2024 (21st year) WVC Awards
This past year has truly showcased the incredible spirit within our West Valley Cycle community. To those of you who faced incredible comeback challenges, you endured and emerged stronger. You’ve shown us all what it means to persevere, to fight, and to triumph over adversity.
2024 proclaimed a new season of shared rides, determination, and remarkable unity and vibrancy throughout our community. We have welcomed many new faces and now boast 2,800 riders in our group. Together, we've pushed each other to new heights, celebrated every milestone, and fostered a spirit of encouragement and support that fuels our rides and friendships.
We are changing up a few award names and showcasing some of our newer riders. However, one thing remains the same: each award recipient delivered exceptionally in their category. On behalf of the team that helps run our WVC community—Cheryl, Don, Rick, and I—we are all thankful for every one of you and look forward to continued growth and new friendships throughout 2025.
Ace Rider Award: Joe Ebenroth
Personally, I’m very thankful for the opportunity to ride with Joe and wife Tracey for over 10 years now. In 2024, Joe was a key driver for our A-Group, routinely making the voyage for our Saturday ride nearly every week from Scottsdale. With steady, strong pulls, Joe is always in the mix driving our A-Group. Our East side riders make us all stronger, and we are very thankful for riders like Joe to be involved in WVC!
King Puller Award: Karl Fazio
When us B-Group riders try to step up for the second half of the Saturday ride out to Verrado, there are those moments on Broadway and Rainbow's notorious headwinds when we struggle to hang on. It’s at those points when Karl steps up and takes the mega pulls at the perfect pace. As a bonus, he is an excellent mountain biker and gravel rider, and we benefit from his awesome bike handling skills and big heart throughout every ride.
King Puller Award: Brendan Nguyen
All year, Brendan has been an increasingly strong rider. In the last month, with a new bike and fitting, there is no doubt he has reached a new performance level. The Christmas Eve ride showcased his pull skills when Brendan and Randy Bueghly pulled the entire group back home in a stiff headwind. To boot, Brendan takes those monster pulls with a caring smile that keeps us all motivated to hang on. In addition to being an excellent coach for our Goodyear swim team Silver Fins, Brendan is also a superstar 5.0 pickleball player! The major closing factor for him winning this award is that this past Saturday, Brendan completed the most epic double century with several other WVC riders: 201 miles, 4.8K climbing in 12 hours.
All-Around Award: Ed DeJesus
This year we are giving this award to someone who shows up every Saturday morning and leads the C group when Connie rides later. Ed is always welcoming and kind. He has a great attitude and a smile on his face. If you have a mechanical, get dropped or lost, Ed will be there to help. Thank you and congratulations Ed, we appreciate you!
Best Group Rider: Charlayne Barger
When you arrive at the start of our Saturday group ride, there are those special riders you always scan the parking lot in hopes of seeing. Charaylne is certainly one of the shining stars you love to ride with. Engaging, fun, strong as heck, and a very skilled rider, she is fully capable of riding with the A-Group. Thankfully, she spends some time with us B-Groups, and it’s always a blast.
Break Through Rider of the YEAR: Jhune Dela Cruz Reyes
Jhune has been riding with us for over 14 years and during that time he has always been a joy and positive force. He has been a great encourager for the C group riding with them and encouraging many to take on El Tour de Tucson. Now, Jhune is a very strong B group rider, making hills look easy and riding the full Saturday route keeping up with the top riders. Jhune is a very experienced and skilled rider who has raced mountain bikes, and his skills are evident in the group rides as he is very safe and easy to ride with.
Karen Malisa Award: Stephen Malisa
We created this award when we lost one of our beloved ladies to a senseless accident. This lady spread positivity and only saw the good in people wherever she went. She was also an avid rider with grit and was tough as nails when she needed to be. The person who wins this award is a newer rider to WVC but, he is so worthy of carrying on this spirit of both positivity and grit. Although Steve has only been riding with us a little over a year and he was coming back from a very serious knee injury when he started, he has put in many hours on the bike and has risen from novice to incredibly strong and experienced! Congratulations Steve and thanks for continuing to spread the light.
