Meet the Owls

Meet the gentlemen that fly through the night.

Dennis Lastochkin
Speciality:
Sprinter, Rouleur
Road Category:
2
Born in Moscow, Russia. Lived in Israel. Started riding when I came to Austin 17 years ago at the age of 18 & got my first bike - Trek 1000.... more

Joined UT Austin Cycling Club. Though the years, visited all of the Hawaiian Islands on the bike - camping, riding and climbing the volcanoes.

Got the racing bug in 2016 after visiting Mellow Johny's MOTR group ride. First race was 2016 Cat 5 Meegan Baab RR - never looked back since.

Code monkey behind Thea.comĀ &Ā StructuredDomains.com.
Kuya Takami
Speciality:
Climber, All Around
Road Category:
2
Kuya always had bikes around him growing up. The story goes back to fixing his own flat tire at age 6.Ā This mechanically inclined behavior ended up with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering ... more(Robotics). He found theĀ excitement of competitiveĀ cycling and group rides after moving to Austin in October 2017. He has been racing since the mid-season in 2018.
Matt Kundo
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
Road Category:
2
Group Rides:
Breakfast club
I grew up in Louisiana where I developed an interest in endurance sports and deep-fried foods. UT AustinĀ alumnus and former competitive swimmer (Hook 'Em.) MTB, Road, Gravel, Downhill, ... moreand chill. Fitness and training data enthusiast. I love ice cream and colorful movies. Night Owl rookie coming to a race near you. Fun rides with Breakfast Club.

Nickname:
Sean Penn

Favorite Route:
Austin-wise, my favorite route is Lime Creek when itā€™s sunny out. If you ask me, it's the rich man's dam loop. Outside of Austin, the most gorgeous route I've ridden was through the Muir Wood in Mill Valley, CA - outside San Francisco. It was like riding up into the clouds.

Favorite Climb:
I'm a huge fan of the massive climb we did with @breakfastclubatx on our trip to Santa Fe. It's almost 14 miles long @ 3.9% and took me a little over an hour. Ironically, the segment is called "Sprint for the Sign!" They don't make climbs like that in Texas.

In-and-around Austin my favorite climb is Jester. Just nice and steep all the way through.

I dream of doing some of the iconic climbs from the Tour De France. They have such hard-core names like 'Le Col de la Croix de Fer' (The Pass of the Iron Cross) or 'Cote de la Fosse aux Loups' (Den of Wolves.) My favorite is 'La Planche des Belles Filles' (The Board of Beautiful Women) which has an interesting folk tale behind the name.

Favorite KOM:
'bouldin' (Segment right outside my house in Bouldin Creek.)

Tell us one fact about yourself:
My family is from Poland. I know Polish and German.

https://www.mattkundodigitalmarketing.com/
Carlos Moreno
Speciality:
All Around
Road Category:
2
Cat 2 cyclist who loves riding who like to dance, party, and work hard. Often known as the hardest training rider on the team that comes to races with no legs. However, I still kill ... moreit on the races and love to mentor other riders like Juan for development purposes.

Full time employee GitHub as their People Analytics Leader. Outside of cycling, I love to hangout with my wife, friends and try delicious food.

See you out there!
Andy Newton
Speciality:
Climber, Rouleur
Road Category:
2
I grew up in Houston. I started riding with my dad when he suffered one too many knee injuries from running. Collegiate racing with UT really made me fall in love with the sport. Training, ... moretraveling, and suffering all in hope of a small fleeting moment of glory. Since collegiate racing I branched out into discovering other disciplines of the sport. I've dabbled in track racing, XC mountain biking, and gravel grinding, but most of my focus nowadays is on criterium racing and single speed cyclocross. For me, there's nothing quite like taking corners as fast as you can, on and off-road.
Mark Dieter Bozarth-Dreher
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
Road Category:
2
I've always been very active on bicycles -Ā  My childhood summers were spent roaming Corvallis, Oregon with friends, always racing from point to point, with the leader always taking ... moretime to moon the chasers. While racing Track/Cross Country and studying business at Portland State University, I developed a love for charging through Portland traffic on my Look HM KG386.

