MIDDLETOWN– Jed Kornbluh of West Hartford has been named executive director of the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program (CCAP, it was recently announced. Founded in 2015, CCAP’s mission is to support youth cycling programs and opportunities throughout the state.

A lifelong cyclist, Kornbluh began racing at the age of nine. Throughout his childhood, he was involved cycling-focused tours and rallies throughout the Northeast, the West Coast, and Europe.

“These cycling trips laid the foundation for my love of cycling and for the cycling community a whole,” said Kornbluh, who has served on the CCAP Advisory Board. “My family’s passion for the sport became a business enterprise in 1987 when they formed Tandems East, a tandem-specific shop run out of their home. My parents kept their day jobs and ran the shop in the evenings and on weekends, so I grew up in a bike shop.”

Throughout his cycling career, Kornbluh helped organize major local, regional and national cycling events. In 2009, he formed a Mid-Atlantic regional elite and junior development team called the Philadelphia Cyclocross School (PCS).  The program eventually expanded to include elite riders, competing in events throughout the country.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce cycling to the next generation and inspire young riders,” said Kornbluh, a native of Vineland, New Jersey and a graduate of Temple University. “Riders get more than just racing experience – they become advocates and ambassadors of the sport. This will help effect positive change in communities and beyond as more children and families embrace cycling as a healthy activity, safe and effective mode of transportation, and most importantly a viable, mainstream sport.”