You’ve probably seen this guy riding on a road around Monterey County. His name is Eamon Lucas, and he’s a 20 year-old cyclist from Pacific Grove who trains with the California Giant Berry Farms / Specialized Team out of Watsonville.
Lucas’ podium finishes on his European tour this spring, and his recent seventh-place finish in the sub-23 individual time trials at the USA Cycling Amateur Road Championships on Independence Day in Waterloo, Wisc., have placed him as a top contender in the American cycling scene.
These days, Lucas is getting ready for the second half of his season, which will have him race in the Northern California circuit and possibly take him back to Europe. But in the bigger picture, Lucas is looking to set himself up for a Tour de France debut in two years and hopes to emulate former Berries teammate Andrew Talansky, a Garmin-Sharp rider currently in the French event.
Lucas’ workouts are far from the leisurely spin. This morning, he did an hour-and-a-half ride consisting of grueling intervals under the guidance of coach Neal Henderson. A few weeks ago he did a 6-hour ride from Salinas to Arroyo Seco, through the mountains into Carmel Valley, and back to the Peninsula.
Even though he rides at blistering speeds, Lucas continues to enjoy Monterey County’s beauty as much as any local biker. His favorite ride goes from Alvarado Street in Monterey to Pebble Beach and up to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula off Highway 68. He also enjoys riding around the flats of Castroville and the backroads of Carmel.
“[Monterey County is] probably one of the coolest places to ride in the world,” he says.