This past year has truly showcased the incredible spirit within our West Valley Cycle community. To those of you who faced incredible comeback challenges, you endured and emerged stronger. You’ve shown us all what it means to persevere, to fight, and to triumph over adversity.
2024 proclaimed a new season of shared rides, determination, and remarkable unity and vibrancy throughout our community. We have welcomed many new faces and now boast 2,800 riders in our group. Together, we've pushed each other to new heights, celebrated every milestone, and fostered a spirit of encouragement and support that fuels our rides and friendships.
We are changing up a few award names and showcasing some of our newer riders. However, one thing remains the same: each award recipient delivered exceptionally in their category. On behalf of the team that helps run our WVC community—Cheryl, Don, Rick, and I—we are all thankful for every one of you and look forward to continued growth and new friendships throughout 2025.
Ace Rider Award: Joe Ebenroth
Personally, I’m very thankful for the opportunity to ride with Joe and wife Tracey for over 10 years now. In 2024, Joe was a key driver for our A-Group, routinely making the voyage for our Saturday ride nearly every week from Scottsdale. With steady, strong pulls, Joe is always in the mix driving our A-Group. Our East side riders make us all stronger, and we are very thankful for riders like Joe to be involved in WVC!
King Puller Award: Karl Fazio
When us B-Group riders try to step up for the second half of the Saturday ride out to Verrado, there are those moments on Broadway and Rainbow's notorious headwinds when we struggle to hang on. It’s at those points when Karl steps up and takes the mega pulls at the perfect pace. As a bonus, he is an excellent mountain biker and gravel rider, and we benefit from his awesome bike handling skills and big heart throughout every ride.
King Puller Award: Brendan Nguyen
All year, Brendan has been an increasingly strong rider. In the last month, with a new bike and fitting, there is no doubt he has reached a new performance level. The Christmas Eve ride showcased his pull skills when Brendan and Randy Bueghly pulled the entire group back home in a stiff headwind. To boot, Brendan takes those monster pulls with a caring smile that keeps us all motivated to hang on. In addition to being an excellent coach for our Goodyear swim team Silver Fins, Brendan is also a superstar 5.0 pickleball player! The major closing factor for him winning this award is that this past Saturday, Brendan completed the most epic double century with several other WVC riders: 201 miles, 4.8K climbing in 12 hours.
All-Around Award: Ed DeJesus
This year we are giving this award to someone who shows up every Saturday morning and leads the C group when Connie rides later. Ed is always welcoming and kind. He has a great attitude and a smile on his face. If you have a mechanical, get dropped or lost, Ed will be there to help. Thank you and congratulations Ed, we appreciate you!
Best Group Rider: Charlayne Barger
When you arrive at the start of our Saturday group ride, there are those special riders you always scan the parking lot in hopes of seeing. Charaylne is certainly one of the shining stars you love to ride with. Engaging, fun, strong as heck, and a very skilled rider, she is fully capable of riding with the A-Group. Thankfully, she spends some time with us B-Groups, and it’s always a blast.
Break Through Rider of the YEAR: Jhune Dela Cruz Reyes
Jhune has been riding with us for over 14 years and during that time he has always been a joy and positive force. He has been a great encourager for the C group riding with them and encouraging many to take on El Tour de Tucson. Now, Jhune is a very strong B group rider, making hills look easy and riding the full Saturday route keeping up with the top riders. Jhune is a very experienced and skilled rider who has raced mountain bikes, and his skills are evident in the group rides as he is very safe and easy to ride with.
Karen Malisa Award: Stephen Malisa
We created this award when we lost one of our beloved ladies to a senseless accident. This lady spread positivity and only saw the good in people wherever she went. She was also an avid rider with grit and was tough as nails when she needed to be. The person who wins this award is a newer rider to WVC but, he is so worthy of carrying on this spirit of both positivity and grit. Although Steve has only been riding with us a little over a year and he was coming back from a very serious knee injury when he started, he has put in many hours on the bike and has risen from novice to incredibly strong and experienced! Congratulations Steve and thanks for continuing to spread the light.