Ty Magner will rev up his sprint engine for a fifth season at L39ION of Los Angeles, ushering in the 20th racing season in his career in 2025. Podium visits were a habit, 110 of them and counting, with teams like Hincapie Sportwear Devo, UnitedHealthcare, Rally Cycling and then L39ION, but a disappointing 2024 had him with "one foot out the door thinking about the future".
It was the day after "a shit race" at the Armed Forces Cycling Classic, an event where he won in 2022 and had been top 10 two other years, that he recommitted to earning a living on a bike and scrapped retirement plans. He told his L39ION teammates, "I'm not quitting".
"I was on the edge of 2024 being my last season as a 'pro', but I was having a terrible spring - no legs, sick - and I realized it was because I had one foot out the door thinking about the future. I remember getting back to the hotel sitting with Alexis [Magner], Alec [Cowan], and Justin [Williams] and told them fuck this, I'm not quitting.
"From that point on, starting with Clarendon Cup, my head was back in it. My training got better, racing legs were slowly coming around," Magner told Cyclingnews, as he then put an end to DNFs and mid-pack finishes to earn eight top 10s in the second half of the season.
The former U23 and USPro criterium national champion said his career on the bike has given him a life that he would not trade for anything. While the definition of 'pro' may not be defined by WorldTour standards, he said it delivered more than race wins.
"Personally, I’ve had over 80 high-level wins in the crits, my drive now is to get the team back to winning. I know when the team is working as it should that leads to wins not only for me but for everyone on L39ION. I’m doing my best to be the best teammate I can be," Magner reflected.
"The goal is pushing the sport forward as a team rather than individuals. Teams are the backbone of bike racing.
"Crazy to think back on. 2011 was my first year making a living as a cyclist. Cycling has given my wife Alexis and I everything - our marriage, our home, friends, animals, adventure. All from racing bikes."
He's sort of the Carl Edwards for criterium racing, on par with the same number of high-level victories as the newest member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In Magner's 15th season as a pro, he plans to be on the start line with L39ION this weekend at Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Arizona, the first time he's been to that event. It serves as a proving ground for many of the top juniors and aspiring pros, and a three-day race camp to kick out cobwebs for veterans.
While Magner has had success in multi-day races, winning stages at the Tour of Utah and Tour de Beauce, it's the US-style criterium where he makes his bread-and-butter. 2023 was a bounty in one-day races, taking 13 top fives, with victories at Tulsa Tough, the Crystal City race at Armed Forces Cycling Classic, Boise's Bailey & Glasser Twilight Criterium and Salt Lake Criterium.
"USA CRITS kicks off in April, so we still have a few months for the meat of the season. A team goal will be the ACC [American Criterium Cup] as the schedule has been condensed. Tulsa is a blast to win, Boise is a good one too," the 33-year-old fastman said.
"But Athens is and will always be the one I want to check off. I’ve lived here in Athens since 2009. In 2010 I made the break of five in the pouring rain and Karl Menzies won. Karl and I were teammates in 2016 on UHC, and I believe he turned 40 that year. So if you carry the 2, subtract a bit, multiply by 3, divide that… it would make Karl my age when he snagged the win. Who knows! Could be cool."
Magner has been on the podium multiple times at his hometown race, but never on the top step. His wife Alexis, now racing for Cynisca Cycling, has now won the Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium twice.
The husband-wife duo mixed in cyclocross racing at the end of last season with teammate Robin Carpenter. After a couple of solid races, Ty decided to compete at USA Cycling Cyclocross Nationals in Louisville. He won another national title in the process, in the men's 30-34 age division.
"The Georgia CX series is incredible with some really passionate promoters and racers, like wicked talent Matthew Crabbe, who is on his way to the top of the sport at only 15. It kept my heart in the sport, my legs turning, and it was fun to be somewhat competitive in the local UCI races, which gave me some intrigue for nationals," Magner said.
"Cool to snag another jersey, I wish I would’ve won a junior national title then I could’ve had a title in all categories!"
