Mercer Competes in Cyclocross and Weaving Conquers 24 Hours of Ga

Charles Weaving taking the cake at 24 Hours of Ga.

Last weekend, October 8-9, Bike Raising brought cyclocross to Macon, Ga. Bike Raising is an organization, headed by avid cyclist Josh Stinger, that hosts bike races in an effort to raise money for various charities. On Saturday Austin Sholly, Gabe Denes, and Kevin Roberts made the short trek to Sandy Beach Park near Lake Tobosofkee to help Stinger set up the course. On Sunday the three Mercer Bears returned to compete in their first ever cyclocross race. As Sholly, Denes, and Roberts prepared for the race, they greeted a number of familiar friends from the local group rides. Former club president, Elizabeth Lee, also came down from Conyers, Ga for some cyclocross action. With all the hometown feeling of knowing the course and the competition, nervous jitters were still unavoidable in the Bears' first cyclocross race.

In the first lap Sholly and Roberts quickly took hold of the front of the pack while Denes and another rider broke away from the group. Denes, unable to keep up with the intense pace of the lead rider, fell back to the group halfway through lap 2. At this point Roberts was garnering second position at the front of the pack. Unfortunately Austin Sholly, who had been right behind Roberts for most of the race, flatted in the third lap and fell back several positions while he changed out bikes in the pit. Midway through the third lap Kevin Roberts found himself unable to fend off the fierce competition and was passed by teammate Denes and two others. This put Roberts in 5th place overall where he would remain through the end of the race. Denes would make a gutsy move near the end of the fourth and final lap to pass the two riders in his group. After wiping out in the sand soon thereafter, Denes was still able hang on and finish 2nd place overall.

While the majority of Mercer Cycling was kicking tail in their inaugural cross race, sophomore Charles Weaving was busy doing the same at 24 Hours of Ga at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, Ga. The trails at the Horse Park are no walk-in-the-park, and Weaving rode them for 24 straight hours covering almost 200 miles in that time period. Nearing the end of the race, on the 14th lap, Weaving was in the lead with his competition only two minutes behind. The second place rider would crack on that very same lap allowing the Mercer sophomore to lap the field and soundly win the race.

Bears Start New School Year Off Big

The beginning of the fall semester marks the start of a new school year and, for Mercer Cycling, it marks the beginning of collegiate mountain bike season. The Mercer team has historically resigned most of their racing to the road, but this fall, in their effort to expand the club, the entire team has participated in mountain bike season. The Bears have made showings at the Florida State and Georgia Tech races so far this season.

Austin Sholly has been sensational for the bears since his first ever mountain bike race at Florida State. Though Sholly is a newcomer to the sport, his natural off-road skill has led him to 5 first place finishes and one second place in only two weekends. With so much success, Sholly plans to move up to collegiate category B for stiffer competition before the next race.

More experienced mountain bikers, Gabe Denes and Charles Weaving, have commanded the collegiate B category reaching the podium six times in the last two weekends. Roadie Kevin Roberts got his feet wet this past weekend at the Georgia Tech race in Conyers, Ga. Using his strength from riding road as well as some successful tactics with teammate Austin Sholly, Roberts placed second in the short track and fourth in the cross country race.

Fall 2011 is Here!

Welcome to the Mercer Cycling Blogspot!
We have several updates for the Fall 2011 Cycling season.

Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 in the Bear Rock Cafe at 10am. All interested members are encouraged to join and see what it's about. Faculty are also welcome to join.

Fall races will be announced soon. We plan to race most of the SECCC MTB cycling season, with our first race in Tallahassee at FSU in nearly two weeks!

Also, We will be making orders for Hincapie team clothing and Specialized bikes and equipment on September 19, 2011. Please feel free to check out the ordering information, and if you have any questions, feel free to email any questions to gdenes@bellsouth.net. Everything you need is now kept online using Google Docs: Mercer Cycling Fall 2011 Order Sheet

Many of us have been training and racing hard this summer and have great aspirations for the upcoming seasons. We will be at Mercer's BearFair tonight, so make sure to come by our table and give us a shout!

Mercer hosts SECCC Championship in spring finale

With the highest turnout in Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference history, Mercer Cycling successfully hosted the final race of the spring road season with a time trial, criterium, and road race over the course of Saturday and Sunday.

With nearly 155 riders and 23 schools in tow, Saturday morning’s time trial was delayed by an hour due to inclement weather. As soon as the weather passed over though, the action got hot on the back roads of Twiggs County as the team time trials and individual time trials got under way. Racing as Mercer’s lone entry in the individual time trial, Andrew Lockwood would post the 6th fastest time in the Men’s B time trial that morning, averaging slightly less than 22 mph over the 17.5 mile rolling-hill course.

