Origin
ACT was founded in 2021 by Mark Laughery, Xiaohan Zhang, and Matthew Dann. Upon reflecting on our early racing experience, a couple patterns emerged:
Despite the size and diversity of lower categories, established teams often focus on shepherding individual riders into P/1/2 as quickly as possible. Podiums celebrate individuals, teams have special kits for their elite team, training camps are selective, etc. We felt this 'hero' mentality created an exclusive racing community with insufficient focus on fun and respect.
Lower category racing is notoriously dangerous and absent of strategy. While we were inspired by the success of teams on YouTube (e.g. Legion and Mikes Bikes), we found insufficient investment in rider safety and tactics in lower categories.
Our Values
The principles that guide everything we do
Our passion for cycling transcends Thursdays at Seward and weekends East of the mountains. Mutual respect - both within the team and with others - is our main priority. We celebrate victories as a team, and admire and learn from faster riders around us.
We do our best to do more than we say when it comes to accessibility and diversity. We provide each member with generous sponsorship regardless of level, and aim to build a team with diverse backgrounds through ongoing community involvement.
Road racing and training is stressful! Vehicles and other riders can be aggressive, which is a serious test of patience. We do our best to diffuse, acknowledge our faults, and promote respect with everyone around us. We work hard to reshape the muddled reputation carried by road cyclists.
2026 Goals
- •Be present: ride, train, and race together often
- •Be intentional: plan ahead and communicate with each other
- •Field a competitive WTFNB team
- •Perform and get results: win
- •Host an ACT race and contribute our time and energy to putting on races in our region
What we ask of our racers
Our mission is to inspire and support amateur riders to join and succeed at the sport of cycling. We're committed to supporting team members through race kits, race reimbursements, and a cohesive team strategy. Our belief is that cycling is more fulfilling as a team sport and the better we're at removing barriers to entry, the more positive impact we can have for our community.
Race and Train with the Team
- • Register, race, and document your participation in 10+ races, primarily located in the PNW area
- • Wear a complete ACT kit (jersey & bibs) in every registered race and on the podium when you get results
- • Participate in at least two team rides a month
Contribute to the Racing Community
- • Volunteer at a local road race
Ride Safely
- • Race safely
- • Train safely, take care of each other, and pay attention to traffic laws during team rides
- • Speak up and escalate concerns when others and teammates ride in an unsafe manner
Practice Sportsmanship
- • De-escalate aggressive behavior
- • Communicate on and off the bike with teammates
- • Actively promote cycling within our local community