Spring City Cycling Classic

by Tim Henry (West Virginia)
August 9-10

The Spring City Cycling Classic was a local race held in Huntsville, Alabama. The format for the weekend was a road race on Saturday and a crit on Sunday. The RR was only 66 miles and completely flat so it would not be terribly difficult. Things were made more difficult by the fact that Backyard Burgers and Krystal each had five riders while Robbie and I were 
the only West Virginia riders present. The attacks came early and within four miles of the start I was in a five man group moving away from the pack. This group looked good but was brought back before the end of the first 9.4 mile lap. The next lap my teammate Robbie got into a move that looked good as well but they made a wrong turn and were chased down. The next lap we missed the break but I jumped across to it and once again I thought the winning move had been made. We were then chased down and this is when the real winning move went. A Backyard Burgers rider got away with a Krystals rider and that was the race. The pack sat up for a whole lap and they gained four minutes on us. I began a chase with many other riders 
but we only brought their lead down one minute in one lap so at the start of the last lap I sat up. The upcoming sprint was made easier when John Murphy of Krystals crashed out of turn two. I would have been worried about him in the sprint. Coming into the finish Robbie pulled me up to the front when my buddy Steve Carhart of Roswell Velo attacked at about 500 meters to go. I jumped on his wheel up the left side of the road and we were off. I started sprinting at about 225 meters to go and one rider, a Backyard Burgers rider who is a good sprinter, came around me. So I finished fourth on the day.
Sunday's criterium was a cool course with five turns and a small hill. 

After Saturday's race I was sure it would be tough to get away. Once again the attacks came early. Our former West Virginia teammate Jacob Fetty came to race and chased down a few moves for me in the first part of the race that really helped out. About twenty minutes in the Backyard Burgers rider who outsprinted me on Saturday, Nate, jumped off the front. Four of 
us came up to him and the move was on. We railed it for a while and when I looked back the pack had sat up and we were gaining time. The Backyard rider sat on because he was waiting for another of their riders to come up to the break. When our gap finally reached one minute I convinced him help was not coming and he began pulling. We came around to the back end of the peloton but I got everyone to back off to avoid giving Nate five teammates to lead him out. I knew Nate could probably take me in a sprint so on the last lap I attacked on the backside of the course and just held him off for the win. This is the first time I tried anything besides waiting for the sprint and it worked so I have a new trick to use in the future.Next week is the US Pro criterium championships in Downers Grove, Illinois. This Saturday is also my 21st birthday so it should be fun no matter what.

Thanks for reading,
Tim