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Local 11-year-old pedals to victory at USA Cycling Gravel Nationals

Photo: Jason Prigge
Dash Prigge just made his mark in the cycling world - Oh, and his wheelie game is also on-point
PARK CITY, Utah – When Jason Prigge talks about his son Dash’s love of bikes, it sounds less like a hobby and more like a lifelong friendship. “He’s always loved being on the bike,” Prigge said. “That’s kind of been his happy place.”
That joy started early — first on a tricycle cruising around the living room, then on a Strider balance bike rolling through the driveway with a laugh and a big smile. Before long, Dash was pedaling his first road bike, a heavy little 24-inch frame that looked almost too big for him. “We live in Summit Park on about a 15% grade,” Prigge said with a grin. “He’d just ride up and down it for fun. Most adults don’t even like riding that hill.”
From there, cycling became a family ritual. On weekends, Jason and Dash would load up the bikes, park near Kimball Junction and ride the paved paths into town. They’d stop for coffee or a snack at Fairweather Café before winding back past the hospital and Trailside. “He’s probably done that loop fifty times,” his dad said. “We’d make it fun. That was the goal — keep it fun.”

Even when Prigge was out of town, Dash kept riding. His mom, more of a runner than a cyclist, would meet him at different spots around town as he started to map out his own routes. “That’s when I realized he wasn’t just doing it because I was,” Prigge said. “He really loved it.”
That love took him further than anyone expected. In late September, 11-year-old Dash rode to victory in his age division at the USA Cycling National Gravel Championships in La Crescent, Minnesota — a 31-mile course through the Driftless Area’s steep, misty hills. The morning started out rainy, but by the start of the race conditions were cool and foggy. Dash started with riders up to three years older. Ten miles in, the younger group found its rhythm.
“Toward the end, there was this steep section — about a 20% grade — where everyone had to hop off and run,” Prigge said. “Dash came over the top in second and then just attacked on the next climb. He came into town alone and crossed the line solo. It was pretty special.”
It was the biggest win yet for the Park City sixth-grader, who has already logged more endurance miles than many adult cyclists. Just a few months earlier, Dash completed his first century ride — the Summit Challenge’s 100-mile course — finishing in just over six hours and climbing more than 7,000 vertical feet. He’s also raced in California’s rugged Lost and Found Gravel Race, clocking 64 miles on loose, rocky terrain, and in Cedar City’s Belgian Waffle Ride, where he won his category.
Dash’s first taste of racing came two years earlier, when the Prigge family traveled to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for a gravel riding event called SBT GRVL. The father-son duo had signed up for the 40-mile competitive ride in part for Dash to be able to be inspired on another level.
“SBT does a great job of creating opportunities for black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) cyclists to compete” Prigge said. “I thought it’d be great for Dash to see that.”

That weekend turned into a formative experience. Dash met Ride for Racial Justice co-founder Marcus Robinson, who has since become a mentor, and even NBA legend Reggie Miller, who was volunteering at the event. “Reggie interviewed Dash on the bike the first year,” Prigge recalled. “It was pretty inspiring for him to see people like that in the sport.”
Since then, Dash has raced under the Ride for Racial Justice banner at several other events, finding a growing community of athletes and mentors. “It gave him a sense that he belongs here,” his dad said. Dash ended up finishing in eighth place that year, in a field of about 300 riders and he got to stand on the podium as the race’s fastest in the under 18 category. Dash was just ten years old.
When he’s not racing, Dash stays busy like any other Park City kid — playing flag football, skiing in the backcountry with his family, and exploring trails around town. You also might catch a glimpse of him having fun and popping wheelies, whether he’s out on a trail or cruising through a local parking lot.
“I think he feels more a part of the cycling community now,” Prigge said. “He’s learned he can show up at these races, do well, and support other kids too. It’s that same feeling kids get in soccer or baseball — the camaraderie, the sense of belonging.”
Next year, Dash plans to return to Gravel Nationals to defend his title, along with the Lost and Found race in California and a full slate of regional events. But for Prigge, the real goal isn’t medals — it’s momentum.
“He just loves to ride,” Prigge said. “That’s the most important thing — keeping that joy alive. The results will come, but the love of it? That’s the part you can’t teach.”
