After Cycling for Almost 50 Years, this Professional Mountain Climber from Montana Has No Plans to Stop Anytime Soon

The only thing that gets old in the world of professional cycling is the bike and not the rider. However, at the age of 65, cyclist Tom Hayles is not just turning pedals but turning heads leaving the cycling community mesmerized. The cycling enthusiast has made his way to the Pan American Games Cyclocross race in Missoula, Montana. 

One never forgets how to ride a bike no matter what age you are and the 65-year-old resident from Aspen took due advantage of this fact. Hayles’ love affair with cycling began when he was 17 years old and over the last 50 years has gradually deepened. Besides participating, he has also clinched a victory in the 65+ Masters Division. Taking him as an ideal example, the cycling sport proves that the thrill of the race only intensifies as it goes through the passage of time. 

Tom Hayles following his lifelong passion for cycling

Despite the passage of time, his passion for the cycling sport remained undeterred. In his journey of pursuing his dreams, Hayles acknowledges his community, Aspen for taking a serious approach towards sports and recreation that paved his way towards accomplishing his goals. It has always been his dream to earn the coveted Rainbow jersey and secure the position of the top competitor in each division. 

Hayles shared his point of view in an interview with Aspen Times stating, “When you’re younger and you do something and you have some success, it may trigger something in you.” A decade ago, the cyclist secured third place in the masters 55-59 division, however this year he surpassed all his accomplishments soaring to the top. 

Hayles fought in the fiercely competitive environment of the 65+ division of the Pan American Games Cyclocross race that took place on November 4, 2023. He displayed his athletic prowess as he stood atop the podium. 

Defying age barriers, Hayles aspires to embark on future endeavors

Establishing itself before mountain biking, Cyclocross is known for its off-road form of bike racing where cyclists use slightly wider tires and higher bottom brackets to complete the road racing rigs covering rugged terrain and overcoming obstacles. Hayles’ success at the Cyclocross race therefore is a testament to the biking culture that thrives in the heart of Colorado’s mountainous terrain. 

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Sharing the secrets behind Hayles’ fitness at the age of 65, Aspen Times informed that he still “makes time to not only ride every afternoon around town, but also run up the Ute Trail and Aspen mountain, because as he will tell you, ‘Growing old is not for weak people; you really have to work at it.” Instead of settling down with his accomplishments, he sets his sights on the world championship mountain biking event scheduled for May and also harbors a plan to compete at the UCI Masters Cyclocross World Championships to be held in Hamburg, Germany.

Fueled by a lifelong passion for cycling, when dedication meets the open road, Tom Hayles’ remarkable success at the Pan American Games Cyclocross race will continue to inspire both professional as well as aspiring cyclists. He yet again smashed all the barriers and prejudices associated with the relation between age and sports and continues to pedal forward into the realm of endless adventures. 

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