Eli Cohen is 63 and still lining up at the start of the Master class. Four decades of racing, two rebuilt knees, and zero plans to stop.
The day I can't pick up the bike is the day I'll worry. Until then, the hills are the same.
Racing at 63 isn't about beating the kids. It's about not letting the bike beat me.
Q. What changes about riding as you get older?
A. Recovery. I can still ride as hard as I did at 40 — I just can't do it three days in a row without paying for it. So I train smarter: one hard ride, one easy, one rest.
Q. Have you changed your bike setup?
A. Lowered the seat so I can flat-foot. Softer suspension — my knees don't forgive the hits anymore. And an electric start, obviously.
Q. Do younger riders treat you differently?
A. On the line, no. Off the line, they ask how my knees are. It's sweet. But once the flag drops, age is invisible.
Q. What keeps you racing?
A. The friends. The excuse to stay fit. And proving to myself that I'm not done yet. The day I stop is the day I start getting old for real.