My name is Sean Azcui. I am a sophomore at Marian University. By the start of my college career, the Marian football team recruited me as a slot receiver. I started road cycling during Covid Spring of 2020 as a senior in high school. During that time, I was missing my high school senior year baseball season and needed something to do for mental and physical activity. In the summer of 2020, I trained strenuously for football and put a lot of miles on a borrowed bike from my neighbor, who coaches a little 500 team. The Little 500 race is a fraternity and sorority race in Bloomington held for college students. In my freshman year at Marian University, I played football that continued through the fall and spring semesters, ending the third week in April of 2021. I started in the special teams and even scored a touchdown, but it was not shaping me into the person I am today.
The second week of school, I emailed coach Peterson asking if I could be a part of such a phenomenal team. Coach Peterson offered me a walk-on opportunity, and I never looked back. In May of 2021, after football season had ended, the Marian coaches offered me a scholarship to switch sports completely. I am fully invested in this sport, and I want to do what it takes to ride for as long as I can. The coaches invited me to train on the track and take the T101 to be able to race. I stayed at Marian for the summer and raced every Thursday night. I worked vigorously to make the Marian National team by doing everything I could to perform at that level.
I made the National team for Marian and raced in four events. I got a PR in my flying 200 with an 11.35, the fifth-fastest at nationals. I then got third place in match sprints. I was pleased with my performance and ability to compete in every event that I raced. I then got another PR in the 1k and placed 4th overall with a time of 1:08.6. My time previously was 1:11 on the Kilo. Then I got 14th in 4K with a time of 5:02.2. That was only my 3rd time doing that event. And finally, I was on the team sprint, and we were National Champions. I recorded the fastest leg with 20.91.
I was able to accomplish all this in 4 months, I went from a Cat 5 to Cat 2 and became a national champion. The coaches did as much as they could to teach me and prepare me for this event. I was fortunate to have people like Matt Gittings and Peter Bock (2 time Collegiate Match Sprint National champion) in my corner to help me with strategies and clear my mind every step of the way. I would say that the most significant difference between me and other riders is that I can slow things down in my mind and react to attacks and moves with confident instinct due to my football background.
On November 2nd I was on a training ride in Indy and was hit by a car cutting across traffic. Battling through a lot mentally I was able to stick out a spring road season with the team. A lot of steps were made and a lot of progress has been shown through these difficult times by having wrist surgery at the end of my collegiate road season.
Major Results:
2024
Major Taylor Thursday Night Racing League
Hot Summer Nights, Major Taylor Velodrome
Major Taylor Thursday Night Racing League
Hot Summer Nights, Major Taylor Velodrome
2023
2023 United States National Collegiate Track Cycling Championship, Major Taylor Velodrome
Midwest Track Challenge, Major Taylor Velodrome
Major Taylor Cycling Lesgue, Major Taylor Velodrome
Intelligentsia Cup Lombard Cycling Classic
Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome
Major Taylor Thursday Night Racing League
Whiskey City Challenge
Major Taylor Thursday Night Racing League
US Elite National Track Cycling Championship, Stub Hub Velodrome
US Elite National Track Cycling Championship, Stub Hub Velodrome
US Elite National Track Cycling Championship, Stub Hub Velodrome
Hyde Park Blast Criterium
Orbital Crit series
2023 Tour De Grandview
Major Taylor Thursday Night Racing League
Orbital Crit series
Major Taylor Thursday Night Racing League
Major Taylor Thursday Night Racing League
Kings Crit
Purdue Criterium
Marian Midwest Cycling Classic
Notre Dame Gilded Criterium
Tour of St. Louis
Tour of St. Louis
Candy Stripe Classic Time Trial and Road Race
2023 New Years Rumble, Lexus Velodrome
2022
2022 United States Collegiate National Track Cycling Championship, Major Taylor Velodrom
United States Collegiate National Track Cycling Championship, Major Taylor Velodrom
United States Collegiate National Track Cycling Championship, Major Taylor Velodrom
2022 Major Taylor Cycling League, Major Taylor Velodrome
2022 Midwest Track Challenge, Major Taylor Velodrome
Major Taylor Cycling League, Major Taylor Velodrome
Bob Pfarr Memorial, Washington Park Velodrome
Major Taylor Cycling League, Major Taylor Velodrome
Major Taylor Cycling League, Major Taylor Velodrome
Major Taylor Cycling League, Major Taylor Velodrome
Whiskey City Criterium
Indiana State Championship, Major Taylor Velodrome
Indiana State Championship, Major Taylor Velodrom
2022 Major Taylor Racing League 2022 Marian University