Bridge the Gap crosses over to dirt to support Lief Rodgers

After 10 years of supporting road and track athletes, Global Relay Bridge The Gap is adding its first mountain bike athlete. Port Moody, B.C.’s Lief Rodgers is in Tasmania this week for the start of the Enduro World Cup season. For the Giant Canada athlete, BTG support is a big part of helping him get to the races this season.

“I’m super grateful for this opportunity to be the first mountain bike rider supported by BTG,” Rodgers says. “There’s so much young mtb talent in Canada right now and it’ll be great to have this stepping stone to start our careers. Excited for what’s to come!”

Bridge the Gap helps support athletes making the leap from domestic to overseas racing, especially ones that don’t always fit the qualification requirements for national federation funding. With enduro not being an Olympic sport, it gets little support from Cycling Canada. There are also fewer opportunities for riders to get pro team support, especially in Canada. While Rodger’s is supported by Giant Canada, with no North American rounds this year, additional financial support is hugely important for Canadians looking to be competitive on the Enduro World Cup circuit.

Mentorship for making enduro work

BtG isn’t just financial support, though. The group also works to bring young riders together with experienced Canadian racers in a mentorship. For the first mtb rider, BtG had to look outside its organization to fulfill the mentorship side. McKay Vezina, an experienced Giant Factory Off-Road team racer from nearby Vancouver Island will be working with Rodgers in a mentorship role.

“I’ve have had the chance to ride with Lief a few times and I am super excited to see what he can put together this season,” Vezina says. “Right now, we are mainly focusing on race weekends, but I am here to help Lief with whatever he needs. The goal is to help him become a successful racer and that takes more than just race weekends.”

Making the switch from XC to enduro

While Rodgers is already a successful racer in North America, with experience in enduro, cross country and cyclocross, stepping up to international racing is a big move.

“Mckay will be helping me out with the switch over from XC to Enduro. Helping me figure out the mental side of racing as well as training,” Rodgers says. “He’ll…