Former Buhach Colony athlete Alonzo headed to BMX World Championships

Kevin McCarthy’s favorite Caleb Alonzo story has nothing to do with bike racing.

Once when Alonzo was in school, the teacher told a story Alonzo didn’t get. According to McCarthy, something had gotten lost in translation and Alonzo stayed after school, going over the story with his teacher until there was comprehension.

The Kevin’s Bikes owner said the story is a perfect example of why he knew Alonzo would succeed in BMX racing. The Buhach Colony High School graduate doesn’t relent until he has something down.

That drive helped Alonzo turn an extracurricular activity into a soon-to-be pro career and his first trip to the UCI BMX World Championships, scheduled from July 21-25 in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.

“I’m excited for the challenge,” Alonzo said. “I’m always looking to go up against faster riders, and it doesn’t get any faster than this.

“I’m pretty confident going in and excited to see where I stack up with the top riders in the world. The goal for the World Championships is to get myself on the U.S. Olympic committee radar before I go pro next year.”

The 21-year-old said he started riding on the Atwater USA BMX course when he was 8. Once he found his bearings, it didn’t take long to realize he had some ability. Alonzo played soccer and baseball at Buhach Colony, but BMX racing became his sport when he was 15.

“I started winning, not just local races but some regional and state races,” Alonzo said. “When I went from No. 1 in the area to No. 1 in the district to No. 1 in the state, I realized I might be able to do something with this and I went all in.”

Alonzo said his family and McCarthy have been there to support him every step of the way.

“I remember when he first came in with his mom looking for a BMX bike,” McCarthy said. “I’ve rarely seen someone as determined as him. His loyalty to me and the store has been amazing, too. When he made the decision to sign with a sponsor last year, his parents said he sat down and cried because he was worried I’d feel betrayed he wasn’t riding with my team anymore.

“I was all for it. We’re just a steppingstone. Caleb has much bigger things ahead of him.”

Alonzo signed with Fastsigns/Redline and used 2014 to take the next step in his career. He moved to Phoenix for a year to train with the top riders in the United States then, showing his dedication to the growth of the sport, he returned to Atwater to teach kids his newfound skills.

“My time in Phoenix was great. I learned more about racing in the last year than I probably had in the rest of my life,” Alonzo said. “I really focused on sharpening my technique, and it’s paid off with my results.”

Alonzo has had the most successful season of his young career, capped with his qualifying to represent the U.S. at the World Championships. Sixteen U.S. riders qualified, with the top eight from the Eastern and Western Regionals advancing. Alonzo left no doubt, winning his first Western Regional in New Mexico.

Now, he’ll try to make a splash on the national stage.

“I fly out on July 17. I just need to raise a little extra money to go,” Alonzo said. “My sponsor takes care of a portion of the costs, but the rest is up to me. Kevin’s Bikes is accepting donations, and I have a GoFundMe page. People just need to look up my name.

“The community has always been very supportive of me. It’s nice to get Atwater’s name out there for something positive. Hopefully, I can make everyone proud.”

This story was originally published June 26, 2015 at 7:33 PM with the headline "Former Buhach Colony athlete Alonzo headed to BMX World Championships."