Golden Racing Project

• Posted on 21 June 2023
• By Aidan Raynor

Check out the new horizons for the Golden Racing Project in 2023

\\ Photo Andy Vathis

    The Golden Racing Project will be the 7th iteration of the Golden Sports race team with a new look for the 2023 season. Two racers, Mark and Aidan, this years team will focus on some more alternative racing for this season. Racing road, mountain and gravel and a few FKTs thrown in for fun the boys will stir it up on the bike this summer. So far we’ve had some great results at some big races and we’re looking forward for more to come from this season.

    Both Mark and Aidan have come from or back from competing at the highest levels of other sports. Both on the Quebec Teams for their respective sports training with 100% focus on one sport. As the summer of 2022 drew to a close, Aidan and Mark faced the dilemma of continuing with this intense singular focus or adapting that focus to include doing what you want to do. Missing out on epic rides and adventures for hour long interval sessions was getting old. Stoked on getting to the start line with two wheels with the help of Golden Sports and Specialized for the 2023 season Aidan and Mark are well into a great season of bike racing.

• Aidan Raynor: @aidanjraynor

• Aidan at 19 years old has been racing bikes since the age of 6 in both Ontario and Quebec. Along with the provincial road and mountain biking circuit in Ontario he also competed in multiple 12 hour races and other cycling races in the North East as a kid. Moving to Quebec at age 12 he started working and racing for Golden Sports at 13. Since then he’s been apart of the Golden Racing Team as a u16 and junior. In the 2020 season Aidan switch all of his focus into cross-country skiing, competing at some of the biggest races and loppets across North America like the American Birkibeiner, Gatineau Loppet and the Canadian Ski Marathon. Along with loppets he raced for the Quebec team on the Canada Cup circuit. For the 2023 season he’s looking forward to racing on the Golden Racing Project this summer.

• Mark Mancini: @mark_mancini04

• Although newer to the sport of cycling, Mark took up the sport of cycling quite passionately in May of 2020 cycling further and faster with every ride. Before diving into the thrilling world of cycling, Mark pressured a 10 year long career in the sport of flat-water sprint kayaking, dedicating thousands of hours a year to achieve provincial podiums and national finals. Mark developed his love for cycling working at Golden Sports, chasing town signs and riding where the road could take him. Mark’s dedication and grit developed in his time on the water paired with his newfound love for cycling have set the foundations for his most exciting chapter yet… Road Racing

    Our major races for this season are Les Mardis Cyclist de Lachine, Wilmington Whiteface 100, Big Red Gravel Run and the Green Mountain Stage Race just to name a few. So far a successful summer of racing with an 8th overall at the Wilmington Whiteface 100 km mountain bike race in Lake Placid a couple of weeks ago as well as a 21st cumulative place after the third stage of the Mardis Lachine for Aidan.

    As summer goes on we’re looking forward to a few more alternative challenges like FKTs and Everesting attempts so stay tuned in the month of July for news on that front. Then in August GRP’s main event of the season will be the Big Red Gravel Run in Harrington, Quebec. About 100 km in the Laurentian hills on some of the hardest terrain the region has to offer.

   Look out for the fancy blue kit and stay tuned for more race recaps on the blog or follow us on Instagram at @goldenracingproject