Team Skyline Professional Cycling.
An interview with Team Skyline Pro Cycling’s Ryan Dewald.
So Ryan, what is Team Skyline?
Oh man, dude- where do I begin? I guess for starters it’s important to lay at the facts. We’re a UCI Continental Men’s Professional Road Racing Team, based here out of Reading, PA. The ‘team’ got it’s start a few years back when I decided to start racing myself with just a singular Skyline jersey- named of course after my bike shop here, Skyline Bike and Board. Before I knew it I found myself ranked #1 nationally for Cat 1 racers and decided it was time to grow the team- dudes signed on, we started a club, Delaware Valley Racing,
and after a few years we had ourselves one of the fittest elite squads in the country. I guess this dream though of growing a small town pro cycling team stemmed from my days as a pro cyclist back in the early 2000s. Cycling was my life man, and I wanted to do something to get more guys into the upper tiers of the sport. That’s the quick and dirty about it, but this team means more to me than just putting together quick dudes from the east coast.
What do you mean?
Back in ’14 I got told by doctors that I have diabetes- type 1 diabetes. I was scared, man, to be in my 30s, coming out of years of pro cycling in the early 2000s, to then be told that I have this disease that messes with how my body handles glucose- sugar. I found myself in Atlanta, GA with the Novo Nordisk guys learning everything about insulin, management, diet, everything man. It made me realize just how aware of everything in my life I had to be just to survive, let alone race. So then I was like, “I wish I had someone closer to home who could educate me on racing with this thing.” So that’s where I got the idea- I wanted to make a pro cycling team who’s goal was not just to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes, but who actually educates people who are interested about it. Pro cycling brings you all over, and if we could educate every community we race in about diabetes, that’d mean a global, grass roots reach. That’s huge.
So is your team just focused on Type 1 diabetes?
Dude no, that’s the thing. What I learned is that to really be able to win races with diabetes, it requires a holistic approach to understanding and practicing a healthy lifestyle. The same things I do as a type 1 diabetic also can help people with type 2 or who are on the cusp of type 2 diabetes. Our team’s whole message is about informing and educating people about healthy, balanced living- everything from diet to exercise to rest to scheduling your routine. Type 1 messed with my groove but once I realized I could manage that, everything kind of just fell into place. And that’s what I really want to do, is spread this message that diabetes isn’t an end all, be all kind of deal, it’s manageable, avoidable, and can be overcome. It’s a huge public health crisis in this country and if our team can help people directly, dude, I’d consider that a win in of itself. That’s why we’re hosting these free, open to anyone diabetes awareness group rides. We love riding with people and talking bikes, and want more people to be aware and know about diabetes.
You mention the word community a lot- why did you choose to base the team out of your home community of Reading?
Man, this hits close to home. Reading is home to some beautiful riding, some real European style stuff. But this town’s been hit hard man. I had a tough upbringing, and it’s been hard to grow up and see how things have changed. These kids man- they come to my shop, and just want to hang around, pop wheelies- and I’m all for that. That’s what really makes staying around Reading great. Cycling saved me personally and has given me so much, exposed me to so many different parts of the world. I want to do that for these kids here too- I’m giving them something man.
I’m teaching them to work on bikes, I’m showing them how great cycling is, what fun it can be, the thrill of racing and ripping down hills. It’s keeping them out of trouble, and it’s giving them something that they can actually market when they’re older, like legit bike mechanic skills. And if they’re hungry I’ll cook them a meal, show them how to eat healthy and just take care of themselves. Some of these kids, man- they got tough situations, and it goes a long way to just be a positive influence in their life. That’s all it takes. I want to see the future generations of Reading turn my home town around and I honestly think cycling can be a means to do that. Too many guys in this sport just demand so much of it and never think what cycling can actually do. If you walk around with nothing but two catcher’s mits saying “give me, give me” you’re gonna get two black eyes. So I’m not creating this team to just ask for stuff from people then disappear like a flash in a pan. I want to give back to the sport, whether it’s educating people through our “wellness” tour or just keeping local Reading kids out of trouble and excited about bikes.
Man, that’s a lot. Diabetes, community outreach, youth involvement- are you spread thin?
Dude, it’s tough sometimes, but that’s why I’ve picked a rocking squad for our first year as a pro squad. We got Mike Jones, 41 years old but still as strong as ever, and he’s just a well of knowledge for our younger guys. It’s with guys like him and some of our other riders that makes all this easier. They’re working, they’re grinding, and they just like “get” the big picture.
They’re as into this program as I am and they are pushing it along just as much as I am. And everyone benefits. We got a couple U23 guys- a track star, Johnny Kuhfahl (this kid’s already won national titles) and a Princeton senior, Andrew Scott. These two guys are just power houses but need some guidance, and that’s where the older guys come in, giving them 20 years worth of racing experience through training and races. But it’s not just our pro guys- we ride with everyone, and if people want to listen, we’ll keep talking. We want racing to be fun and exciting and we want pro cyclists to be approachable, stable community members. We’re building the future man, and everyone’s on board. Now it’s just about getting into the season and winning some races.
So What’s Next?
We got a European UCI block coming up, and we’ve already hit some USA Crits stuff, bringing in some solid top 10 finishes with just a few guys. After our European trip ends in mid-may, we’ll be hitting some of the big east coast races like Wilmington and Winston Salem before heading up to Canada for Tour de Beauce and the Grand Prix de Saguenay. Stay tuned man, and hit us up on Instagram and Facebook for the up to date stuff.
