by Brady Rogers
Myogenesis Nutrition pb/ Landmark Dodge

An overall win for The Pro / Am Fayette Classic slipped away as the rainy last stage, last lap crash takes out Myogenesis Nutrition p/b Landmark Dodge, but we managed to step on the podium for the second stage race in a row. This weekend we had a TT at 9:00am and the RR @ 1:00. The TT happened to take place in the hometown of Big Jon Atkins. After climbing aboard his Blue Competition Cycles T-12 TT bike, it quickly became obvious that he knew the roads quite well. The unofficial results had Myogenesis on top with a time of 14:56 for Jon and Cleve in 13th just seconds behind. Side note: there were just right at 100 starters, included in these names were perennial regional powerhouses Andy Applegate (A&F), Rich Harper (A&F), Chad Harkey (Hincapie/Bianchi) and TIAA-Cref’s Craig Lewis, just to name a few. Off to another good start and this time we had no one sick for the RR.

As tradition has it, everyone shows up for this race and this weekend followed the traditional template. Teams from all over the nation showed up. Some names present were, as mentioned before, TIAA-Cref, Abercrombie & Fitch, NERAC/Outdoor Lights.com, Fiorda Fruitta, VMG, Subaru-Duetsche Bank, and many others. We were a little intimidated and didn't go on the offensive. We had 7 strong riders and we able to put a rider in most attacks. However, one of the most effective and longest breaks of the day had 3 riders representing Pacesetter Steel Services, Subaru-Deutsche Bank and the third I can’t recall. We missed the break and needed to chase but didn't want to use our full arsenal on chasing. We sent our Birmingham contingent Travis and Ron Williams ( www.ronswilliams.com ), our one legged wonder, to the front to keep them within sight. After 20 miles or so we brought them back into the field. The attacks started firing left and right TIAA-Cref’s Craig Lewis launching the first volley, not to be outdone, the Abercrombie & Fitch team answered.

A four man break was dangling just about 200 meters up the road as we approached the women's field. It all got a little chaotic as we caught the group of four while catching the women, getting distracted by some of the girls, Chad Harkey (Hincapie/Bianchi) was able to slip away. Things got sketchy from there with the finishing crashes started early. One of the big crashes started with a VMG rider making a move to the front. He attacked on the shoulder and got hung on the edge of the road crashing down into the field. As he came into the bunch everyone swerved, and all I heard was that terrible sound of expensive bikes and wheels sliding down the assault. We lost one rider in the mayhem, but he didn't get hurt. We were only 10 miles from the finish, one hard section with a couple of hills stacked up. Cleve, our KOM man, was to throw out an attack as we started into that section. Unfortunately, everyone was paying close attention, and he was rolled up faster than the sidewalks in Fayetteville at 9:00 PM. It appeared that the field was not going to chase hard to pick up the Hincapie rider. Myogenesis had two options. Put the boys on the front and chase him down or wait for the last few K's and set up the lead out. We decided on the lead out, and an impressive lead out it was.. With two K's to go, the boys from Myogenesis took control of the field (just like the old red train of Saeco). Chad took a hard pull, then Brady took over, Chad again, then Cleve, and the last man to sacrifice himself was D. Hall. Big Jon took it over just outside of 200m. He dug as hard as he could, but Rich Harper (A&F) just did come by. There was a lot of sacrifice for 3rd place. Overall, We felt good about the strength of our team, and it was a definite confidence booster. Way to go guys!!

The Crit...
Coming into Sundays crit, the Myogenesis boys were sitting in second in the overall. Not a bad place to be. Arriving in Fayetteville, it looked as though Mother Nature was up to her antics that she unleashed in Albany. Raining again. The rain dumped, the temperature dropped, the course wasn’t the best, and maybe even a little dangerous, but you get what you get. That didn’t keep the hammer from doing the same. Once again, a who’s who of cycling from the Southeast was toeing the line. The gun went off, and from then on it was foot into the floorboard. I believe there was an attack on every lap. About 30 minutes into the race, the first real decisive split occurred, with Myogenesis being represented by 3 in a group of 20 or so. With Big Jon, Cleve, and Chad Madan carrying the torch in the front, we felt good. With about 15 minutes left in the race, Cleve took a solo flyer, which looked good. He got almost a half lap advantage at one point, but with the race end looming in the near distance, A&F, Subaru, Hincapie as well as others wouldn’t let this one go, so they reeled it back in. With 2 laps to go, Cleve, Chad and Jon positioned themselves about 5 wheels back, Rich Harper and Chad Harkey 20 meters off the back in a group of 5 or so, GREAT for us. The boys maintained a perfect position to unleash the Atkins rocket. Bell lap, still in good position, turn one, nice and clean, turn two, someone slides out, taking out….you guessed it Big Jon. Jed Schneider (Subaru) and Hoyt Halverson (NERAC) were able to slip around the mayhem, and roll to an easy first and second. Hey, unfortunately, that’s racing.

Overall, the weekend seemed to be a success For the Myogenesis Nutrition p/b Landmark Dodge team. Once again, we rolled in, butted heads with some full on Pro teams and racers, and came out THIRD in the overall. 2nd in the TT, 3rd in the Road Race, and a top ten (after the carnage) in the Crit. The boys are racking up podiums already after two races.
 

Cleve Blackwell takes a pull at the front of the crit.

Chad Hartley goes off the front with a break in the crit.