Durango’s Asa Vermette has come a long way since his first race at Purgatory in 2013. Vermette got third in the Chocolate Bunny that day and hasn’t gotten third in many races since.
Vermette has been dominating the downhill scene nationally in the pro men’s races and globally in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup men’s junior downhill events. Vermette has won the first two men’s junior World Cup events this year and won the men’s pro downhill race in New Jersey last weekend despite breaking his hip in March.
However, you wouldn’t know it by speaking with him.
Vermette exudes a laid-back humbleness and doesn’t have a care in the world other than racing mountain bikes and enjoying the experience. The 17-year-old doesn’t seem like he feels any pressure being called a phenom and next up as he travels the world competing against the best.
One reason could be Vermette has been focusing on riding for a while now despite his young age.
Vermette was introduced to riding bikes by his parents Josh and Jonelle. Vermette began riding a Strider when he was 2 and a motocross bike when he was 4. His father raced competitively in the past.
It didn’t take long for Vermette to realize he wanted to pursue downhill.
“When I was 10 or 11, me and my dad came up to Purgatory like every single day,” Vermette said. “I remember we were living in Bayfield, we came up every single day and that's just when I fell in love with downhill. I love motoing, probably just as much or even more but when we started coming up to Purgatory every day, I knew this was what I wanted to start doing.”
Although downhill is where Vermette has made a name for himself, he has grown up riding cross-country and enduro in the high country. He also did BMX from ages 7-10.
Vermette said doing BMX has helped him pump, be fit on the sprints and be quick on the bike. He said moto has helped him be strong on the bike and get used to higher speeds. After riding moto, Vermette wanted to reach those speeds on his downhill runs.
The Durangoan began home schooling in sixth grade when he began taking downhill seriously and started traveling more. He knew he could take his riding to the world stage when he won his first U.S. Downhill National Championship when he was 14 at Winter Park despite breaking his chain on his enduro bike during the run.
“Even last year or the year before, I wasn't really focused on training,” Vermette said. “I was riding my bike every day, which was pretty much the only training I needed back in the day. But now that I’m going to the World Cup tracks and I knew it’s definitely going to be a bit more physical. I need to be in good shape, probably the best shape to race against the dudes.”
Vermette said he was working out all winter in the gym with a trainer to prepare for this season. It’s a full-body workout that includes goblet squats, bench presses and some cardio.
He’s also worked on his diet. Vermette is eating more to get bigger and stronger. He’s also tried to be consistent with what he eats. Once he finds a meal he likes he’ll stick with it throughout race week so he can have the same energy levels each day. Vermette said his diet includes rice, tuna, avocados and bread along with other foods.
Vermette is trying to get bigger to match the big frame of his downhill bike. Vermette prefers a super stiff suspension because he feels that’s how he can get the most out of his run. He runs the same suspension setup as some of his teammates who are 20 or 30 pounds heavier than him.
The 17-year-old enjoys a longer frame. Vermette knew once he hopped on a Frameworks bike that he knew he liked the stiffer and longer frame.
Although Vermette rides like he’s been on the global stage for years, his first global event was in March of 2023 in Rotorua, New Zealand. It was his first time on a plane and he enjoyed the experience.
Since then, Vermette has gotten used to traveling and traveling solo to and from Europe. He said there’s good camaraderie with the guys he races against since they’re not going up against each other on track like in motocross. Vermette said people share lines and help each other out.
“I've raced moto before and I like downhill better,” Vermette said. “In moto, if somebody cuts you off it can get you out of the groove. In downhill, you try to focus and get the lines as best you can. If you mess up, it's your own fault, unless you have a mechanical issue. But when you have a run that you've got all your lines perfect that you've been practicing all week and get down to the bottom you just feel relieved.”
Vermette said he’s been having a lot of fun on the bike and wants to keep the good vibes rolling throughout the rest of the season.
For his career, Vermette wants to be the winningest World Cup racer of all time. He wants to continue to be humble and be a good person like legendary downhill racer Greg Minnaar.
Vermette is most proud of his World Cup performances and hopes downhill will become an Olympic sport one day.
When he’s not racing around the world, Vermette enjoys working on bikes, building dirt jumps and hanging out with friends. When he’s away from home he misses his dog and the burritos at Zia Taqueria.
“The World Cup trails here are as good as the other World Cup trails I've ridden this year and I've always ridden them,” Vermette said about Durango. “So being used to the steep and fast stuff is super cool. We have a bunch of bike parks close to us, three hours away, that I've always gone to. They're all a bit different and you learn to ride different terrain. I’m definitely lucky to have grown up in a rad place with all the different riding.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com
