VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: US Olympic BMX Racer Connor Fields Says Being From West Coast Is A ‘Huge’ Advantage

Team USA BMX racer Connor Fields, who is competing in the Tokyo Olympic games, revealed how growing up on the West Coast affected his cycling career trajectory: “it was huge.”

“For our sport, we do it outside and so weather is a huge factor,” the Olympic gold medalist said. “So you live in a cold climate or it’s snowing for four, five, six months of the year it limits the amount of time that you’re able to get out and ride. So, it seems like there is a bit of a trend where the best athletes in my sport at least often times come from warm-weather climates.”

“And then for me just being from Las Vegas … you know how hot it gets in the summer time,” Fields said. “It taught me a lot of discipline because I would have to get up early to do my training before it would get too hot cause middle of the day in the summertime it’s unbearable to be outside, let alone wearing full helmet, gloves, long shirt, long pants, hat, you know, it’s 110 degrees that doesn’t feel very good. So, I learned a lot of discipline at a young age just getting up at six in the morning and doing my training before it got too hot, so definitely being in a warm-weather climate was a big thing for me growing up.”