Coaches
BJC is powered by a dedicated team of over 50 experienced coaches who bring expertise, enthusiasm, and a deep love for cycling.
Coach development is at the heart of our program. We combine in-house training with best practices from other sports, ensuring our coaches are always learning and growing. Veteran coaches mentor new staff, and former BJC athletes have the opportunity to step into coaching roles through our training program.
Athlete wellness and safety are top priorities. We’re proud to have earned Gold Level Certification, the highest distinction available, reinforcing our commitment to SafeSport and the well-being of every rider.
Lead Coaches:
Pete Webber
Pete is BJC’s Executive Director, leading the team since 2013. A former pro racer, he competed at the World Cup and World Championship levels in mountain biking and cyclocross. After retiring from racing, Pete spent 12 years advocating for cycling with the International Mountain Bicycling Association. He’s been inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and won the Double-Goal Coach Award for his commitment to mentorship. Pete loves helping young riders grow—whether they’re chasing podiums or just having fun on two wheels!
Lester Pardoe
Lester has been with BJC since the very beginning, coaching since 2006! With a degree in Physical Education and two years of High-Performance Coaching training at Canada’s National Coaching Institute, he has coached athletes in multiple sports worldwide. Lester is a former Olympic-level speed skater, serving as a coach for Canada’s national team. At BJC, he is the Director of Devo Programming, bringing decades of experience, enthusiasm, and a deep love for the sport to every practice.
Christoph Cikraji
Christoph is the manager and coach of BJC’s high school team. Growing up between Japan and the U.S., he learned to embrace adventure, travel, and diversity. He found his passion for cycling while living in Durango, CO, surrounded by some of the world’s best mountain bikers. Christoph has raced Enduro, worked as a pro bike mechanic, and studied astrophysics and international affairs at CU Boulder. He now calls Boulder home and is dedicated to helping the next generation of BJC riders develop both on and off the bike!
Margell Abel
Margell has been racing bikes for nearly three decades and has won three National Championships! She coached the CU Women’s Road Team for 11 years and has been with BJC for over a decade. For Margell, cycling is more than just a sport—it’s a way to stay healthy, connect with nature, and build a strong community. She especially loves coaching ‘cross in the fall, watching young riders push their limits and support each other along the way.
Michael Robson
Michael grew up in Australia and has spent his life on two wheels. From motorcycle racing to BMX, road, track, mountain biking, and cyclocross, he’s done it all. Michael has been coaching at BJC since 2012 and sees cycling not just as a sport, but as a way to help young athletes develop resilience, confidence, and a sense of adventure.
Garrett Gerchar
Garrett is a BJC alum who grew up in Boulder and found his love for cycling through BJC’s cyclocross program. After progressing through the ranks, he raced for the Clif Bar Development Team before turning pro. Off the bike, Garrett earned a mechanical engineering degree from CU Boulder. His favorite part of coaching? Teaching life lessons through the bike and watching young athletes grow in confidence—on and off the trails!
Riley Cotton
Riley is a former BJC rider and national TT champion who started coaching in 2022. He’s been racing bikes since age 7 and has a deep appreciation for the cycling community. When he’s not coaching or riding, he helps organize the Valmont short-track series and manages timing for races like the Colorado High School MTB League. Riley loves watching young athletes develop both as riders and as people while having a blast on the bike!
Team Coaches:
Sidra Aghababian
Sidra has been racing both XC and gravity disciplines for over eight years, competing in high school and college. Originally from Southern California, she moved to Colorado to study Environmental Policy and Business Administration at CSU. When she’s not working in the environmental nonprofit world, she’s out exploring new trails and helping young riders discover the joy of mountain biking. Sidra loves how biking builds confidence, adventure, and a deep appreciation for the outdoors.
Tess Amer
Tess is a former teacher and school counselor who loves working with young athletes both on and off the bike. An endurance athlete since high school, she spends her free time training for big events like the Unbound 200 and the Leadville 100. She brings years of racing experience, but more than anything, she wants to help young riders build confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love for cycling.
Julie Boylan
Julie fell in love with road racing in college while competing for the University of Michigan Club Team. After graduation, she and her husband moved to Boulder for the ultimate cycling playground, racing road and cyclocross before settling down to raise their two kids. Now, she loves sharing the joy of riding with her family and exploring new mountain bike trails on weekend adventures.
