Like many of Masco’s students, Tim Johnson juggled academics, sports, and extracurriculars. However, through his dedication to the unique hobby of cycling, Johnson earned a spot on the U.S. National Team and solidified his place in the world of professional racing.
A Masco graduate of 1995, Tim Johnson’s journey to cycling began in his hometown of Middleton, where he grew up with close friends playing soccer or delivering newspapers by bike or skateboard.
He had always been active and involved in different ways, but his path wasn’t always clear or planned out. Though he experimented with different interests, like football, cross country, art studio, and more, Johnson struggled to understand where he truly fit in.
“By freshman year [my friend group] was coming apart at the seams a bit, for all sorts of reasons. I was still passively engaged in academics or sports, but lots of my attention had been elsewhere,” he said. “It wasn’t until meeting two new friends, who’d just moved to the area or were attending Masco through school choice, that my experience evolved into something different. From there, I met more new friends who shaped a different attitude each time I walked into the building.”
Meeting new friends and exploring new opportunities served as a turning point in Johnson’s life, which would eventually shape his high school years. Without a driver’s license yet, he was able to take advantage of being able to spend extra time with his friends and navigate the community around him. Those friendships, and the hours spent riding around Middleton on bikes, created the foundation for his growing interest in cycling, which started as a hobby, but quickly became a competitive drive that would define his future.
“Bikes had always been part of my life, but it wasn’t until I started exploring more of our area on a mountain bike (MTB) that I saw what else was out there for me. I spent more time with older kids and adults, and was introduced to MTB racing and a group of friends who made the biggest mark on my life,” said Johnson.
As he got better at mountain biking, he quickly realized that cycling gave him more than just exercise; the sport gave him a sense of purpose that would power his desire to move forward and achieve more than he could have ever imagined. Choosing to put off college and travel solo around Europe instead was a bold decision, but one that worked perfectly for Johnson. The adventure not only expanded his horizons as he explored new cultures and terrains but also reinforced his commitment to pursuing a professional career in cycling.
“In one year, I’d gone from a first-timer to an expert-level racer in New England, consistently ranking among the best in the state and region. By the time I was a senior, I’d started racing at the National level and earned a spot on the US National Team racing at the MTB World Championships in Germany.”
The experiences Johnson gained from traveling the world and racing at the highest levels were transformative; as his accomplishments began to accumulate, he found himself facing new challenges and greater expectations. Through it all, however, he embraced those obstacles and thrived in the environment that pushed him to grow, both physically and mentally.
“After so many years of racing around the world, there is one instant where I’d achieved something I didn’t think was possible, personally, while also marking my continued rise among the heads of state in my sport. As a first-year senior, 22 years old, I won the US National Championships,” said Johnson. “It was a shock to me, but really put me on the map as far as the sport was concerned. All of a sudden I’m on the cover of magazines and on a plane to attend training camp with a Pro Team I’d just signed for. It was a whirlwind.”
Along with his success in road and mountain biking, Johnson has also been involved with cyclocross, a unique form of cycling that combines road racing with off-road terrains, challenging riders with obstacles like mud, sand, grass, and other barriers. His dynamic background helped him excel in the sport, bringing speed and technical aspects forth. Johnson is pleased that cyclocross is a growing sport, which will even be featured in the next Summer Olympic Games. He hopes to continue playing an influential role in shaping its development and expanding its visibility.
“Cross was the perfect mix of skills I’d learned while riding around the Tri-Town area as a kid with the physical attributes that I’d been born with. It was fast, intense, and required a focus that I hadn’t really used before. My role on the Athletes Advisory Council for USA Cycling gives me an opportunity to help make that transition go well for the racers of today and tomorrow,” he said.
As a dedicated member of the Athletes Advisory Council for several years, Johnson works closely with USA Cycling to improve the sport at amateur and professional levels. His role involves advising on policy, where he helps to guide emerging talent, and mentoring younger riders. As a strong believer in better representation and equity within the sport, he ensures that the voice of every athlete is heard and valued.
“The game has changed so much since I started as an athlete and even since retiring. Nowadays endurance athletes are so well-rounded in terms of maintaining academic rigor while competing and building out opportunities in the collegiate NIL space, even before having the chance to turn pro,” said Johnson. “Some sports have such short windows of opportunity, and in my case, I’m lucky that my love for bike riding gave me the chance to earn a living, travel the world, and see just how much there is to explore.”
After years of competing and traveling, he founded Ride-On, a program that promotes the importance of safer cycling conditions and the accessibility of cycling for all ages and abilities. The program, based in Washington DC, has expanded to reach communities across the country. It advocates for safer roads, better infrastructure, and more inclusive cycling events that are accessible to people of all skill levels.
“The Ride On series of events connected the sporting side of cycling with the daily drudgery of local, state, and federal-level bike advocacy work. If anything, it gave me a front-row seat into how policy is implemented in government and the difficulty in making all sides of an argument happy, or equally unhappy, in most cases.”
Johnson believes that biking is not only a sport but also a sustainable way to get around, offering benefits such as a reduced environmental impact, improving health, and providing economic opportunities in communities. He tries to put these beliefs into practice through his current work with Ride-On, promoting change and improvement within local cycling communities.
“Advocating for safe biking conditions is something I’m passionate about and I do any chance I get. The realization that my long hours of training on the quiet back roads of the North Shore lulled me into believing that it was the same for anyone across the country. Traveling showed me that it’s not the case and there are millions of young kids growing up without even learning how to ride a bike.”
Spanning further than the streets of Middleton where it all began, Tim Johnson’s legacy has made a profound impact on the cycling community as a national advocate. His roots are planted in the Tri-Town, but his influence now cycles throughout the world, inspiring riders across the globe. Johnson’s ride is far from over, and he continues to pedal forward, leaving tracks to pave the way for others to follow.