Moving to the confines of Tattnall Square Park for Saturday afternoon’s criterium events, the spectators came out in droves to watch the five races of six categories zoom around the 0.7 mile loop with average speeds hovering between 25-28 mph for most of the afternoon. Sophomore Austin Sholly made the most of his showing in Men’s C criterium, controlling the race at points in route to sprinting to a 12th place finish.

Lockwood and teammate Gabe Denes would enter the Men’s B criterium with a competitive field that included stacked teams from Brevard College, Lees-McRae College, and Florida State. After fighting for position in the mid-pack in the opening laps, Lockwood would get stuck behind two riders that touched wheels, crashing and losing some skin in the process.

Taking the free lap that comes with a crash, the wheel pit mechanics worked on Lockwood’s bike, getting him back in the race at the tail end of the peloton. Denes worked up front in the top positions halfway through the 45 minute ordeal as Lockwood would zoom by at the 30 minute mark to take 2nd in a points premium, but in terms of a final result, the Mercer boys were outmatched by the likes of the schools with larger teams. Denes would take 14th while Lockwood came in at 20th in the 33 man field.

Elizabeth Lee, looking for a strong ride before her second consecutive nationals appearance in Madison, Wisconsin sat in the field for a majority of the Women’s A criterium finishing 7th at the field sprint.

Sunday’s road race would prove to be the most challenging event of the weekend as the riders circled a 15.5 mile course with several steep hills around the kaolin mines five miles from the city limits of Gordon for several laps depending on the length of their race. Austin Sholly rode another strong race, garnering a 5th place in the Men’s B group while Elizabeth Lee would take 9th in the Women’s A race. Lockwood and Denes would round out the main field in the Men’s B race with 23rd place and 21st place finish respectively.

With the SECCC Championship complete, Mercer Cycling turns their sights to three final events in the spring before their summer hiatus in which they’ll race individually. Athens Twilight (April 30), Historic Roswell Criterium (May 1), and the Macon State Championships (May 7) round out the team’s calendar for the spring season with the final race taking place around Tattnall Square Park.

Hosted by the Georgia Neurological Institute Cycling team (also known as the ‘Spine Team’), the ProGold Georgia State Criterium Championship will bring another elite group of cyclists to Macon to compete for a state championship including Mercer Cycling’s best riders. For more details of the race, visit the team’s webpage at http://mercercycling.blogspot.com.

Boys of spring hit Sunny King

-Anniston, AL-
Quickly gained recognition as one of the top Criterium races in the country, the Sunny King Criterium last weekend saw huge fields, hot weather, and a ton of locals who turned out to watch the top pro teams battle it out in the nightcap.
But before the pros hit the course, Andrew Lockwood and Gabe Denes made an appearance in the black and orange for their final tune-up before next week’s SECCC Championship held in Macon. With director sportif Kevin Roberts on hand, recently out of action due to tendinitis in his right knee, Lockwood took the course first in the Category 4 race that featured nearly 60 talented riders from across the southeast, including entries from SECCC schools Florida State, Alabama-Huntsville, and University of Alabama.

Racing from the back of the field, Lockwood moved up throughout the first few laps of the 45 minute race, carrying himself to as high as 10th in the large peloton, but struggled with positioning on the fast four-corner course.

“I really like the outside groove on the circuit, but there were always surges within the race on the inside, so positioning was a tough battle throughout the race,” Lockwood said following the race held in the 87 degree weather.

“I gave it my best effort, but I wanted to use today’s race to prep for the SECCC Championship next weekend as well as the Criterium races throughout the next month. The result wasn’t what I was necessarily looking for, but I was glad to finish with the lead group,” Lockwood added.

On the last lap of the race, Lockwood would fall to the back of the lead group to cross the line in 24th position.

Gabe Denes would then represent Mercer next in his first Category 3 race since moving up a category following his recent win in Dalton. Stockpiled with talent, the Category 2/3 race featured over 100 riders on strong regional teams including Macon’s own Georgia Neurological Institute cycling team. After a crash midway through the race, Denes, along with fellow Maconites Jake Andrews, Trey Crisp, and Drew Slocum, were placed back in the race with 40 other riders to effectively change the course of the race. The Spine team’s John Stowe put a large gap on the field until the last two laps in which he was reeled back in by the field. Denes would place 26th in the bunch group at the conclusion.

Local pro rider Christian Parrett would finish at the back of the Pro-1 field after moving to as high as 2nd with three laps to go in the event’s finale.