Casey Crazier
Casey has been on two wheels since he was three years old, starting with BMX and mountain biking before racing road bikes in college. He moved to Colorado in 2017 to soak up the outdoor lifestyle and now spends summers riding Trestle Bike Park with his wife and two kids. Casey has coached multiple youth sports and loves helping young riders find their own passion for cycling—whether that’s racing, exploring, or just having fun on the bike!
Noah Granigan
Noah grew up in a cycling family and started racing at age 9. He worked his way up through the junior, U23, and collegiate ranks before turning pro in 2019. As a member of the Denver Disruptors, Noah has raced all over the world, winning collegiate national championships and representing Team USA on the international stage. He started coaching at BJC in 2020 and loves sharing his passion for cycling, teamwork, and competition with the next generation of riders.
Karla Kingsley
Karla started out as a cross-country runner, but while living in Mexico as an exchange student, she discovered cycling and never looked back. She’s raced road, mountain biking, cyclocross, and track all over the U.S. and now loves shredding trails with her two daughters in Boulder. For Karla, the best part of coaching is helping young riders push their limits while having a blast.
Shelby Katz
Shelby has been racing since she was 10 years old, competing in XTERRA, mountain biking, cyclocross, and triathlons. Before joining BJC in 2021, she coached with Little Bellas for over seven years. Shelby’s biggest goal? Helping young riders find confidence, adventure, and joy on two wheels!
David McNutt
David grew up in Boulder, where cycling was a huge part of his life. He raced junior road, worked as a bike mechanic in high school, and now works as a Special Education Career Coach at BVSD. Whether he’s on a casual ride or coaching young riders, David just loves being on a bike and helping kids find their own path in cycling.
Oliver Skelly
Oliver got his start riding through the streets of Houston, TX, but it was moving to Colorado that turned him into a true mountain biker. He’s spent years exploring trails across the Rocky Mountain West, even bikepacking the entire Colorado Trail. His favorite ride? Whichever trail he’s on right now!
Eli Strauss
Eli grew up in Boulder and has been hooked on mountain biking since he was a kid. He has experience coaching BJC’s Devo program but also brings years of instruction and guiding experience from the rock climbing world. He loves seeing young riders push their limits, develop skills, and—most importantly—have fun. Favorite quote: “You can’t put a price on morale.” – Tommy Caldwell.
Scott Tietzel
Scott is a Boulder native and longtime BJC coach, working with the team since 2012. He’s done it all—road, mountain, cyclocross, and gravel racing—even competing in Europe. Scott is the only rider to complete the Leadville 100 MTB in under 7:20 for 10 straight years! But his favorite part of cycling? Helping young riders improve, learn, and enjoy the ride.
Kay Tuttle
Kay has been coaching with BJC since 2016 and is one of our most experienced and dedicated coaches. She’s a Level 2 BCIP Instructor and constantly seeks ways to improve both her own riding and her coaching techniques. She spent years coaching Boulder High’s MTB team and was even a bronze medalist at the 2019 National Enduro Championships! Kay believes in helping young riders develop both skills and self-confidence while having fun on the bike.
Syrae Weikle
Syrae has spent 20+ years teaching Physical Education in Colorado and coaching everything from track and skiing to softball and Special Olympics. She has a BAS degree in Physical and Health Education, and she’s passionate about helping kids develop movement skills, confidence, and a love for biking.
Josh Winer
Josh started coaching with BJC when his son joined the Young Devo program in 2022—and he never looked back! Now, he coaches the older Devo kids, helping them build skills, fitness, and confidence beyond what they think is possible. When he’s not coaching, you’ll find him out on gravel adventures, bikepacking, or chasing “super rides” through the foothills.
Ruth Winder
Ruth started cycling at 15 and quickly climbed the ranks, earning a spot on Team USA’s 2016 Olympic Track Cycling Team and the 2020 Olympic Road Cycling Team. She won the 2019 U.S. National Road Race Championship and the Tour Down Under in 2020. After retiring from the World Tour, Ruth discovered her passion for coaching and now loves sharing her racing experience and tactical skills with young riders.
Mike West
In three words I am a kid at hart, adventurous, outdoors man born and raised in the hart of the Colorado mountains. I have been lucky enough to be involved in cycling from its earliest days. Starting with my early roots (and Clunkers) in Crested Butte, where I was born, to the first worlds in Durango, where I grew up. I have always been in the thick of the sport, starting early on, racing NORBA XC’s and STXC’s then adding DH racing not long after. I continuing the cycling journey with Super D races that slowly morphed into days on the World Enduro scene. Now, as my cycling days turn into decades, I am even more great full for all the experiences cycling has given me. Sharing those experiences and knowledge with the next generation makes the journey that much better!