Aaron Oakes

Specialties: Road Racing, Cyclocross, Mountain Bike Racing.

Home: Raleigh, North Carolina

Client levels accepted: Individual, SemiCustom, Custom, Consultation.

Available to take on all levels of athletes both racing and non-racing.

Available for seminars, camps, clinics, and team direction on a contractual basis.

Aaron Oakes is a USA Cycling certified coach and has been racing for the past 10 years, currently competing as a Pro cross country mountain biker and UCI Elite cyclocrosser. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science from the University of Massachusetts with a double concentration in food science.  During the span of his racing career he has raced his way through full seasons in every category in mountain biking as a full time student or full time employee in the food industry.

Aaron's strengths as a coach include balancing the unique requirements of racing, training, school and working in each racing category. His strengths also include teaching off-road and cyclocross technical skills.

As president of the University of Massachusetts cycling club he enjoyed racing on the road, especially enjoying planning and executing road racing strategies and tactics. But ultimately he fell in love with mountain bike and cyclocross racing. On the mountain bike Aaron has raced every course in New England and New Jersey.  He's also raced most higher profile races on the East Coast, including Seven Springs, PA; Greenbrier Challenge in Maryland; Snowshoe, WV; and Banner Elk, NC.

In the cyclocross arena, Aaron is a two-time New Jersey Cyclocross Cup Champion in the Elite category as well as the 2007 State Champion. He's raced most high profile US Grand Prix of Cyclocross races in the Northeast, including Gloucester, MA and Mercer, NJ, and has also raced the Verge New England series, the Mid Atlantic series races, and the National Championships in Kansas.

Aside from his racing and coaching interests, Aaron is currently working on a Master's Degree in Food Science at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.  He enjoys baking, chess, craft beer, learning, and photography in the time left over.

To inquire about working with Aaron please click here! >>>

"Just a quick update after this morning's ride. As you may remember, about 8 weeks ago I did a 40 mile group ride and struggled to keep up with the group, even having to be pulled back up while the group slowed down and waited for me.  I got completely blown out the back on the last half of the ride and wound up limping home, thoroughly exhausted. 8 weeks of Wenzel Coaching later, I tried the ride again.  This time, I averaged 19.1 mph over the 48.5 miles of the ride, took my turn pulling at the front of the fast group (averaging about 21 mph during the pulls) and, although pleasantly tired after the ride, felt I held my own throughout the ride... I felt strong throughout the ride and quickly recovered once back in the pace line." Thanks, Bill M