Andy Bopp founded Lost River Cycling in 1996 in Mackay, Idaho.
Mackay is situated along the Big Lost River and since 1984 has been the host of the Northwest's oldest mountain bike race - the White Knob Challenge. Lost River Cycling was created to promote that race and to promote mountain biking in Eastern Idaho. Andy and his family moved to Boise and brought the LRC concept and it began to grow. In the fall of 1999, Andy and Rich Brown organized the LRC race team. LRC was a new face on the Boise cycling scene and had remarkable racing success. In 2001, LRC added a co-ed club to the organization and Tyler Welshimer agreed to manage the club.
The year 2002 saw more growth for LRC. We supported Cat 1 to Cat 5 men racers, junior men racers and Cat 1 to Cat 4 women on the road. Our mountain bike squad ranged from sport riders to pro racers. The club had more than forty members with another 30 riders affiliated with the club in addition to the race teams. In sum, a total of more than 100 Boise Valley cyclists are part of the Lost River family.
Due to the organization's growth, in 2002 a Board of Directors assumed the management of LRC. The Board consists of elite and amateur racers, LRC's club manager, a sponsor and a club member. For 2003, the club and team had a regional presence, but the Lost River Cycling Team emphasized local races. The growth has continued and by 2008 IOC/LRCC had in excess of 150 club members and racers.
The overall philosophy of LRC is to help people get even greater enjoyment from riding their bicycles. To do this LRC strives to provide numerous opportunities for cyclists, ranging from:
As part of its commitment to the cycling community, Lost River Cycling sponsors: