The strong and diverse mother brings racing and life experience to the program
Scotti Lechuga (USA) joins the Sho-Air TWENTY20 Cycling program for the 2018 season. Lechuga is a true all-arounder, with climbing strength for the stage races and short explosive power for the short circuit racing. Lechuga will look for stage wins as well as hold an integral part in the lead out of the known sprint powerhouses of Sho-Air TWENTY20 Cycling.
“The TWENTY20 program develops riders who have big goals. The team also boasts longevity, not something that is easily come by in our sport. Â The program provides a stable platform for women year after year as one of the most successful American women’s UCI teams and I am proud to be a part of it for 2018,” Lechuga said.
Utilizing both her experience on the racecourse and her coaching mindset, Lechuga brings a well-rounded approach to the younger riders. She will be instrumental in guiding the program in the varying race disciplines and dynamics.
“Stage racing is all about grit and smarts. Â Each rider on the roster is incredibly strong and very talented. Â Getting that pool of talent to be savvy, to know what to do and when – that’s where I feel I’ll be the most helpful and encouraging. Â If those strengths within the team get used wisely, we’ll have countless opportunities to succeed. Â Stage races challenge us with back-to-back racing days, but also the opportunity to fix something if you screw it up the day before. And that’s another important lesson I’d love to pass on…if you simply flop one day, we need to motivate each other to try again. Â You never know what tomorrow might bring,” said Lechuga.
Nicola Cranmer, General Manager, Sho-Air TWENTY20 Cycling, developed this program 12 years ago, with the full-hearted intent to grow women’s cycling and allow young riders a balanced program to grow both in sport and in confidence and life skills. Lechuga offers a unique role to the long-standing U.S women’s program, with the potential to grow as an athlete and yet the experience and mental skill set.
“I think in many ways Scotti considers herself a development rider. While she has seen some success racing, I believe we have only seen the top of the iceberg. She will bring a level of maturity and mentorship through life experience to the team and this is important as we have a young and talented team in 2018. A successful female athlete is a balanced one, and Scotti brings her unique life of being a mother, a wife, an entrepreneur and an athlete to the program,” noted Cranmer.
“I’m no doubt one of the oldest (if not THE oldest) female on the TWENTY20 roster! Â Being in my mid-30’s is a beautiful thing for me. While I still have a lot to learn, I do have some great life experience that comes from being a little older – I’m a mother, a business owner, and a pro cyclist. Â I look forward to being able to pass on what I’ve learned to the younger riders, and encourage them to pursue their dreams in a balanced way,” Lechuga said.
“Scotti brings loads of cycling talent and I am thrilled to work with her to step up to the next level of racing. With the addition of Scotti, we balance out the experience of our team with her maturity. We have athletes who are in the first couple years of their career, and one of the ways that they can learn is to be around veteran athletes. Scotti is a very motivated athlete and she will be a great asset to our team in 2018,” said Sho-Air TWENTY20 Sports Director Mari Holden.
Lechuga co-owns Leborne Coaching with her husband, Ernie, coaching athletes of all levels in cycling, triathlon, and endurance sports.  As a cyclist, wife, mother, and coach, Lechuga stays extremely busy but always looks to keep a healthy balance as she pursues her goal of being one of the top cyclists in the US.