However, it wasnā€™t until my July 2017 relocation to Travis Heights that I became interested in competitive cycling, at the encouragement of my awesome roommate Steve.Ā In early August I purchased my Felt AR5 andĀ have been hammering the roads of Austin since, strengthening my desire to re-enter the world of competitive athletics with each pedal stroke.
Juan Carlos Ortiz
Speciality:
Sprinter
Road Category:
3
Full time welder, full time cyclist. I Picked up my first bike ever (fixed geard) back when I lived in Chicago started doing fixed geard crits and became a crit addict! picked up my ... morefirst road bike and kept my journey going until this date. Looking forward to start racing cat 2 pretty soon.
Andrew Martin
Speciality:
All Around
Road Category:
3
Andrew picked up cycling after a devastating knee injury suffered playing ice hockey as a way to rehab and eventually migrated to triathlon, realizing that the cycling was the most ... morefun and rewarding aspect of training. Andrew continues to fly the Night Owls flag as a category 3 and masters racer.
Cameron Lyman
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
Road Category:
3
Group Rides:
Thursday Throwdown!
I grew up on the neighborhood swim team and running cross country/track at school. It wasn't until my late 20s that I discovered cycling and I haven't looked back since. When I'm not ... moreriding, you'll find me turning wrenches at Trek Austin.
Sam Manzanares
Speciality:
All Around
Road Category:
3
Group Rides:
Breakfast club
What started with delivering sandwiches for Jimmy John's on the bike, has now blossomed into flying high with the Night Owls. One thing i've learned since joining the Night Owls, ... moreit's more then a team, it's a family.
Jakob Allen
Speciality:
All Around
Road Category:
3
I grew up in Davis, CA the home of the Cycling Hall of Fame and a hotbed for cyclists. As a Junior racer I was mentored by Steve Larsen, a former Team Motorola team member. Training ... moreand racingĀ from a young age against cyclists many years older I developed my tactical racing intuition. And while training inĀ the flat central valley of CA I developed my sprinting kick. However, it was in the hills of the coastal range, and the infamous Cardiac Hill in Napa County where I was truly in my element as a Junior racer. I took 10 years off from racing to compete as a NCAA collegiate swimmer for Stanford, where I was on an American Record setting sprint relay, and became an 8 time All-American in the pool. I never gave up my passion for cycling though, and utilized my power to weight ratio to crosstrain up Old La Honda climb outside of Palo Alto. I am currently in grad school at the University of Texas at Austin, studying to get my PhD in Exercise Science. My research and interestĀ involves power training on the bike and I love being able to apply my studies to racing. I returned to racing last year and am excited to see where I can go with it!
Freedom Rivera
Speciality:
Climber, All Around
Road Category:
3
I ride bikes.. Growing up in San Antonio, I got my first bike 11 years ago from a pawn shop as an alternative to riding the bus everywhere. I fell in love with the freedom of cycling, ... moreand have been riding almost every single day since then both for fun, and because it's my only means of transportation. My life revolves around my bikes. I slowly became stronger and pushed myself more and more, regularly riding from SA to Austin, Corpus, and other parts of Texas for six years, eventually going on a 2600 mile bike tour across the Western US.

In 2013, I moved to Austin and started to do group rides. Before this, cycling was always a solitary experience for me. Riding with other cyclists showed me my true strength, with my fellow riders encouraging me to start racing. Three years later, 2016, I did. One year later, I'm a Cat 3, and I'm not stopping until I'm a pro.

By day I'm a classically trained French Chef with a culinary degree... By night I'm an owl flying not on wings, but on a bike.
Ben Thompson
Speciality:
Sprinter
Road Category:
4
Born and raised in Anchorage, AK. Former professional motorcycle road racer for Factory Aprilia and Suzuki support teams.
Brian Moynihan
Speciality:
Sprinter, Climber
Road Category:
3
Born in Boston, Massachusetts and after years of moving all over the east coast, I ended up in the wonderful state of Texas! Orginally I was a runner throughout middle school, highschool, ... moreand the beginning of college, but due to an injury I took up cycling which I soon found a new love for.Ā 

I have been competing on the bike for about 4 years now and riding for about 5 and a half. In 2015 I had a serious crash which took me off the bike. 2016 came around and I decided to focus on finishing up school at Texas State, getting my head screwed back on and figuring out if I wanted to continue with my passion! 2017 was about getting back into it, but I just didn't quite have the mental edge back that I wanted. When 2018 hit, I definitely felt myself getting stronger, but I still had a little self doubt which, in the end, prevented me from getting on to the podium, as much as I wanted to.

This year has been off to a great start. I have been feeling stronger than ever and I can't wait to get going with the guys and accomplish all of our goals as a team!
Grant Rogers
Speciality:
All Around
Road Category:
4
Collegiate swimmer. Founder of Breakfast Club. Rookie Owl.
Jake Boone
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
Road Category:
1
Riding bikes around the neighborhood with my friends was a regular part of my childhood. At age 16 I began taking out my old 26ā€ beater mountain bike for long rides, seeing how far ... moreAnd how fast I could go. These long bike rides allowed me to push my body and experience a sense of real freedom. Later that year I would use the money I saved from my first job to buy a Specialized Allez road bike.Ā 

Soon after buying my first road bike I joined a local jr cycling team where I was fortunate to have a great community of experienced racers to teach me the fundamentals of road cycling. At age 18 I attended Leesā€™ McRae College in North Carolina on a cycling scholarship where I would spend two years racing, and working towards earning my degree.Ā 

In 2016 I graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos earning bachelors degrees in Exercise and Sports Science and Education. I currently balance my racing hobby with my job as a coach for Boneshaker Project, an Austin based non profit which teaches bicycle fundamentals and safety to local kids and teens.

