Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Start of the 2011 Season











Augusta was consistently in the low to mid nineties in the month of September. With that in mind, feeling 40 degree air at the first race of the Georgia Cross Series was welcomed. It is also appropriate for a cross race. It isn't quite the same at 85 degrees. A small ACC group made the trip (over 4 hours with the construction on I-20) to Dalton to Race. Nate Zukas, Matt Kogel and the Phelans (Becca, Meggie and John) suited up for battle.









The first event of the day, the Masters 35+ race, had a big field with almost 30 at the start. John was cut off in the first corner and ran into the tape losing 10 or so spots. He then crashed on the next lap. Not a good start. He clawed his way back to 5th by the end of the race barely out sprinting 6th place. Not bad considering.












ACC rookie, Meggie Phelan, finished her first cross race in the Junior 14 and under category. Now the entire Phelan clan can officially call themselves cross racers. Becca lined up with the biggest group of Women A racers in years. Kym Flynn, the promoter of the race, ran away with it as usual. Becca rolled a tubular right past the 180 degree barrier hill and hit the deck hard. She pitted twice which took her out the race. She finished in spite of a trashed arm. That's bike racing...









Young Matt K. battled it out in the huge B race. His official result is incorrect. It has him down for a DNF. Last years Masters series winner, Nate Zukas, raced the A's. He took a respectable 11th finish also with a more important metric, he didn't get lapped by Thomas Turner who crushed the field.












Next up, Macon. We should have a bigger ACC contingent ready to race.