Augusta Cyclismo Stage Race, Augusta, GA

August 19, 2007 on 5:36 pm | In Road Racing |

8/18-19/2007The Augusta stage race is a part of the Georgia Cup Series and a pretty challenging event. Most multi-race events on the south east calender are Omniums. This is when the overall winer is determined by points awarded for placing high in the individual events. Augusta and several other Ga Cup events this year have switched over to a stage race format with time bonus awarded for high placings (bonuses are also given for inner race competitions as well, i.e. KOM, MAR, etc.). For my money, this makes multi-day racing a lot more fun. It awards aggressive riding throughout a race, it benefits consistency, involves riders, and it makes teamwork more important. I didn’t get to race all the events at Augusta but did at Gold Digger and it made for more fun and a greater challenge. Ga Cup races are well run, HARD, and the racing categories offer more flexibility for the riders. Really, I could go on and on about how cool these races are.  BioWheels was represented in Augusta by Zach Bannow, Jack Kane rider (and BW tech) Nate Griffith, and myself. I’ve got to mention Robert Watkins who traveled with us. Robert is a very strong racer and really stand up guy. The stage race is made up of a short prologue-like TT, a crit, and a road race. The TT started at eight in the morning and we all decided to skip it so we could travel on Saturday rather than Friday night. Zach and Robert raced the elite crit, and Nate raced the pro category. I decided to sit out the crit, take photos, relax, and go for a ride around downtown Augusta (I hate crits). First up were Zach and Robert and the pace was fast. Both riders did well in a race of attrition. Zack pulled off toward the end after it became apparent that a break was going to stay clear. Robert held on and finished with the group. Nate had a strong showing, riding in good position throughout and finishing in front of the pack in a crazy fast race. The pros seriously fly in Crits and its an impressive thing to watch.

The road race was on Sunday morning and it got hot early. We all had heard horror stories about this race. Its known for being a hot, fast, and a suffer fest. The terrain is constantly undulating and it’s almost completely exposed. The promoters ended up shortening the race by one lap for all the categories because the temperatures were so high and logistics prevented enough neutral support. Zach, Robert and myself were in the elite race which was four, sixteen mile laps. The pace was consistently high for the first two laps and then slowed for the final two. There were significant attacks throughout the entire race and racers were dropping the whole time. Over sixty started the race and thirty-six finished. A break stayed away in the end and took the top three spots. Zach put in quality attacks going into the finishing hill but the pack wouldn’t allow another move. After riding strong and in good position for most of the race I was tired, cramping, and out of position going into the finish. I was still able to pass much of the pack on the hill and finished 19^th. Robert rode well, on what is not his favorite type of course, finishing 30^th.. Zach, tired from his aggressions hung in for 36^th. The pro podium was also swept by a break. Nate pulled out after two laps when his teammate from Kane established the break. Nate knew they didn’t have anyone in the feed zone and he would help more by providing fluids than blocking. His teammate ended up getting second. Ga Cup provides some of the most challenging racing on the calender and I would seriously recommend these races to any racer.

Written by: Dan Crone