Amanda Cordell – Girl’s Lunch Date
We didn’t know too much about Amanda Cordell, but we do now and boy, can she ride.
Who is Amanda Cordell?
I’m 27 years old from a small town in Pennsylvania and currently residing in Salt Lake City, Utah. I started riding when I moved to the west coast about 5 years ago. What originally drew me to Utah was the skiing but I rather quickly formed an intense passion for mountain biking as well. I currently race downhill and enduro events in the US as a privateer for Scott USA, Raceface, and Troy Lee Designs.
What got you interested in racing bikes?
Well I didn’t start racing until I got my first downhill bike, a Demo that I bought from a good friend who was on the Specialized GROM team. He had grown out of it and sold it to me mentioning that I should enter a race. My first racing experience was at Sundance Resort in 2012 and it was a ton of fun. I noticed that when I was practicing for a race, I would push myself a little further than if I were just out riding with friends.
What is your best result?
2013 Cat 1 DH National Champion. It was an awesome experience but I wish that the field of competition at National Events were larger. Honestly, I wasn’t sure that I was ready to upgrade to pro in 2014 but the amateur field was so small that I just wasn’t feeling challenged.
What are your goals for racing?
My goal is to spend 100% of my time and energy towards training and riding. I have come a long way since I started racing three years ago and I am working towards slowly putting more energy in that direction. I left my full time job and have been working part time and training like crazy. 2015 will be my first season racing behind a full-time training schedule and I’m excited to see the results. I would love to eventually race internationally.
Enduro?
I love racing on my Genius. It’s closer to real life as far as what I do when I go out and ride; climb really slow and descend really fast. That said, I love racing downhill and I would like to see more energy and opportunity geared toward DH racing. Also, I have a TON of respect for the top gals in Enduro right now. It aint no cake walk and I have a lot to learn. I plan on racing a couple of the EWS races and one or two of the BME races in 2015.
You recently suffered a clavicle fracture, what have you been doing in your down time?
At first I couldn’t do much of anything except watch TV but I’m about six weeks out now and have most of my range of motion back. I’ve been doing some light rides, yoga, and a lot of mental training. Oh, and A LOT of #gramming. (@amandacordell)
Photos – Steven Lloyd Photography @stevelloyd