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Matt Roy's Cycling Resume
Matt Roy
matt@mmracing.org
Date of birth: 02/16/1973
Hometown: Arlington, MA
Height: 5’10”Weight: 155 lbs.
Education:
- Harvard University, Division of Medical
Science, Program in Immunology, Boston,
Massachusetts, September 2005 through
present, Ph.D. candidate - Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont,
Bachelor of Arts,Honors: Cum Laude,
February 1996..
Began racing: 2002
Captain; Essex County Velo
Development Team 2002-2006
Disciplines: endurance road and mountain, road
racing, cyclocross.
2007 season goals:
- SEASON PRIORITY: On the weekend of August 25-26 I aim to establish the first
ever North to South Endurance Record for the state of Maine (following rules and
guidelines provided by the UltraMarathon Cycling Association). Fort Kent to Kittery
is approximately 380 miles.
The record attempt will be run as a fundraising event for a division of the
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, the Dr. Charles H. Weingarten Adaptive
Sports & Recreation Program.
- Complete full Brevet Series (100k, 200k, 300k, 400k, 600k) incorporating Boston
Brevet and Berkshire Brevet Series events.
- Saratoga 12-hour Ultra bicycle race – July 7 (2007 Winner! – 246 miles in 12 hours)
- Select USCF road races
April 9, 2006 -
Beanpot Crit at Tufts
August 6, 2006 –
First ride, 15 minutes total
August 2007-
380 miles in 24 hours?
Twelve months ago, I fractured the biggest bone in my body. I used a walker for six weeks, crutches for three months, and endured twelve months of physical therapy. Despite a few setbacks, I’m back on the bike and starting to feel like an athlete once again. When I asked a few friends, colleagues and mentors what they thought about my attempt to establish the North to South record for the state of Maine, this is what they had to say:
Mark McCormack, Professional Cyclist, Team Clif Bar
"I was lucky to have Matt working on my race bike when I won the US PRO Road Race
championships in 2003, I always had the utmost confidence that my equipment was going to
be running perfectly when Matt was my mechanic. When Matt gets involved with something,
no matter how small or large, he is extremely committed. And for some reason, he is always
in a good mood... go figure."
Kevin Roy, MBA, brother
“I have known Matt as long as Matt has known Matt. He has set daunting goals and
exceeded them throughout his entire life with an enviable passion. I have no doubt in my
mind that Matt will tear through Maine in less than 2 days!”
Lyne Bessette, Professional Cyclist, Team Cyclocross World
“I met Matt when I was racing for Saturn, he was one of our mechanics. He was always
happy and ready to help. He was a great guy to have around. I wish him the best!”
Chris Horner, Professional Cyclist, Team Predictor-Lotto
“Matt Roy is a great person to know. He has always been there with a helping hand
whenever I've needed it, whether it is as a team mechanic or as a friend. He is upbeat,
helpful and meticulous in his work - always there to make sure the bike and body are going
at 100%. This sport is all about the buddy system, and Matt has always done his part and
more to keep things going and help me along the way. I'll be cheering for him in his attempt
and hope he succeeds! Stopping to eat at McDonald's on the way would probably help... :-)”
Peter F Smith, friend and former teammate, Team Essex County Velo, PT, CSCS, USCF
Coach
“Matt's comeback thus far has been awe inspiring. He has made tremendous strides
towards his ultra cycling goals. I have no doubt that Matt will excel in his new cycling
venture as he has in all other aspects of his life. It's difficult to put into words Matt's
contribution to the New England cycling scene. He has taught me so much already.”
Lindsay Bateman, MSPT
"Matt is a physical therapist's dream. Although we initially met with a long road ahead, it
was immediately apparent Matt was willing to fully dedicate himself to whatever it would
take to achieve his goals. Matt came into each and every treatment session with more focus,
motivation and determination than I've ever seen before in my career. I could always count
on Matt to perform his home programs, come early/stay late practicing the prescribed
exercises and communicate with me his progress or even any temporary setbacks. He even
inspired me as a therapist to design more challenging and creative aquatic and land-based
treatment programs to address specific physical limitations. His inquisitive nature, brilliant
analytical mind, sense of humor combined with an inherent athletic presence will all
contribute to his ultimate success in reaching any cycling event challenge. I am honored to
have been teamed-up with such an incredible person, patient and athlete."
Nir Hacohen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
“Matt is a consistent person: in every walk of life, he identifies what really matters, makes
a strategy to address the key issues, and follows through to get the job done. In the lab,
he has focused his intellectual energies on solving how autoimmunity is initiated and
its relationship to viral infections. This is a long-standing mystery in the field, and one that
Matt is not afraid to take on as a challenge. As he makes progress in solving this problem
for lupus or arthritis, he will provide us with new clues that will help us develop better
diagnostics and therapies for these and other immune diseases. For such a purpose-driven
person, it is not surprising that he has chosen to match his considerable technical and
endurance skills in cycling with a worthy cause. For those who know him in the world of
science, it will not at all be surprising to see him cycle end-to-end across Maine. Matt -
we'll be waiting for your speedy arrival on the South side of Maine!”
Butch Balzano, SRAM Neutral Support, Program Manager
“One of the great benefits of being involved in cycling is the people...you get to meet on a
weekly basis some of the hardest working, dedicated, and friendliest folks...and I have met
many who I can call on as friends, one of these individuals is Matt Roy...Matt is first to help
out, always with a smile.”
