Brent Bookwalter

  
  


Brent Bookwalter headshot 2014
Brent Bookwalter

Date of Birth: February 16, 1984
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Place of Birth: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Hometown: Rockford, Michigan
Residence: Asheville, North Carolina & Girona, Spain
Teams: Team DEVO MTB, Slingshot Bikes, Advantage Benefits/Endeavor (2005), Priority Health (2006), BMC Racing Team (2008-Present)
High School: Rockford High School (Rockford, Mich.) '02
Other Sports Played in High School: Alpine skiing (3 years); Football (1 year)
College: Lees-McRae College '07
Major: Biology
Websites: www.brentbookwalter.com & www.bookwalterbinge.com

Olympic & UCI World Championships Experience

  • 2012 UCI Road World Championships, Limburg, Netherlands — 103rd place, Road Race
  • 2011 UCI Road World Championships, Copenhagen, Denmark — 65th place, Road Race
  • 2009 UCI Road World Championships, Mendrisio, Switzerland — DNF, Road Race
  • 2008 UCI Road World Championships, Varese, Italy — DNF, Road Race
  • 2006 UCI Road U23 World Championships, Salzburg, Austria — 40th place, Time Trial
  • 2002 UCI Junior Cyclo-cross World Championships, Zolder Belgium — 40th place
  • 2002 UCI Junior Mountain Bike World Championships, Kaprun, Austria — 78th place

National Championships Highlights

  • Nine-time USA Cycling National Collegiate Champion
  • 2nd place — 2013 USA Cycling Professional Road & Time Trial National Championships, Chattanooga, Tenn. — Time Trial & Road Race
  • 3rd place — 2012 USA Cycling Professional Time Trial National Championships, Greenville, S.C.
  • 9th place — 2011 USA Cycling Professional Road Race National Championships, Greenville, S.C.
  • 4th place — 2011 USA Cycling Professional Time Trial National Championships, Greenville, S.C.
  • 4th place — 2009 USA Cycling Professional Road Race National Championships, Greenville, S.C.
  • 1st place — 2006 USA Cycling U23 Time Trial National Championships, Champion, Pa.
  • 2nd place — 2006 USA Cycling U23 Road Race National Championships, Champion, Pa.
  • 2nd place — 2005 USA Cycling U23 Time Trial National Championships, Antelope Island, Utah
  • 3rd place — 2005 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, Providence, R.I., Elite race
  • 1st place — 2005 USA Cycling Division-II Road Omnium National Champion
  • 1st place — 2005 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Champion
  • 5th place — 2004 USA Cycling U23 Cyclo-cross National Championships, Portland, Ore.
  • 5th place — 2004 USA Cycling U23 Cross-Country Mountain Bike National Championships, Mammoth, Calif.
  • 1st place — 2004 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Champion
  • 1st place — 2003 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Champion

Career Highlights

  • 2nd overall — 2013 Tour of Alberta, (Canada)
  • 2nd place — 2013 Tour of Alberta, Stage 3
  • 2nd overall — 2013 Tour of Qatar
  • 1st place — 2013 Tour of Qatar, Stage 1
  • 3rd place — 2012 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, Stages 1 & 3
  • 3rd place — 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge (Colorado), Prologue
  • 2nd place — 2010 Giro d’Italia, Stage 1, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 3rd place — 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, Prologue, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • 1st place — 2009 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, Prologue, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • 2nd place — 2009 Redlands Bicycle Classic, Prologue, Redlands, California
  • 2nd overall — 2009 Tour of Elk Grove (Illinois)
  • 2nd place — 2009 Tour of Elk Grove, Stage 1, Elk Grove, Illinois
  • 2nd place — 2008 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, Stage 5, Salt Lake City, Utah

Points of Interest

  • Brent scored the best result of his career at the 2010 Giro d'Italia by finishing the 8.4-kilometer prologue course in 10 minutes and 20 seconds, just two seconds off the winning time set by Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins.
  • His magnificent result at the 2010 Giro even outshined his teammate, world road champion Cadel Evans, who was also favored to win the Giro.

Personal

For Michigan-native Brent Bookwalter, taking the time to get a quality education did not slow down him down as a top-ranked racer. Of course, his choice of school, Lees-McRae, the tiny North Carolina college with its prestigious cycling program, probably didn't hurt things either. While he was a student, Brent earned nine national collegiate titles in both road and mountain bike for the Lees-McRae Bobcats and, shortly after graduating, he snagged the national title in the U23 road race. While he was still an undergrad, he earned an invitation to join USA Cycling's National Development Program where he trained and raced in Europe.

Since 2005, Brent has been a regular on the professional circuit, racing for teams such as Advantage Benefits Endeavour Cycling Team (2005), Priority Health Cycling Team (2006) and BMC Racing Team (2008). A brutal crash at Tryptique Monts et Chateaux in 2007 benched the racer for 11 months, but Brent returned determined to prevail over the setback. He returned brilliantly. Proof of that came during the prologue stage of the 2010 Giro d'Italia when he finished just two seconds off the winning time to score the biggest result of his career to that point.

His brother and parents have been the strongest influencers to his career and have stood by him regardless of results, team colors, or performance. He also owes credit to a handful of  people from Michigan where he grew up. From sponsors to friends to coaches and mentors, Brent was surrounded by a potent group of believers in his cycling career and he claims that he would not be where he is now without their support.

Favorite Place to Train: Asheville, North Carolina

Best Cycling Memory: Being part of Cadel Evans' Tour de France victory in 2011

Best Advice Received When Starting Out: Have fun

First Involvement in Cycling: His next-door neighbor took him to a mountain bike race when he was 12

Community and Charity Involvement: Founded, organizes and promotes Bookwalter Binge charity gran fondo to benefit Trips for Kids WNC. Also works with local school bike clubs.

Family: Married to Jamie Bookwalter...son of Harry and Connie Bookwalter...has a brother, Taylor.