ROTEM ISHAY

Director and Exercise Specialist

Rotem's passion for exercise performance and cycling has definitely shaped his life. Growing up in Israel, Rotem had a very active childhood while participating in almost every sport he encountered. It wasn't until the age of 15 when he fell in love with the sport of cycling and began racing his bikes. Rotem quickly dominated the Israeli cycling scene, and since then won nine Israeli national chamapionships to date.

After serving in the Israeli Air Force as a recognized athlete, Rotem was recruited to the number one collegiate cycling program at Fort Lewis College in beautiful Durango, Colorado. It was natural for him to persue his passion and focus his undergraduate studies in Exercise Science. Four years later, Rotem graduated with Cum Laude honors as an Exercise Specialist after winning seven U.S. Collegiate Division 1 championships in road and mountain bike, and his research paper "Effects of Supplemental Oxygen on Cycling Performance and Physiological Responses" is upon publication.

Today, Rotem serves as the director of Durango Performance Center all while balancing his international pro cycling career with Team Jamis Bikes.

Rotem: "Riding and racing my bike allows me to find amazing places, experiences, great memories and meet special people in my life. During my undergraduate years in Durango, Dr. Andrea's mentorship and the support of Durango Performance Center has been crucial to my development as a professional athlete AND an exercise physiologist. Now graduated, I look forwad to fulfill the mission statement of Durango Performance Center to its fullest with the highest degree of commitement and passion."