Megan Elliot, Professional Cyclist, Bicycle John's Serious Cycling Team
“Matt is great! He's one of my favorite people - a great mechanic, a great supporter, and a
great friend. He is so meticulous and caring in everything that he does, taking care of
everyone around him without ever asking for anything in return. He was one of my first
"team" mechanics and, 8 years later, is still my favorite! Plus he's "wicked" smart and
driven to be great at everything he does! I have no doubt that he can and will do this (even
though riding that far is CRAZY!). Good luck Matty!”
Janda Ricci-Munn, USA Cycling Level II Coach, CSCS
“I will never forget the day that a mutual friend informed me of Matt’s crash on the Tuft’s
criterium course in the early spring of 2006. My heart sank in learning the degree of
Matt’s injuries and the long road to recovery that he faced. However, when I was able to
reach him by phone in his hospital room, it was Matt Roy per usual; he spoke about how good
he felt during the race, the fact that he’d recover from the accident quickly, and how much
he was looking forward to being back in the saddle by summer. For a guy who’s femur was
snapped in half, I couldn’t get over the degree of optimism that Matt was exuding. I hung
up the phone thoroughly impressed by his outlook on the situation and felt the utmost
respect and admiration for the man.”
“I am happy to report that Matt is not only back in the saddle, but that we are actively
preparing for an assault on the Maine brevet record this coming summer: A daunting 430
mile, non-stop cycling trek that will stress both the body and mind in ways that most people
cannot even begin to imagine. An athletic undertaking of this magnitude requires that the
athlete possess the unique combination of an ultra-positive attitude, an extremely high
degree of physical fitness, and a willingness to persevere when body and mind have been
pushed to their outer limits. Matt Roy is where he is today because of these
aforementioned mental and physical qualities, and I am confident that they will carry him to
the coveted Maine brevet record that he hopes to establish come late August 2007.”
Stan Jurga, friend and former teammate, Cat 2 cyclist, TEAM FAST/Independent
Fabrication powered by Lionette's
“Life is funny and ironic sometimes. Unfortunately, in my mind the Tufts’ Beanpot Crit will
always be synonymous with Matt’s broken hip and overshadow a much happier occurrence on
that same race course a few years before. That race was, and still is, a point of pride for
Matt, me, and our teammate Pete Smith. Back in 2004 the three of us were racing at
Tufts, and through some of the best team tactics I’ve ever seen (largely orchestrated by
Matt), we established a four man breakaway. One by one, we worked over the fourth rider
(from another team). I was lucky enough to take home the win and Matt and Pete road
across the finish line together in 3rd and 4th (Matt got 3rd by a subtle hip “movement”). That
was the start of perhaps one of the best race seasons ever for the three of us. Last year,
Tufts was going to be Matt’s time on the top podium spot. He was on fire! You could see it
in his eyes and the way he pushed the pedals in the early laps. But his race was prematurely
ended by another rider crashing him out.”
“I’ve learned a lot from Matt… how to race bikes, how to be a team player, and the “6 P’s”
(Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss-poor Performance). But Matt is more than a teacher
and exquisite planner, he is a real inspiration.”
“Only days after his surgery and still stuck in a hospital bed, Matt leaned over to tell me
his new plan. It was clear that he would not be able to ride a bike any time soon. Bear in
mind that Matt is a super commuter who religiously commutes by bike to and from work
throughout the entire year. In his head, he was devising a new commuting strategy… he was
going to attempt to commute by kayak! I was shocked! I actually thought he was a little
crazy. By kayak? Yes. He had already planned it out in his head. He could launch from the
shores of the Mystic River near his apartment in Arlington, and through various locks and
canals, he was sure that he could make it over to his research lab in Charlestown. I couldn’t
believe it! I don’t think Matt ever made it all the way to Charlestown (due to some logistics
with the locks), but within mere weeks of his surgery he was out on the Mystic River
paddling a kayak! While most individuals would be wallowing in self pity, he was out getting a
workout and keeping the most unbelievably positive outlook!”
“You can’t imagine my amazement to get a call from Matt only six months after the accident
and subsequent surgery asking if Pete and I wanted to go on a “coffee shop ride” with him.
He’d been patiently, quietly, and consistently working though his physical therapy and riding
the stationary bike trainer for months to regain mobility and strength. This was one of his
first outdoor ventures back on two wheels. It was amazing. Pete and I, two of his closest
riding buddies, hardly noticed any difference. In fact, if my memory serves me, Matt was
driving the “gentlemen’s pace” quite steadily. We made it out to Concord center to refuel on
some coffee and donuts, then headed back to Arlington… all in all about 50 miles. Not too
shabby for someone who had a completely snapped femur several months prior!”
“I don’t mean to belittle Matt’s recovery. It has certainly been very difficult at times, both
physically and emotionally. However, throughout it all Matt has maintained the most
positive of attitudes imaginable. Once he has a goal in mind, his drive and ambition is
unstoppable.”
“For this, and many more reasons, I know that Matt will succeed in his attempt to set the
Ultra Cycling record for the State of Maine. I’ve trained with Matt for years, I’ve
witnessed his determination and rebuilding after his injury, and I know Matt as a master
orchestrator and planner.
Matt also has the best support staff in his wife, Mo, not to mention the numerous friends that will support him as he prepares and executes his Ultra Cycling feat. I sincerely hope that you take the opportunity to support Matt and the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and the Dr. Charles H. Weingarten Adaptive Sports & Recreation Program.”
