Cycling Star

Everyone bike rides as a kid, but Sam O’Keefe turned it into a competitive passion. “When I was 11, my mom signed me up for a camp at Joe’s Bike Shop,” he says. “Eventually, the shop guys encouraged me to race.” They introduced O’Keefe to Cyclo-cross, a multi-terrain bike race with obstacles. “It’s the cycling equivalent of steeplechase,” he explains. O’Keefe won his first race at Charm City Cross (C3) sponsored by Twenty20 Cycling Company in Druid Hill Park, and has since been in the top five nationally. “The sport is getting more popular,” says Kris Auer, owner of Twenty20 Cycling Company. “Now C3 sells out.” Though he’s off to college, O’Keefe still plans to race. “Sam is at the top of the national talent pool,” Auer says. “He has the strength to be a successful bike racer in any avenue he wants.”