Denes scores top ten, Lockwood 'blows engine' at GT

- Handy, GA -

The weather on Saturday was perfect. Sunny, 75 degrees, with a slight breeze coming in from the northeast. It was a perfect setup. The weather could not be better in the booming metropolis of Handy, GA. With specialized bike in tow, Gabe Denes and Andrew Lockwood entered the 30 man field “B” race, and just like at the Nascar and Talladega tracks, a crash happened within 15 seconds of being “un-neutralized.” There were many four letter words shouted, many deralleurs broken, and a few wheels snapped. The Collegiate B category really knows how to tear up some bikes.

Lockwood reflected, “It was like Darwinian cycling: weeding out the weaklings at the very beginning.” Luckily, with expert mountain bike skills, Denes used one of the downed Lee’s McRae riders as a jump and did a tailwhip over the rest of the carnage. After landing perfectly, he moved up to the front and took a monster pull to decimate the pack’s size.

Lockwood and Denes then teamed together to weed out the mere mortals and milk the lactic acid out of their bulging legs. …And then Lockwood decided to pull out early. “Let’s just be honest. I blew my engine way early in the race. I gotta slow up on them dat gum Thursday world’s rides. But I would like to thank all my sponsors who made it possible for me to have a wonderful first lap. I looked REALLY hot on my new bike, and without my new sponsors, this never would have been possible. My sponsors include: Gu energy labs, Francars Buffalo Wings Rick “TrainedByCain” Cain, College Hill Alliance, and and the boys back at Bike Tech of Macon. I want to give a special thanks to Jittery Joes. Their brew really gave me a great pre-race stew today. My triceps cramped up, because I had been benching just too much this week in my attempt to get big arms for Monica (Lockwood's wife).”

Denes had a great race, putting the hurt on the field with the help of Luke Correale from College of Charleston. The race was brutally hot and brutally fast. Denes recalls: “I remember getting on the front during the 3rd lap and pulling the pack up to 38mph as we entered the feed zone. It was quite fun, making people suffer, trying to get grasp of their feeds while going 30+ mph.”

The end of the race ended in a sprint finish, with a leadout from another team illegally crossing the line at 1k to go. Denes ended up with a 10th place finish and some dead legs. Lockwood landed in 20th after hurting in a solo comeback attempt during the final four laps.

The Bears will recuperate for the next SECCC events to come soon, training in Bolingbroke and around Macon.

Denes scores third in Albany

- Albany, GA -

Race report courtesy of Gabriel Denes:

"The race was definitely a fun one today. I actually started with the group this time. It was a relatively easy start, we just motored in a big group at about 40 kilometers per hour. Once the real racing begun to flare up, some real taticality began to form. I stayed real close to Trey Crisp from Georgia Neuro and Michael York from Georgia CycleSport and we made several attacks off the front. Unfortunately, nothing stuck and I began to prepare for a sprint finish. I with about 5k to go, I started carefully moving to the front along the yellow line. I knew the wheel to have: the second place finisher from yesterday. I knew he had a wicked kick and figured I could hold his wheel for at least 100m. Sure enough, at 350m to go, he went. He had a monster kick and pulled way left of the group. I only had enough gas to hold his wheel until the end, and sure enough, that is what he did. A big congratulations to Michael York from Cyclesport for outpowering the both of us and winning the race."

As for Denes, he looks to do well in the Georgia Tech race next weekend.


Elizabeth lee raced, but her cassette come loose on Saturday during the last lap, robbing her of third place. Yet again, she had bad luck at the finish of the road race Sunday. A rider crashed right up front of her, forcing her to bunny hop into the grass and finsh at the back of the pack. She plans to recoil at next week’s race at Georgia Tech with a pro tune from her sponsor Bike Tech of Macon, Ga.

Championship, BearStock unveiled to Mercer students

- Macon, GA -
Last week in the Mercer Villages, students attended an outdoor press conference for the unveiling of the SECCC Championship race and the main artists for 2011's BearStock music festival. BearStock headliners 3Oh!3, Roscoe Dash, and Parachute Musical will all perform following Saturday afternoon's criterium events around Tatnall Square Park on Saturday, April 16.

"This is a great opportunity for the cycling culture to combine with the music culture and the BearStock festival to make an absolutely fabulous Saturday afternoon in Tatnall Square Park," said MU Cycling spokesman Andrew Lockwood. "We hope that this proves to be the first of many years in this partnership," he added.

For more event details on the SECCC Championship weekend, visit www.seccc.net or http://secccmercer.blogspot.com.

