Leon Malmed’s journey into cycling is nothing short of remarkable. After retiring in 2000 from a successful career as a Silicon Valley marketing and sales executive, he moved to a golf community but quickly realized that golf was more challenging than it appeared. Despite years of playing, he began searching for a new hobby. At age 66, a friend convinced him to join a casual weekend cycling group. His initial impressions were skeptical—“Why are grown men wearing spandex?” and “Who spends $1,500 on a bike?”—but he soon embraced the sport, riding an old bike and struggling to keep up with the group.
A turning point came when his friend lent him a newer bike, albeit one three sizes too big. Even so, Leon’s skills improved rapidly, and within a year, he was fully immersed in cycling. “I always came home from a round of golf mad at myself,” he says. “Biking makes me happy. It gives me an incredible sense of freedom. When I’m chasing another rider, I tap into this energy I didn’t know I still had.”
After relocating to Tahoe, he joined the Minden Alta Alpina Cycling Club, where he became the director of weekend rides and regularly competed in races—often outpacing younger riders who might mistakenly think he’s using an e-bike. Now 87, Leon thrives on the challenge of cycling up mountains, and racing with younger competitors has only bolstered his strength and confidence. He started competing at the age of 78, and by 2022, he earned four gold medals one in 2021 and three in 2022 at the Masters Road Cycling National Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Leon’s active lifestyle extends beyond cycling. He enjoys skiing, sailing, and hasn’t completely given up on golf. His love for adventure is rooted in a past shaped by resilience. Born in France, Leon is a Holocaust survivor. He and his sister were hidden for three years by a French Christian family during World War II after their parents were deported to Auschwitz, never to return. Leon later shared his harrowing story in his memoir, We Survived… At Last I Speak, available on Amazon. Despite a career that left little time for exercise, his passion for cycling has made his later years both physically and emotionally fulfilling.
Photo Courtesy of Leon Malmed
