The
UCBI Cycling Team
was at it again this
past weekend, racing
in the Perry-Roubaix
Omnium held in
Perry, Georgia.
This was a 3 race
event that included
a timetrial, circuit
race and road race.
The name of the race
comes from a famous
race held every year
in France called
Paris-Roubaix.
This is a race
notorious for its
course running over
Ancient Roman
Cobblestone/dirt
roads.
The road race held
in Perry had a 2
mile stretch of
South Georgia
Dirtroad that
claimed many
unfortunate riders.
Participating from
the Team were Reilly
Mahon, Matthew
Martin, Dustin
Mealor, Star
Bridges, Colin
O'Reilly, Eddie Hsu,
and Stan White.
The racing started
with a 10.5 mile
Timetrial.
Mealor showed he was
in great condition
by placing 4th with
a time of 23:56.
Stan White also hit
the top ten with 9th
place at a time of
26:08.
The Circuit Race was
a 22 mile event held
on a 1.35 mile loop.
The team worked hard
to get Mealor in a
breakaway with 2
other riders and
continued blocking
and interfering with
other teams attempts
to bring back the
break.
Mealor finished 2nd
to secure a top
position going into
Sunday's road race.
The road race was a
35 mile event over
rolling country
roads with the
dreaded 2 mile
dirtroad halfway
through the course.
Even after a tumble
and a mouth full of
mud, Mealor was able
to get in the
winning 10 man
breakaway and finish
6th for the day.
Points were
tabulated for each
rider's finish
positions for all
three events, and
Dustin Mealor came up
with 2nd place on
the Overall Podium.
Mealor has been
working hard all
winter with a
cycling coach to
improve his
abilities and the
proof of his work
was very
evident at the
race in Perry.
Look for the UCBI
Cycling Team to be
competing again the
1st weekend in April
in Gaineville,
Georgia at the
Georgia Cup Series
Gainesville Gran
Prix. As
always, the Team
thanks United
Community Bank and
all it's sponsors
for making their
racing possible.
On March 1-2 the
UCBI Cycling Team
participating in the
first event of the
2008 in Albany,
Georgia.
This was the first
event of the Georgia
Cup series and was
sponsored by
Region's Bank.
Participating from
the Team were Andy
Brackett, Reilly
Mahon, Eddie Hsu,
Joe Burch, Stan
White, Star Bridges
and Matthew Martin.
The event began
Saturday morning
with a 3.2km Time
Trial. This
was a fast, multiple
turn race against
the clock on a
course around the
downtown of Albany.
Brackett posted the
highest placing for
the team in the
elite category with
an 11th place.
In the afternoon,
the racing turned to
a criterium, again
in the downtown
district of Albany.
This is a race
around a closed
circular course
usually between 30
minutes to an hour
in length.
In the 34 and under
amatuer category, 16
year old Reilly
Mahon showed great
early season form
with an 11th place
finish.
In the 35+ category,
with half a lap to
go Eddie Hsu and Joe
Burch moved Star
Bridges to the front
of the 60 rider
field.
Burch slingshoted
Bridges into the
final turn which put
him into the
finishing straight ahead
of the fast charging
pack. Bridges
had his hands
raised high as he
crossed the
finishline for
UCBI's first win of
the season.
Sunday was the final
stage of the 3 race
weekend with a 35
mile road race that
utilized the rural
country roads
outside Leesburg,
Georgia, 10 miles
north of Albany.
Wanting to
monopolize on the
win of the previous
day, the Team worked to
keep Bridges high in
the overall
standings, of which
he was in 5th place
going into Sunday's
Race. Eddie
Hsu worked hard
to contain rival
attacks and
attempted
breakaways.
Joe Burch again set
Bridges up for a
leadout, but a crash
in the last 200
meters caused both
riders to veer off
the road into the
grass to avoid
fallen riders and
bikes.
Andy Brackett showed
excellent early
season fitness by
getting into a 12
man break in the
elite amatuer race
and finishing 7th
for the day.
After the results
were tabulated for
the combined times
of the 3 races of
the weekend, the
podium (top 3) found
Bridges in 2nd
overall.
'We are known
in amatuer racing as
a team that races
as a team.
Wins happen much
more often when
individuals work
together to acheive
the common goal.
My win in the crit
and 2nd place in the
overall was only due
to the commitment to
our strategy by my
fellow teammates,'
stated Bridges.
The UCBI Cycling
Team will be
travelling to Perry,
Georgia on March 15
to contest the
timetrial and
circuit race of the
4th annual Perry-Roubaix.
Look for the Team to
be racing in
Gainesville, Georgia
again on the first
weekend in April.
The UCBI Cycling
Team is made
possible by it's
Title Sponsor United
Community Bank, Inc.
The Presenting
Sponsors of the Team
are: United
Community Advisory
Services, Anderson
Carpet One, The
Troll Tavern and
Habersham Bicycles.
The Equipment
Sponsors are:
Giant Bicycles and
Helmets, American
Classic Racing
Wheels and Tifosi
Optics.
Thanks for reading.
031808