Statesboro proves tough for Bears

- Statesboro, GA -
Results

Sitting in second in the DII SECCC polls after the first race of the season, Elizabeth Lee, Kevin Roberts and Austin Sholly as well as club advisor Loren Sumner made the trip from Macon to Statesboro for the annual 'Battle of the Boro.' Mid-February's tuneup in southeast Georgia proved to be a tough ride for all three riders over the weekend, battling sizable fields with little to no help.

Saturday's criterium around the eight turn course was a wild one for all three racers. Austin Sholly garnered a 21st place finish in the Men's C criterium in a large field that featured nearly 30 racers. Elizabeth Lee followed Sholly's result up with a tough 6th place finish in a fast group up front in her race while Kevin Roberts managed a 6th place finish in the competitive Men's B race.

Roberts' electrifying race started when he broke away with six other riders two laps into the event, tapping on the gas to pull away for a 1st and 3rd place finish in two points primes. His tank nearly went empty though when a King College rider counterattacked, dropping Roberts in no-man's land, between the lead pack and chase group. The chase group eventually caught up with the junior from Dacula, but Roberts showed off his leg strength at the finish, taking the field sprint to finish 6th.

Sunday's 44 mile road race got off to a very cold start in the rural community of Rocky Ford, better known for its lack of civilization and busted-up roads more than anything else. Elizabeth Lee had quite a task in her field of four riders - three were racing for the uber-competitive Mars Hill College, leaving Lee playing a 3-on-1 game for most of the morning. Despite being outnumbered, Lee kicked to a 3rd place finish in the Women's A sprint to cap a great weekend.

Austin Sholly would continue to refine his road race tactics in the large Men's C field, taking 22nd on the blustery day while Kevin Roberts notched another top-10 finish for his early 2011 season.

"At the start of the second lap, I worked together with a rider from College of Charleston to try and attack in efforts to break up the group a little," said Roberts. "We worked hard and made a gap form twice, but soon thereafter, the participants in the break would sit up and let the stragglers catch up. The race quickly simmered down and turned into a Sunday group ride," he added.

Roberts got stuck out front for the final few minutes of the race, limiting his ability to surprise the field at the end, but would settle in for an 8th place finish, his fifth SECCC top-10 finish of the 2011 season.


SECCC action takes a two-week hiatus until Florida State hosts the third race of the 2011 road season February 26-27 in Tallahasse, FL.

'Le Train de Mercer' debuts in Swamp

- Gainesville, FL -
Results

University of Florida's Swamp Classic was an appropriate way to open up the 2011 season as plenty of cyclists showed from around the south to test their legs in the combined collegiate and open categories. The weekend consisted of a circuit race around a 1.1 mile three turn circuit followed by a two-lap time trial around the same course that afternoon. Sunday's criterium event was held at the multi-turn Gainesville Raceway.

While the sun did peak out during spurts over the weekend, it was tough racing weekend due to the unexpected torrential downpours of rain. At the conclusion of the collegiate circuit race and criterium, the racers resembled fish out of water with their sand/grit blasted bike frames.

In the first race Saturday morning, the collegiate C's, Austin Sholly wrecked going into a slick turn early in the race, picking his battered bike and bloody self off the pavement to finish in 34th, 13 seconds back in the 42 man field.

The men's B race followed as the much anticipated 'Le Train de Mercer' arrived with Gabe Denes, Andrew Lockwood, and Kevin Roberts in tow. With a strategy to break late in the race, conditions didn't pan out for the three cycling musketeers, as their attacks were thwarted by an aggressive field. With three laps to go, Lockwood made a pass on the right and laid the hammer down to make the break in a six man group. He'd eventually lead the race with one lap to go and sprinted to a fourth place finish. Denes would pass the line in 11th, second in the field sprint, while Roberts passed in 19th. South Florida's Zorth Pilioneta would take the win.

"Wow, what a finish that was," said Lockwood following the race. "The circuit course was a great way to kick off the season with wide open turns and a big break at the end. Our team tactics have really progressed since last season," he added with sand and grit covering his face as they raced through 40 minutes of rain.

Elizabeth Lee followed the performance with a strong finish in the Women's A/B race in the middle of the pack.

Entering the Category 4/5 circuit race two hours later, Le Train de Mercer hoped to strike gold but instead ran into a pack of squirrly eager beavers ready to begin the season. After numerous 'almost' collisions, getting forced off the pavement, and a wreck on the final lap, the team was grateful to salvage the race with Kevin Roberts' 12th place finish followed by Andrew Lockwood three seconds back from the winner in 17th. Gabe Denes would drop halfway through the race with a popped spoke.

