Griffin Schwartz is not even a teenager but he's already an elite athlete.
Inspired by the best cyclists in the world Griffin got his first race bike when he was ten years old.
"I remember when I was 7 or 8 I saw the Tour de France and I clearly remember thinking 'I want to do that,'" said Griffin.
Soon after that acquisition Griffin entered his first race, and did rather poorly.
According to his dad that only inspired him to work hard at achieving his dream.
"He spent all winter on a trainer in the living room and then the next spring came and the first race on the same cheap little bike he got second place," said Paul Schwartz.
That self-motivation has stayed with him.
"We don't have to say 'get on the bike,'" said his mother Cornelia Howell. "He does it himself."
However Griffin now has a coach to guide his workouts and strategies. Owen Eastmone says Griffin has learned to cope with the pain of training.
"He's very dedicated. He doesn't mind suffering which is important in cycling, and he listens very well," said Eastmone.
Griffin says he also enjoys cycling because in addition to being a demanding physical sport, it also requires strategic planning and tactics.
"I like that it's a combination of physical abilities and smarts because you can be the smartest person in the race but if you don't race smart enough you are not going to win."
