John Tomac

Croatian American retired professional cyclist (born 1967)

John Tomac (born November 3, 1967, in Owosso, Michigan) is an American former professional cyclist who competed from 1985 to 2005. He was a versatile rider who competed in multiple disciplines including; BMX racing, cross country, road racing, trials riding and downhill racing. Tomac became a mountain bike racing icon in the late 1980s as the sport began to develop beyond its formative years. At the time of his retirement in 2005, he had won more mountain bike races than anyone in the sport.

Tomac first participated in cycle racing at the age of seven. He began to compete in BMX racing events in and around Michigan in 1975 and continued competing in this discipline into his teenage years racing against Michigan BMX legends Tony Carnes, Mike Chapman, and Tim Root. In 1984, at the age of sixteen, Tomac won the National Cruiser Class title with the factory Mongoose team. He turned professional in 1985 and spent his last year of BMX competition contesting events as a privateer.

In January 1998, John Tomac entered into a business partnership with Manitou founder and suspension engineer Doug Bradbury, whom Tomac had known since the 1980s. Together, they founded Tomac Bicycles, and launched a range of three full suspension bikes later that year. Tomac spent the 1998 season competing on his new prototype design in DH events. The brand name was later acquired by American Bicycle Group, which in turn sold it to Joel Smith, formerly a brand manager at Answer Products, in June 2006. He relocated the company to Nebraska and set in place plans to relaunch the Tomac brand with a new model range in 2007. Tomac remains actively involved in the company and the design of its products.

Tomac's son, Eli Tomac is a professional motocross racer competing in the AMA motocross and supercross national championships riding for the Yamaha racing team. Eli Tomac is noted for being the first true rookie pro ever to win his professional motocross debut at the Hangtown raceway on May 23, 2010, winning the 2012 West Region, the 2013 250cc and 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2022 450cc Motocross National Championship along with the 2020 450cc and 2022 450cc Supercross Championship,.

John Tomac's History tomac. com
MTB Hall of Fame mtnbikehalloffame. com