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If you’re headed up to Vail on Friday for Stage 5 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, stop by International Bridge to admire Colorado resident John Wenner‘s latest public art display. The professional welder spent nearly three months on Rider 01, a welded piece of cycling artwork made mostly of recycled materials—including old bike parts from Denver’s Track Shack, pieces of a 19th century steam tractor, and old motorcycle components.
Wenner, who has been a mountain bike racer for years, says his passion for cycling preceded his love for sculpture, and his career as a college professor of welding.“When I ride my bike, I sometimes feel like it is an extension of my body. With that concept in mind, I started developing Rider 01 with recycled materials, gears, and chains substituting for parts of the human anatomy. The visual distinction between the cyclist and the bicycle is blurred, thus making it seem as if they were one,” Wenner said, according to a press release.
Love it? Rider 01 will be available for purchase during the race. Contact Molly Eppard at 970-479-2344 if you’re interested.
—Photo courtesy of Molly Eppard, Town of Vail
Follow digital assistant editor Jerilyn Forsythe on Twitter at @jlforsyt.
