Tag Archives: Alex St. Andre

Alex St. Andre: Racing To The Top

Posted on January 14, 2025 | 2 comments

Even the most casual sports fans know the Tour de France. Name a famous bicycle racer? Lance Armstrong.

But that’s the extent of Americans’ knowledge about a sport Europeans love.

Alex St. Andre knows a lot more.

The 19-year-old Westporter has first-hand experience with the grueling, hyper-competitive world of bicycle racing.

He’s raced at the top junior levels. Now — with a professional contract — the Greens Farms Academy graduate is ready to ride with the big boys.

Alex just signed with Team Skyline Pro Racing. The youngest racer on the team, he’ll spend the 2025 season racing in Europe (with a few competitions in the US). He’ll take his University of Colorado courses online, at his base in Girona, Spain.

And he’ll pursue his dream to be … well, the next Lance Armstrong.

Alex St. Andre

Alex’s racing route began in 2016 right in Westport, with Eneas Freyre’s TT Endurance junior team.

He started with cyclocross: a mix of mountain biking and road racing, building strength in a safe off-road enviroment.

After 6 national championship events, Alex shifted his focus to road racing — the Tour de France-style competitions that Americans know.

In 2023 he finished in the top 20 at the junior nationa championship, then cracked the top 10 in an Austrian time trial.

That year he also won the Connecticut state criterium championship — an all-ages event.

This past year Alex had great results with Team Bikeworks, based in Pennsylvania. Racing at the highest amateur level in the US, he had a pair of runner-up finishes, plus a 3rd and 5th.

Alex St. Andre, in action …

After a summer of strong races in the US and Belgium, Alex got an offer from Team Skyline, in tier 3 of pro cycling.

This year he could race in Italy, France, Belgium, Romania, Greece, Ireland and Dubai.

Westport friends and fans who don’t want to travel to Europe or the Middle East can see Alex in action on May 18.

He’ll be at the Gran Premio New York City. Sixteen teams will compete, from 4 continents.

The course begins  at the George Washington Bridge, winds through New Jersey and New York state into the Hudson River Valley, then finishes in Fort Lee.

The race ends with music, photos, a podium ceremony, pasta party, barbecue, and beer and wine garden open to all.

As he gets ready for Spain, Lance Armstrong — er, Alex St. Andre — is looking for corporate sponsors to join Team Skyline at the Gran Premio New York City.

To become a corporate sponsor, or for more information, email alex.standre923@gmail.com

(“06880” often highlights the achivements of Westporters — including our teenagers. If you enjoy reading those stories — or any others on this blog — please click here to support our work. Thanks!)

,,, and in the lead.

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Pic Of The Day #1085

Posted on April 6, 2020 | 1 comment

Alex St. Andre, at Sherwood Island State Park (Photo/Jim St. Andre)

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Cyclocross: Unique Sport Attracts Tough Competitors

Posted on December 31, 2018 | 3 comments

Cyclocross is one of those under-the-radar sports.

Combining the endurance of cross country running and the explosive speed and intensity of sprinting, with the finesse and bike-handling skills of mountain biking and road cycling — and done in heat, snow, rain and mud on grass, sand, rocks, pavement and dirt — it is not for everyone.

Okay, it’s probably not for most people.

But it’s a sport that has enthralled Eneas Freyre, Caden Freyre and Alex St. Andre.

Alex St. Andre (left) and Caden Freyre, at the dry start of a cyclocross race.

The trio — owner of TTEndurance on the Post Road, his son and a Bedford Middle School 7th grader respectively — recently returned from Louisville, Kentucky.

They competed in the US Cyclocross National Championship. It was rough, tough — and hugely fulfilling.

There — as in other events — crossers rode, pushed and carried their bikes up and down steep hills, over barriers and other obstacles, in grueling 30- to 60-minute races.

In Louisville, over 2,000 athletes, ages 9 (!) to 85 (!!) vied in age-class and elite/pro level races. Eneas Freyre competed in the Masters 40-44 group; his son Caden in 11-12, and Alex St. Andre in the 13-14-year-old class.

It rained — hard. In fact, it was the muddiest and most difficult course Alex ever raced on. Still, he says, “I had a blast! It was a fantastic experience, a fun race and a great trip.”

The muddy course made it tough for Alex St. Andre (blue) to ride …

As difficult as it was — and as great as these athletes are — the national championships did not get much attention.

In Europe, pro cyclocross races draw tens of thousands of fans, and massive TV coverage.

The cyclocross community is “incredibly supportive,” says Alex’s father, Jim St. Andre. The young Westporter has found a home there.

Alex has participated in many sports. But, Jim says, he has never been pushed harder — physically and mentally. And he’s never felt more fulfillment than through cyclocross.

Freyre helped immensely. His TTEndurance offers specialized training for cycling, running, triathlons and strength. He is a great role model: In addition to cyclocross, Freyre holds the record (with Westporter Park Pattinson) for the 2-man bicycle Race Across America, and has won several Mount Washington Bicycle Hillclimbs.

Freyre introduced the St. Andres to cyclocross 3 years ago. They’ve been all in ever since.

… and even tougher to haul his bike up a hill. (Photos/Jim St. Andre)

TTEndurance supports youth and adult teams. They practice indoors at the studio above the old Great Cakes, and outdoors at Sherwood Island and other spots.

Freyre provides bikes and helmets for first-timers. “All it took was one practice for Alex to get hooked,” Jim St. Andre says.

Cyclocross is definitely not for everyone. But you’ll never know until you try.

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