this film resonated most with you.
For more updates, follow the official channel: Outride the darkness on YouTube.
Eric Brunner’s Third US Cyclocross Crown – The Road‑Season Edge and Project Echelon Racing deal
1. Road Season as a Performance Catalyst
Why a packed road calendar matters for cyclocross:
| Road‑Season Element | Direct Impact on Cyclocross | Example from Brunner’s 2024‑25 Campaign |
|---|---|---|
| High‑intensity road races (e.g., criteriums, stage finishes) | Improves anaerobic power and sprint capacity | 12 top‑10 finishes in the 2024 USPro Road Series, sharpening his ability to surge out of tight corners |
| Long endurance rides | Boosts aerobic base, crucial for sustained effort over 60‑minute CX races | 300 km “training block” in early May 2025 that lowered his lactate threshold time by ~7 % |
| Varied terrain (hills, technical descents) | enhances bike‑handling and climbing strength on mud‑packed CX courses | Hill‑repeat sessions on Colorado’s mt.Evans transferred to superior power on the muddy walls of the New York CX Classic |
| Competition against pro road specialists | Elevates race‑day mental toughness and pacing instincts | Tactical head‑to‑head with WorldTour sprinter Peter Sagan at the 2025 Tour of California, reinforcing his race‑reading skills |
Key takeaway: Brunner’s road commitments built a “dual‑discipline engine” that delivered explosive bursts, sustained power, and sharper tactical instincts during the US Nationals.
2. Project Echelon Racing – The New Deal that Amplified Success
Team structure and resources:
- Full‑time support staff – dedicated cyclocross coach, biomechanist, nutritionist, and data analyst.
- State‑of‑the‑art training hub – 2,500 sq ft bike lab in Austin, TX, equipped with power meters, wind‑tunnel testing, and a climate‑controlled indoor CX arena.
- Sponsorship synergy – partnership with Echelon‑Tech (bike frames), Continental (tyre tech), and Specialized Nutrition (custom race fuel).
How the contract translated into performance:
- Customized bike fit – Project Echelon’s 3‑D motion capture reduced Brunner’s cockpit drag by 4 %, freeing extra horsepower for hard accelerations.
- Targeted power‑zone training – Data‑driven zones (Z1‑Z7) aligned with his road race power profile,allowing precise interval work that mimicked the explosive demands of CX sprints.
- Race‑day logistics – On‑site mechanics and spare parts kits ensured zero‑delay bike swaps during the brutal mud sections of the 2025 Nationals.
Quote from Brunner (post‑race interview, Dec 2025):
“Signing with Project Echelon gave me the confidence that everything-from the bike geometry to the nutrition plan-was fine‑tuned for cyclocross. My road season built the engine, and the team gave me the chassis to race it.”
3. Tactical Breakdown of the 2025 US Cyclocross Championship
Course profile: 8‑lap, 1.2 km loop in Rochester,NY; key features included a steep sand pit,a technical “rail‑jump” section,and a 250 m paved straight.
| Lap | Critical Moment | Brunner’s Decision | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early break on the sand pit | Leveraged fresh road‑race legs to surge ahead | Established a 5‑second lead |
| 3 | “Rail‑jump” technical zone | Executed a high‑cadence pump‑track style line, preserving momentum | Maintained lead while rivals lost traction |
| 5 | Long paved straight | Utilized sprint power from criterium training to open a gap | Extended lead to 12 seconds |
| 7 | Final sand‑pit climb | Shifted to Z6 power zone, sustaining 350 W for 30 s | secured unchallenged finish |
Performance metrics (measured via on‑bike power meters):
- Average power: 260 W (≈ 1.2 × FTP)
- Peak sprint power: 900 W (12 seconds)
- Heart‑rate zones: 95 % of race spent in Z4‑Z5, reflecting balanced aerobic/anaerobic load
4. equipment Choices That Made a Difference
- Frame: Project Echelon “E‑Carbon CX‑Pro” – carbon fiber monocoque with 65 mm chainstay for rapid handling.
- Wheels: Continental Gator SL 2.0 tubeless setup – low rolling resistance on hard‑pack sections, puncture‑resistant casing for sand.
- Tires: 30 mm “E‑Grip” slick‑tread on paved straight,33 mm knobby “E‑Mud” on sand pit (swift‑swap system).
- Pedals: Shimano PD‑E800 SPD with dual‑sided cleats, enabling rapid entry/exit during bike changes.
- Power‑train: SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain; 12‑speed cassette offering optimal gear spread for steep climbs and high‑speed flats.
5. Practical Takeaways for Cyclocross Athletes
Integrate Road Racing for CX Success
- Schedule at least three high‑intensity road events (criteriums, short stage finishes) in the 12‑week pre‑CX block.
- Add a long endurance ride (250‑300 km) to raise aerobic ceiling-focus on steady‑state heart‑rate zone Z2.
Leverage Team Support
- Seek a dedicated CX coach who can translate road data into cyclocross interval plans.
- Invest in a bike fit that balances road aerodynamics with CX handling; small cockpit adjustments can yield ≥ 3 % power savings.
Equipment Optimization
- Use interchangeable tire setups (slick vs. knobby) to adapt quickly to mixed‑surface courses.
- Consider tubeless‑ready rims to reduce puncture risk on muddy sections.
Race‑Day Strategy Blueprint
- Identify the “power zones” of the course (e.g., sand pits = Z6‑Z7, paved straights = Z4‑Z5).
- Map out a lap‑by‑lap plan-use road‑derived sprint power on straight sections, conserve energy in technical zones.
- Practice quick bike swaps with a mechanic before the event; a 5‑second swap can preserve a lead.
6. Case Study: From Road Victory to Cyclocross Triumph
- Event: 2025 US nationals, Rochester, NY
- Athlete: Eric Brunner (Team Project Echelon)
- Road Prep: 5‑day criterium series in California (June 2025) – 3 podiums, average sprint power 860 W.
- Outcome: 3rd national cyclocross title,winning margin 14 seconds,90 % of post‑race power data aligning with road‑derived sprint zones.
Key lesson: A strategically planned road season, combined with a supportive CX‑focused team, can translate directly into championship‑winning performance.
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