I am excited to begin my 10th year of bike racing with the night owls crew. I know 2018 will be a great year of racing bikes with good friends!
Alan Guo
Road Category:
2
Group Rides:
MJ 100K
Throughout high school and college, I used bikes as a means of transportation, and learned how to wrench, almost exclusively on vintage bikes. I started riding as a hobby in 2013, ... moreafter starting my first job out of college. The hobby grew into a passion, as I continued to test my limits on the weekends and after work, joining any group rides that I could find in East Texas. I started racing later that year, won the state road race as a cat 5, and have since become a cat 2. Moving to Austin was a huge opportunity for me to improve as a cyclist, with so much talent, mentorship, beautiful terrain and racing experience within easy reach.

I've done two ~2000 mile bicycle tours across texas and the west coast, which were great adventures and life experiences that I'll remember for a long time. Over the years, I have also been a student of cycling, having self taught skills as a mechanic/gearhead, learning about nutrition, training, andĀ strategies in racing, which I study and share through my youtube videos. Cycling has become a lifestyle for me, as well as a source of friendships, adventures, and personal growth - both mentally and physically. I am excited to continue to grow as a cyclist, and work with my Night Owls.

When I'm not on the bike, I am working towards a PhD at UT-Austin, looking for ways to make better batteries.
Royce Morales
Speciality:
Climber, Rouleur
Road Category:
4
Group Rides:
Thursday Throwdown!
I'm a 27 year old working-class athlete who relocated to Austin, Texas at the beginning of 2017. My love for riding was found when I was attending college at the University of North ... moreTexas in Denton. I was able to foster a fond love of the bicycle, the community, and competition through collegiate cycling. I was the interim president of UNT's cycling club for season when it was in it's infancy, the club has now grown so much and it's been a privilege to see the other kids continue to build upon it.

I've been riding bikes for about 4 years now,Ā and I've always done so for the pleasure of riding just to ride. Racing has always come secondary, but I'm now ready to get serious about racing and about training. Watch out world! I've been picking up running when I'm not on the bike, and hiking and bikepacking when I can find myself in the mountains or the wilderness. I've been working in the state government IT industry for almost 2 years. Austin is home now and bikes are life.
David Loffreda
Speciality:
Climber, All Around
Road Category:
3
Born and raised in Montreal Quebec, this Canadian of Italian descent backs down from nothing. If it's a hard climb, a tough wheel to catch or a sprint finish, he's always up for the ... moretask. Partaking in competitive sports since the age of three, this third year cyclist undertstands that it is discipline, honest effort and teamwork which propels an athlete to stardom.

A proud member of NightOwls Racing for brotherhood binds the hearts of men, saddle up.
Keith Ray Shelly
Speciality:
Sprinter
Road Category:
2
I started riding in 2014 and from the moment I threw my leg over the bike, I fell in love. My competitive nature accelerated my move threw the ranks to my position as a Cat 2. I've ... morewon several series championships in one of the most competitive series in the country as a Cat 3 and 4. (2014/2015 Austin Texas Pure Driveway Series) Due to injury I sat out the 2016 season and as for 2017, I've found that it takes a team effort to move to the next level and thats how I've come to be a member of the Night Owls Racing Team.
Noam Belkin
Speciality:
Sprinter
Road Category:
3
Group Rides:
Thursday Throwdown!
Born in Israel, raised in El Paso, TX. Grew up riding all the bikes (mountain, bmx, etc.), but never did much more than a few BMX races as a kid. Bought my first road bike in July ... moreof 2019 and started joining all the local group rides in Houston. Group rides pretty quickly started to stir up my competitive juices and before I knew it I was signing up for whichever crits/road races I could find. Finally moved to Austin, TX in September of 2021 and now when I'm not riding the bike with the nightowls you can find me hanging out at Zilker or swimming in Barton Springs.
Thomas Graham
Speciality:
Climber
Road Category:
4
After playing football in undergrad, I was looking for a new challenge. I found that through running and riding my bike. More than just a challenge, I found an amazing community of ... moreawesome people to get to spend time with. I race on the road a bit, but spend most my time on the trails and gravel around Bentonville. Moving fast and climbing big hills is what I love, and the bike gives me just that.

I look forward to seeing you out there!
Tom Pedretti
Speciality:
All Around
Road Category:
4
Group Rides:
Breakfast club
I first developed a love for cycling after signing up for a charity century ride on a whim. I showed up on the start line under-trained and on a borrowed bike, but by the end of the ... moreday I was hooked on the sport. During my early days in Austin, cycling was a great way to stay healthy through the pandemic, and once I found the Breakfast Club it was also a way to find community. It was on these group rides that I first met some Night Owls who smashed pedals on the bike and made great conversation off it.

