SE Crew: Tomas Fernandez

How old are you? 
I’m 36 years old and still keeping these young pups honest.

Where do you live?
Straight out the 505, Burque, Albacrazy, Albuquerque, New Mexico. You know, the place they filmed that hit show "Breaking Bad" yo!

How many SE bikes do you own?
One race bike, one trail and skatepark bike, and that legendary OM-Duro.

What’s your favorite SE bike?
No race bike compares to the feel of the PK Ripper, y'all.

What’s your favorite place to ride and race, and why?
You know I gotta show love for my local scene. La Tierra Trails in Santa Fe is my favorite trail spot because that’s the only real spot we got. Everywhere else gets leveled before it gets known. I grew up riding this spot with homies, so the memories made and good times had hold a special place en mi corazón. When it comes to racing... Duke City BMX is numero uno. Mi familia’s racing history is woven into this track’s history. The track, facility, and membership here are world class. No place I'd rather call home.

What’s your favorite thing about racing and riding in general, and why?
I absolutely love the independent aspect of racing. Although we have a team of supporters behind us, once the racer steps up to the starting line it's on us to show up and show out. When things go good, the feeling is unmatched. When things don’t.... it's on us to be able to relax our ego and develop a skill set allowing us to accept defeat and utilize the lessons learned toward our next race. When it comes to riding… it has to be freedom of expression. There are so many different ways to show our individual skill sets when we ride. The fact we possess the ability to learn them all keeps the motivation alive for a lifetime of fun with friends.

What’s your secret to improving riding skills?
Honestly, there is no real secret to improving your skill set. The advice I can provide here is, “ride everything". Your skill set, style, and flow is developed through time on the bike while learning to ride all types of terrain. A one-dimensional rider is a boring rider. It's a lost practice in the racing industry these days and that’s why it's become more difficult for those individuals to stay motivated and progress.

What’s something that people may not know about you?
Back in 2006 I sustained a major internal injury from racing requiring immediate exploratory surgery to remove a kidney, seven blood transfusions, and hospitalization for three months while a bruise on my lower intestine healed. That spelled the beginning of the end of my elite racing career. 

What advice would you give to someone just getting into racing?
Remember why you started this journey in the first place. BMX is fun and that is why we do it. Enjoy the process and at the end of the day, hold your head up high knowing you gave it your best effort. "There's always another race". Oh wait, and buy an SE race bike to shred the race course like the legends we all once admired.