Meet the Owls

Meet the gentlemen that fly through the night.

Dennis Lastochkin
Speciality:
Sprinter, Puncheur
Group Rides:
Thursday Throwdown!
As a kid, he used to ride his city bike to after-school basketball team practices. He got his first road bike when he was 18 when he moved to Austin from Haifa, Israel for work and ... moreschool at UT Austin studying computer science. Well, more partying than studying... At UT he was part of the UT cycling club for a brief period. After a short relationship with Ironman triathlons following school he decided to participate only in the fun part which was riding the bike.

He met the nice people of Violet Crown that have a great welcoming group ride selection and eventually got elected to help lead the racing team there. That’s where he met Alan and Freedom and the 3 of them decided to start a new team called the Night Owls Racing because they rode at night most of the time.
Kuya Takami
Speciality:
Climber, All Around
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
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/
Sam Manzanares
Speciality:
All Around
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.
Emily Trahan
Speciality:
Climber
Emily 'Trahanimal' has been riding bikes competitively since 2016, when she began racing cyclocross as a way to keep herself and her daughter active. A native Texan, she handles the ... moreheat just fine and is mostly fueled by coconut water, homemade rice treats, and Tailwind. She's in it for the social aspects of the community as well as the meditative qualities cycling offers. On the road, she puts in the big miles with more than 10,000 miles 5 out of 7 years (the first year was just over 8,500 and in 2022 she lived in Utah and had a LOT more climbing!) She loves technical crits, and if there's a hilly race in the area, you can definitely find her there!
Andy Newton
Speciality:
Climber, Rouleur
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.
Rachel Smith
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
Rachel "Red" Smith's first bike was a Walmart hand-me-down at the age of 28. After discovering her legs for the first time in her life, she quickly climbed the ranks from cat 5 to ... morecat 2 and never looked back. She is an all-arounder - great at sprinting through fields of pros at the Driveway Series but also the first person you'd invite for a 200 miler from Austin to Dallas.
Juan Carlos Ortiz
Speciality:
Sprinter
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.
Carlos Moreno
Speciality:
All Around
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!
Tom Pedretti
Speciality:
All Around
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 Iā€™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.
Noam Belkin
Speciality:
Sprinter
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.
Andrew Yeh
Speciality:
All Around
Group Rides:
Breakfast club
Andy here! I like working on bikes and riding em.Ā Long, fast rides are my jam. Will occasionally race, but I really enjoy riding with friends and traveling to different cities and ... morechecking out their cycling scene.
Ben Soder
Speciality:
All Around
I started cycling in 2020 after a running injury put me on the bike. I havenā€™t looked back since! I grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Austin in 2022. Every day I think Iā€™m becoming ... moremore of a Texan.

My goals and aspirations:
- Win the Tuesday Night Blur
- Become more than a background character in p/1/2/3 driveway
- Drop Dennis on a ā€œNight owls zone 2ā€ ride
Stav Belkin
Speciality:
Sprinter
I grew up in Israel, but moved to the U.S. when I was 13. I speak fluent Hebrew and am a big family man. As a way to bond with my dad, we started cycling together which led me to be ... morea part of the Night Owls team. In my free time I also enjoy weightlifting, CrossFit, and playing pickleball
Mark Dieter Bozarth-Dreher
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
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.
Andrew Martin
Speciality:
All Around
Group Rides:
GV30
Vino Velo
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. Now based out of Philadelphia, PA, Andrew continues to fly the Night Owls flag as a category 3 and masters racer.
Daniel Burke
Speciality:
Rouleur
Rookie Night Owl. Slowly applying my love of riding hard to racing.
Ryan Derrick
Speciality:
Puncheur, Rouleur
Collegiate runner. Occasional triathlete.
Simon Louis Vaquero Ramos
Speciality:
Sprinter, Puncheur
My love for cycling started at age 4 after my first ever MTB race in Mexico, where I discovered that I enjoyed the adrenaline rush that comes with sprinting by making the biggest effort ... moreto not come last. After a long hiatus and trying many different sports along the way, the spark was reignited by being introduced to crit racing in college (shout out to all the TTU homies) from there my bike became not just a simple commuter that occasionally could be used to have fun but my happy place. Love to travel to new places where I can ride, bomb any fun looking decent or, even better, race my bike. I also indulge in the unhealthy world of being a weight weenie and neerding over every gram of every component in every bike.

My main focus remains in road, crits, and track. While enjoying all the fun that gravel and CX can bring, specifically the beers.
Joel Timmons
Speciality:
All Around
Joel has been riding bikes for just under two years and racing for about a year. He grew up wrestling and competed through college. The work ethic and mental toughness transferred ... morewell into cycling.
Cameron Lyman
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
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.
Will Stewart
Speciality:
All Around, Time Trial Specialist
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.
Freedom Rivera
Speciality:
Climber, All Around
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.
Brian Moynihan
Speciality:
Sprinter, Climber
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!
Ben Thompson
Speciality:
Sprinter
Born and raised in Anchorage, AK. Former professional motorcycle road racer for Factory Aprilia and Suzuki support teams.
Jakob Allen
Speciality:
All Around
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!
Grant Rogers
Speciality:
All Around
Collegiate swimmer. Founder of Breakfast Club. Rookie Owl.
Jake Boone
Speciality:
Puncheur, All Around
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
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.
Thomas Graham
Speciality:
Climber
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!
Royce Morales
Speciality:
Climber, Rouleur
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
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.

Latest Feed

2023 Highlights

  • East Texas Showdown 400 mile gravel 1st - 2nd year
  • Tulsa Tough Cat 3 - 1st
  • Unbound Gravel - 1st (age group 35-40)
  • Driveway Cat 3 & Masters - 1st
  • Texas State Road Race Championship Women - 3rd

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