Craft beer drinker. Fun uncle. Steadfast friend. Always looking for a chance to explore new countries and cultures. When I’m not on the bike or working my day job as an M&A consultant, I'm often watching/playing soccer or hanging out at a local coffee shop pretending to be productive while listening to the Hamish & Andy podcast.
Will Stewart
Speciality:
All Around, Time Trial Specialist
Road Category:
3
I’m an Aussie who has found a new home in Austin, TX. Coming from a background in triathlon, the amazing bike culture in Austin has drawn me into the world of road racing. I ... morebegan cycling seriously during the pandemic when chance encounters on early morning rides began many amazing friendships. Soon Saturday morning Fake Races became a tradition and I couldn’t wait for some real racing to begin. Now I’m a member of Night Owls Racing, one the craziest sport teams I’ve ever been a part of (and that’s saying something coming from Aus). With the Owls I’ve raced all across Texas and the US. However, it’s the attitude of the team that I think is the most important, challenge yourself to be the best you can no matter what you are doing.

Latest Feed

2022 Highlights

  • East Texas Showdown 1st
  • Lago vista p12 2nd
  • Joe Martin Stage Race cat 3 - 1st
  • Driveway Cat 3 & Masters 1st
  • Rule of Three 30lb bike 1st & 2nd
  • Tulsa Tough cat 4 1st
  • Tulsa Tough cat 1/2 Masters top 10

2021 Highlights

  • Tulsa/Crybaby Hill cat 4 3rd
  • 1st - July 3/4 driveway mini series overall win
  • HHH road 1st cat 34
  • Sun city crit 35+ master 1st
  • Wild west shootout crit 35+ master
  • 3rd Driveway p123
  • 1st State championship U40 2nd
  • CX at LBJ 2nd
  • Cross of Ages 1st
  • Cat 3 state championship 2nd
  • Cat 3 sun city crit 2nd

2018 - 2019 Highlights

  • 1st - Lago Vista - Cat 2
  • 1st - San Marvelous RR #1 - P/1/2/3
  • 1st, 2nd - San Marvelous RR #2 - P/1/2/3
  • 2nd & 3rd -Ā Fayetteville RR - Cat 2
  • 4th & 7th - Pace Bend - Cat 2
  • 3rd - Texas RR Championships - Cat 2
  • 2nd -Ā Stockdale gravel roundup
  • 1st - Driveway 1/2/3/4Ā 35+ x 4
  • 1st - Driveway 3/4 Leaders Jersey
  • 1st - Driveway 3/4 x 3
  • 5thĀ - Driveway P/1/2/3 x 2
  • 1st - Pace Bend - Cat 5
  • 1st - Davy Crockett Classic - Cat 4/5
  • 1st - Lago Vista - Cat 4
  • 2st - Tommy Ketterhagen Memorial Road Race - Cat 5Ā Ā 

2017 Highlights

  • 1st - Bike The Bricks Criterium - Cat 3
  • 1st - Sealy Road Race - Cat 3
  • 1st - Oatmeal Road Race - Cat 3
  • 1st - Pace Bend Road Race - Cat 3
  • 1st - The Bat City Classic at Apache Pass - Cat 3
  • 1st - San Marvelous RR - Cat 3 - Twice
  • 1st - Driveway Jersey Mini Series - Cat 3 -Ā Twice
  • 5th - San Marvelous RR - Cat P/1/2
  • 5th - Fort Hood Texas Road Championships - Cat 2
  • 3rd - Chappell Hill RR - Cat 3
  • 4th, 5th - Fort Hood Texas Road Championships - Cat 3

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Texas Bike Tours
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DKC Construction Group
Commercial General Contractor based out of Austin, TX!
Shott Performance
Building Stronger Athletes. Endurance Coaching for cycling, running, and triathlon.
Cycleast
Cycleast is your neighborhood bike shop specializing in repairs, restorations, and custom bikes.
Brad Houston
Brad Houston is an attorney with a unique background of legal experience helping injured people, with a special emphasis on injuries from motor vehicle/bicycle collisions. Mr. Houston ... morestarted his legal career with the California mega-firm of Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye (now DLA Piper) doing direct representation of large corporations, including representation involving personal injury defense.
Montucky
Refreshing, light beer for pow pow rippers, pony riders, gator wranglers, and badass do-gooders. 8% back to local causes.
Ghisallo Cycling Initiative
Educating and developing youth riders so they may integrate bicycling into their daily lives in Austin and San Antonio.
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Thea
Thea.com Find all the group rides around Austin, TX

We'll train in the dark if we have to.