Fresh off impressive Tour de France debut, Boise rider recharges in the City of Trees
While cycling his way up the winding road to Bogus Basin, Matteo Jorgenson has been stopped numerous times by exuberant fans.
It isn’t every day that a Tour de France cyclist takes to the streets of Boise — or hails from the City of Trees, for that matter.
But Jorgenson, a 23-year-old Boise High alum, is in town for the next few weeks getting some much-needed rest and relaxation — while still training — after completing professional cycling’s most prestigious race and finishing 21st overall. It was his Tour de France debut, and he finished as the top rider out of eight representing Movistar Team.
“People have been stopping their cars and saying congratulations,” said Jorgenson, whose parents still live in Boise. “It’s something I’ve never expected, but super cool.”
The recent notoriety in his hometown is as unexpected as his start in cycling, which began at the age of 7 with the Boise Young Rider Development Squad.
BYRDS, now in its 23rd year, offers Treasure Valley youngsters access and support to participate in cycling, according to its website. It can now lay claim to a Tour de France rider, too. Jorgenson was one of only 10 riders from North America — seven from the U.S. and three from Canada — to race in this year’s Tour, according to Velonews.com.
“It’s a great program,” Jorgenson said. “... It taught me basically everything I know about riding. For years, every day after school, I would ride with people my age. It’s definitely the only way an American gets into cycling is through a program like BYRDS where you have people around you doing it. Without BYRDS, I definitely wouldn’t be a cyclist.”
Jorgenson earned a spot in the Tour de France in just his third season as a professional. Although he did not win a stage, he came close to the podium with fourth-place finishes in the 10th and 16th stages, along with a fifth-place showing in Stage 13.
“Basically the Tour is the race where every professional rider is there on their best possible form,” Jorgenson. “A lot of the year, just physically, humans can’t always be on their best fitness. You just can’t maintain it. A lot of the races throughout the year you race and you’re not sure if you’re racing against someone who’s on their best fitness or not. But at the Tour you’re certain that everyone’s there.
“To be able to perform at the Tour, it just gives me the ability to know that I am able and have not only the physical talent and ability to do it, but I am already close. It’s a huge boost of confidence and it just gives me a ton of motivation for training from now on knowing that I can do it.”
The feeling of accomplishment Jorgenson felt as he rolled into Paris on the final day of the Tour will stick with him, he said.
“You have jets flying overhead and they close all of Paris for you,” Jorgenson said. “It was a really cool life experience.”
Jorgenson said he’ll head back to Europe in mid-August to continue the professional season with Movistar. Until then, keep an eye out for him on the streets of Boise.
“I haven’t been home since Christmas last year,” Jorgenson said. “... It’s just a good mental break.”
