Pancake aficionado. Heavy metal enthusiast. Fur baby father.
Professional mountain biker, Keegan Swenson, is a lot of things. But more than anything else, he’s a winner. Even in a still-young career, he’s rapidly become a rider to beat—a biker that can climb with the absolute best the world has to offer.
Hailing from Park City, Utah, Keegan got his start like many 5-year-olds do, pedaling around on a hand-me-down set of starter wheels. He would whip through hometown parking lots and suburban streets on his unassuming pink, purple, and white kids bike when he wasn’t making arts & crafts at nearby Jeremy Ranch Elementary.
It didn’t take long for that simple beginning to evolve into something much, much more. Asphalt didn’t hold Keegan’s attention for long, and he’d quickly graduate to more challenging terrain. Although his sports career started with ski racing, soccer, and dirt biking, by the age of 7, his parents (Jordon and Tanya) introduced him to mountain biking—and once he was bit by that bug, everything else faded in his rearview. He began traveling and racing seriously at 12, quit ski racing at 14, and participated in his first nationals at 15. Just one year later, he would return to nationals and triumph.
As he headed into his later teen years, Keegan quickly became a national—and even international—force. And now, still in his 20s, he’s already been named to an Olympic long team, raced for a European pro team, and temporarily held the record for “Everesting.” As of March 2022, he even holds the FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the Canyonland’s White Rim Trail (5 hours, 28 minutes, and 17 seconds, ousting Pete Stetina). With so much already accomplished and a bright career still ahead, you could forgive Keegan for kicking back for a hot minute. But he doesn’t use the luxury of time to lure himself into complacency. Instead, he’s out there ripping trails left and right—and absolutely stacking awards as proof. Because when it comes to winning, for Keegan, the time is always now. Want proof? Here are just a few highlights from Keegan’s 2021 season alone:
2021
1st Place - National XCO Championships
1st Place - National Short Track Championships
1st Place - Leadville Trail 100 MTB
1st Place - OZ Trails U.S Pro Cup Short Track
1st Place - OZ Trails U.S Pro Cup XCO
Keegan’s drive to continue to excel is perhaps best epitomized by his favorite quote: “Nobody cares, work harder.” It’s a no-excuses conviction that permeates his every waking moment; a declaration that there can be no replacement for hard work and no defense for failing to give your all. That kind of outlook—that guiding north star—is about as illustrative of a Life in Forward Motion as we at Blenders can possibly imagine.
Welcome to the Entourage, Keegan. You’re gonna fit right in!