Prior to cycling, Tanner was a professional skier on the Telemark World Cup. He has a bachelor’s degree with honors in snow science mechanics (civil engineers but with snow) from Montana State University. Tanner has been a professional mountain bike racer since 2016 and coach since 2017. He tops the podium at many well known races, recently having won the Park City Point to Point. He has experience racing various lengths and technicalities all over the country, a true seasoned pro. Tanner works with a variety of athletes, from juniors to pros. He specializes in developing young racers and guiding them through the seasons that come. Using his experience from years at competing at the top, he develops racers holistically and inclusively in XC, marathon XC, gravel, and cyclocross.

1. Get out and ride your bike. If you are new to cycling, don’t worry about training metrics, having the best equipment, looking pro. Focus on building your engine and getting strong first. The rest comes later.

2. Get strong, not thin. There is a lot of toxic language in cycling about how thin is fast. Watts per kilo is king so if you lose weight you will get faster. This is NOT TRUE and this mentality is harmful to women AND men. There is no ideal body type in cycling.

3. Balance is key: life comes first, training comes second. Even if you are competing at a high level, prioritize things outside of your training. This may include spending time with friends, skiing on a powder day, practicing music, etc. If you miss a workout on your training plan to do something that is beneficial to your mental health, that is 100% okay. Life isn’t all about training