WEST MILFORD Leah Oppenheimer didn’t learn to ride a bike until she was 11. But she learned quickly, because eight weeks later she completed a 50-mile cycling trip in Vermont. Four years later, at 15, she joined the Colavita Junior racing team and participated in her first race this year. On Nov. 11, the Newfoundland 16-year-old received two medals from the New Jersey Biking Association for placing second in the Garden State Cup. The cup consists of 14 different bike races across the state in all-weather conditions. Oppenheimer won medals in time trials and overall women 15 - 18. The Colavita team is the largest of nine biking teams in New Jersey. Although Oppenheimer races for the Junior team (for 15- to 18-year-old women), she races against the adult women riders also and is ranked 36th out of 68 of the category four competitors. She is the captain of the junior team. Cycling is a family sport for Leah. Her dad, Gary, has long been a fan of long distance recreational biking, and her mother Marilyn often goes along on family bike outings. Leah said she was never a big fan of field or court sports, but discovered she liked the speed of racing a bike. Much to her parents’ discomfort, she has been clocked at over 50 miles an hour. But it’s not just the speed. “I like thinking out a course,” she said, “figuring out the best way to get through the course.” Her favorite kind of race is the short, flat, fast ones because although she likes flying downhill, pedaling up uphill isn’t that much fun. Oppenheimer trains all year long, only going indoors to spin when the weather dips below 20 degrees. Because of that, team members must have special water bottles to prevent freezing below 32 degrees. She rides a 18-speed Fuji bike. “There’s no treads on the tires because that would slow me down,” she explained. The bikes for road racing start at about $2,000 and go up from there, but Leah said there are often used ones available from racers. On the national level, USA Cycling has over 60,000 members. Spokesperson Andy Lee said the sport is growing by leaps and bounds, and attributes its increasing popularity to the success of Lance Armstrong. USA Cycling oversees all cycling disciplines, road racing (that’s what Leah is in), mountain biking, cycle cross, track racing and BMX. As of 2008, BMX racing will be an Olympic sport. A junior at Solomon Schechter Day School, Leah is starting to look at colleges. She will only consider schools that offer both a major in foreign language and a bike racing team. According to Lee, there are over 300 collegiate teams that belong to USA Cycling, but they have a goal of increasing that to 700 in the next three to five years. Unfortunately at this time, very few schools offer scholarships for cycling. Since starting to race, biking has become second nature to Leah. Her dad said that since she recently got her permit, he has been teaching her to drive. “The first few times she went to turn, she leaned into it to help.” Leah also participates in her school’s swim team, racing freestyle. But she isn’t only about sports. Last year she took first place in the West Milford Photo Contest. This year, she placed second. In addition, she currently has ceramics on display at the Kinnelon Library. “She’s a great kid,” said her mom, “I’m proud to be her parent.” Colavita team director Dan Coleman said, “She is one of the top junior girls in the state, and a true ambassador to the sport.” When asked if she’d like to compete with the Olympic Women’s Team she responded, “I wouldn’t mind that.”