"My darn spoke popped on my Zipp front wheel," Denes retorted. "We were talking team tactics and Lockwood and I got a little too close. No worries though, I'm just glad that I didn't wreck with all the Cat 5 all-stars in that race," said Denes.

Starting the P-1-2-3 women's race, Elizabeth Lee would take 2nd to Florida Velo's Trish Cohen, a big finish for Lee in the four person field, but nonetheless, in the money.

Saturday afternoon's individual time trial was shortened to 2.2 miles (2 laps) around the circuit race course. Due to rule changes handed down by the SECCC, only aero helmets were allowed in the ITT, leveling the field for the many collegiate riders.

Lockwood was the first to go off, posting a time of 5:14 (25.2 mph)to take the top spot in the standings until USF's Adam Skindel would post the winning time at 5:03. Kevin Roberts would finish 3rd at 5:17 and Gabe Denes would haul in 7th at 5:25. Austin Sholly would finish 7th as well in the Collegiate C's with a 5:57. Elizabeth Lee motored to 5th in the Collegiate Women with a 6:23.

"I really didn't get into much of a rhythm after racing two races and warming up for forever for the TT," said Lockwood. "I felt like a diesel truck trying to get back up to speed on the interstate after going through a weigh station," he added.

After analyzing their tactics over pancakes and biscuits at Cracker Barrel, Le Train de Mercer came back with a vengeance Sunday morning, controlling the Collegiate B 45 minute criterium on the six turn road race course.

Lining up attacks at specific points in the race, the trio launched Kevin Roberts for a mid-race points premium and at the conclusion of the race for the win as he made the podium with a third place effort. Lockwood would hit the gas at the end for an 8th place showing while Denes lead out Roberts and fell back to 14th.

"I was the only one to make the podium picture following the race," said Roberts. "So I stood on the top box and thought to myself, 'this feels good,'" he added.

Sholly would race his best race of the weekend, dropping off the back of the group midway through the event and Elizabeth Lee would take home a mid-pack 8th place in the Collegiate Women's race.

The final race of the weekend, the open category 4/5 was perhaps the most dominant race for Denes, Lockwood, and Roberts all weekend. The strength in their teams' tactics was apparent throughout the race as they worked diligently to thin out the front of the field. Their lead-out for Roberts/Denes fell apart with two laps to go with two separate multi-cyclist crashes taking out the field. Lockwood stomped on the gas to catch up with the lead pack, back was stranded for the finish. Denes posted his best result of the weekend with a 3rd place sprint. Roberts and Lockwood would finish 6th and 7th respectively. Elizabeth Lee would also take 3rd in the small P-1-2-3 field following the men's race.

"This weekend was really all about team work," said Lockwood. "We came here with a purpose in mind, to test our early season fitness, and to be honest, we're going to be smashing it come April. Between Kevin, Gabe, and I, I feel good about our chances in any race," Lockwood added.


Results
Circuit (Collegiate)
Lockwood - 4th (B)
Roberts - 11th (B)
Denes - 19th (B)
Sholly - 34th (C)
Lee - 5th (A/B)

Circuit (Open)
Roberts - 12th (4/5)
Lockwood - 17th (4/5)
Denes - DNF (4/5)
Lee - 2nd (P-1-2-3)


Individual Time Trial
Lockwood - 2nd (B)
Roberts - 3rd (B)
Denes - 7th (B)
Sholly - 7th (C)
Lee - 5th (A/B)

Criterium (Collegiate)
Roberts - 3rd (B)
Lockwood - 8th (B)
Denes - 14th (B)
Sholly - ? (C)
Lee - 8th (A/B)


Criterium (Open)
Denes - 4th (4/5)
Roberts - 6th (4/5)
Lockwood - 7th (4/5)
Lee - 3rd (P-1-2-3)

Middle Georgia Winter TT Series shows MU Improvement

- Warner Robins, GA -

After a three and a half month hiatus from the road season, Mercer Cycling appeared in the Middle Georgia Winter Time Trial series this past Sunday, sporting a 4th and 5th place finish in the open category. Showing improvement in the individual time trial was a boost to the team's esteem as they begin the SECCC season in less than one month. Andrew Lockwood recorded the fast time for Mercer, finishing fourth at 9:25 on the four mile course. Teammate Kevin Roberts took fifth at 9:26. Newcomer Charles Weaving competed in both the mountain bike and road categories, recording impressive TT times respectively.

"I thought today was a great indicator of the winter training that our team has done over the past few months," said Lockwood. "We certainly hope our successes here translate into results when we travel to Florida for the first SECCC race in February."

For more information on the Middle Georgia Winter TT series sponsored by The Bike Store of Warner Robins, click to: http://midgatimetrial.blogspot.com/