July 17, 2005
Virginia Commonwealth Games
Franklin County, VA
Photo © RichmondCiclismo.com
Team CSK / Central Virginia Cycling Club’s Keck Baker pounded the last climb to win last Sunday’s category 1,2 and 3 Virginia Commonwealth Games in Franklin County, Va.
The Virginia Commonwealth Games is an Olympic style sports festival for Virginia’s athletes. The cycling competition featured a hill-climb time trial on Roanoke’s Mill Mountain on Saturday and a hilly road race just outside of Rocky Mount, Va. on Sunday. The cycling events were sanctioned by the United State Cycling Federation.
Want to learn more? Watch WRIC this Sunday, July 22 at 3:30 p.m. for the Commonwealth Games hour special
The time trial was unbelievably difficult,” said Ciclismo’s Ann Hardy. “I think it was harder than the hill climb at Wintergreen.” But Hardy said being away from the city and being supported by an exceptional race hospitality volunteers made for a nice weekend. And, of course, the freebie t-shirts, hats and drinks were nice.
The road race course began like a roller-coaster. Cyclists topped 50 mph from the start/finish line as they descended to the 10-mile road race loop. The course continued its rolling terrain until one particularly tough hill at about the 8-mile mark. Each race finished by climbing back up the hill.
“Yeah, this was a great race course,” said third place finisher Matt Forbes of Richmond Ciclismo. “It ranks up there as one of my favorites.”
But for Baker, the race began like a nightmare. A CSK team-mate flatted at the start line as the race began. Then Forbes and CSK’s John McGarva broke away to a two-minute gap. Some chased. It wasn’t until “the hill” that a group with Ciclismo’s Andrew Olson, Charlottesville’s Ben King and Baker began to catch Forbes and McGarva.
Then Olson flatted.
“That was a disappointment to me,” Baker said. “That just left me and Ben to do the work.”
The two did catch up. Then Baker cramped.
“Luckily McGarva kept the pace high,” said Forbes. “Keck just sat on the back and got a free ride with his team-mate doing most of the work. So I pulled through as little as possible.” Forbes said that he also cramped at this time.
On the last climb before the finishing climb, the engine pulling the break ran out of steam. McGarva dropped from the break. Forbes fought through the cramps and lurched forward to the front at the race’s finishing climb.
Gravity sucked the speed from the winning break as they approached the finish line.
“As we were climbing, we got slower and slower and I think we were all confused about where the finish line might be,” Baker said. “Then I saw the tops of people’s heads. I knew that must be the finish so I started my sprint and I held off Ben and Matt.”
Three Sports’ Matthew Carlton won the category 4 race. That race ended in an 8-man field sprint which is a large field for this course.
Along with the heat and humidity, tough climbs and strong riders, put vicious bees on the list of why this is a tough race. Bees stung Ciclismo’s David Anderson, who placed second in the Mill Mountain hill climb the day before, on the stomach and back. Then, like Luke Skywalker in the Death Star, a bee flew into Anderson’s helmet vents to sting him on the head.
“I think the motorcycle official got a kick out of me dropping off the back of the field and flailing around and cursing an invisible enemy,” Anderson said.
Heat and humidity succumbed to a heavy downpour on the second lap of the race. On the final lap, the heat and humidity returned wiping away any traces of the storm.
“After the rains subsided, so did the pace,” Carlton said. “The final lap reduced the field to about 8 riders. It became a game of attacking on the hills and taking risks on the descents.”
“The third lap, I attacked a few miles from the finish,” Anderson said. “But I was not able to get away.”
The Commonwealth Games road race also determined the age graded state championships.
Ciclismo’s Charlie Hudson won the 30+ race. Hudson also climbed to win the 30+ hill climb.
Anderson’s wife, Cheryl, in her first race ever placed sixth in the category 4 women’s race, behind the top local finisher, fifth place Katie George of Conte’s / Cycor. That race saw two Team Fuji riders break off alone.
“None of the four’s would go with them,” George said. “So I stayed with the pack.” It’s very much a learning experience for George, who broke away for five miles, only to be “sucked back in the flats.” George’s team-mate Julie Smith placed seventh.
Further north, like Canada, Ciclismo’s Mark Saunders is competing
in the Tour de l'Abitibi stage race for juniors.
Top local riders’ place, name, team and time for the Commonwealth Games Mill Mountain Hill climb include:
Cat. 2
1. Leigh Carter – Team CSK – 10:34
2. Robert Suydam – Virginia Beach Velo – 10:37
3. Matt Dinsmore – Team CSK – 11:15
Cat. 3
2. Keck Baker – Team CSK – 9:57
Cat. 4
1. David Anderson – Richmond Ciclismo – 9:39
Men’s 30+
1. Charlie Hudson – Richmond Ciclismo – 10:52
Men’s 45+
2. Mark Connelly – 3-Sports – 11:54
Women’s 40+
3. Karen Hanson – Conte’s Cycor – 15:26
Women’s Cat.4
3. Katie George – Conte’s Cycor – 13: 36
Top local riders’ place, name and team for the Commonwealth Games Road Race include:
Cat. 2
2. Matt Forbes – Richmond Ciclismo
4. Stephen Selby – Richmond Ciclismo
5. Rob Suydam – Virginia Beach Velo
Cat. 3
1. Keck Baker – Team CSK
2. Tony Hall – Richmond Ciclismo
4. John McGarva – Team CSK
5. Mason Haymes – Team CSK
Cat. 4
1. Matthew Carlton – 3-Sports
3. David Anderson – Richmond Ciclismo
Men’s 30+
1 Charlie Hudson – Richmond Ciclismo
Men’s 55+
2. David Swager – Cobblestone Velo
Women’s 40+
2. Karen Hanson – Conte’s CycorThis article is presented by Richmondciclismo.com
