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.
