Bikes. Culture. Hawaii
It’s a summer morning in 1989. Slurping cereal after swim practice, I turned on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. The announcer screamed hoarsely from the TV set, as the leader of the tour, Laurent Fignon, fell to the ground covering his face. I had tuned in at the very moment when Lemond won the ’89 Tour de France by the slimmest of margins ever recorded in tour history, eight seconds. Not only was this a sensational come-from-behind win for an American, but Lemond did it by using the controversial, unproven aerobar (new equipment in 1989). Drama, technology, heroic effort, sporting success; these elements were branded into my brain. That’s the moment when I fell in love with the bicycle.
Years later I would race and train in Europe. Belgians in particular would stop me just to talk about Lemond and the ‘89 Tour. While I would never go on to compete in Le Tour, I did spend fourteen years making a living racing bicycles, bumping bars with some of the sport’s biggest stars. I began my pro career as a U.S. criterium specialist, learning enough along the way to go from a sprinter to a team captain, and someone who could compete for the GC (general classification – the overall win) in stage races. Traveling to competitions not only in Europe, but also China, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Africa, I achieved my own victories and defeats, and my love affair became a lifelong career.
Along the way Hawai’i became my home. My wife Hannah and her entire family are from Hawai’i, and now that we have three young sons we’ve settled on the Big Island permanently. For the last nine years of my racing career I ran informal training camps for my pro cycling teammates in the off-season in order to take advantage of the warm weather, incredibly diverse terrain, and the occasional wave. During that time, I rode every road possible on the Big Island and have learned to maximize training while enjoying the incredibly unique culture and natural beauty of Hawai’i. It’s during these epic Hawaiian-style rides that I day-dreamed of showing other people Hawai’i from the saddle.
I retired from racing in the fall of 2014. Family and Hawai’i were calling, and it’s rare for a rider to continue racing into their forties. It was a great final season. Probably my best World Tour memory from that year was racing Stage 5 at the Tour of Utah with my teammates on Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies. In the final miles, BMC Racing set up their red and black lead out train at the front of the pack, ready to propel 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans across the line for a stage win. I was able to attack the BMC Racing team, open a gap, and tow teammate Eric Young into the perfect place for the stage win. In a bike race, things need to go exactly right to pull off a win against World Tour teams. It was special because it was a full team effort — those moments in the sport are rare. It felt great to contribute to such a big win in my final season.
Now that I’m retired, I’m ready to help contribute to your big win or great cycling experience with custom road and mountain bike tours and training camps, designed around you and your group’s desires and interests, and fine-tuned for different ability levels. When you come to Hawai’i, I want you to make the most of your stay, so you can take full advantage of the culture, food, natural history, scenic beauty, and incredible riding in Hawai’i. The Big Island is not only home, but it’s a great place to ride and train and I look forward to showing you the incredible spectrum of cycling Hawai’i has to offer. Come and be a part of our family and let us show you the Big Island!
After 13 years in the pro peloton, Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies captain Alex Candelario, 38, is hanging up the cleats.
Candelario retires after 13 years in US peloton
It’s been a long career,” Candelario told Cyclingnews this week at the Canadian race. “I’ve been really lucky and worked with some great people, but it’s just time to transition to something else, mostly because of my family. The lifestyle is pretty rough on the family life; it’s just a lot of time away from home…
The Next Phase
To say that Alex Candelario is “chill” is an understatement. I’ve known him for more than 10 years, have interviewed him, interacted with him at races, seen him go shoulder-to-shoulder with the big names on many occasions…
Long Road to the Big Island
Looking Back on a Career in the Pro Peloton, and Forward to Big Island Bike Tours. It’s Saturday morning on a summer day in 1989, and Alex “Cando” Candelario has poured a mixing-bowl…
Simply put, we started Big Island Bike Tours in Hawaii because we live to ride bicycles, nothing more nothing less. We’ve ridden bicycles all over the planet and yet nothing compares to the breathtaking beauty and cultural uniqueness of Hawaii. Our Hawaii bike tours are the fusion of these elements molded into one, forging an authentically unforgettable experience intended to change the way people experience life on a bicycle. Join us and bike Hawaii.
