DEMOREST, Ga - This past weekend the Bees went to Demorest, Georgia to compete in North Beast Cycling Classic at Piedmont University. The men once again showed their deep roster strength and cohesion, while the Women's A squad swept the weekend, winning every event.
On Saturday SCAD competed in the Road Race and the Team Time Trial. On Sunday the Bees competed in the criterium. Results for Saturday were as follows:
Road Races
Men's A Road Race
Men's D Road Race
- Mauro Ramos (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic / Undeclared) – 5th
Women's A Road Race
In the women's road race, SCAD delivered superb teamwork and smart tactics that brought home the win. The rolling course was fast and windy, and though teams attacked, with
Lauren Dodge (Bakersfield, Calif. / Service Design) representing in one early move, no breakaways got away. The Bees attended to the front, always present and ready to move, but the peloton ultimately stuck together.
Then, two miles to go,
Dagny Palmer (Phoenixville, Pa. / Design for Sustainability),
Kara Lilly, and
Lauren Dodge moved to the front to position and lead out
Jette Aelken. 300 meters before the line, Dagny deposited Jette to a clean open path – and Jette delivered a commanding sprint win. Kara came in tenth.
In the men's road race, the day started out very fast but controlled. Nothing was initially getting away because the course was so quick, but on the second half of the third lap, moves finally started to go. Eventually a big break of ten formed on the crosswind section coming into the fourth lap, with
Matthew Armstrong (Anahilt, County Down, Northern Ireland / Creative Business Leadership) and
Forrest Howard making the split.
Eugenio Mirafuentes then bridged over into what was the winning move of the day. Coming into the finish, Eugenio brought home third. Forrest rounded out seventh.
On the road race, Eugenio had this to say:
"It was a hard race in general. The wind and cold were present the whole race and the teams were fighting to place their riders in every breakaway attempt. By the half of the race, there was a big group that opened up a gap and we had a rider there (Forrest). I attacked to bridge that gap, trying to get into the breakaway to help my teammate.
At the last kilometers, Forrest helped me to get into the best position to fight for the win, but unfortunately, I got boxed with two other riders and got third in the end. It was a great teamwork, and we'll keep fighting for the win at the next race."
Team Time Trial
Women's A Team Time Trial
Men's A Team Time Trial
Individual Time Trials
The Bees continued their solid performances in the time trials with many podiums across the board on what was an extremely windy, rolling 8-mile course. The Men's A team put in another fierce performance, finishing second to Milligan by eight seconds, working together as smoothly as ever. Meanwhile, the Women's A squad won by 29 seconds, a first in program history, and a sign of the investments being made into this discipline. These strong team showings were followed up by two podiums in the individual time trials, with
Anya Peregrino delivering 1
st in the Women's A ITT and
Eugenio Mirafuentes delivering 5
th in the in the Men's A ITT.
Results for Sunday were as follows:
Men's A Criterium
Women's A Criterium
Men's D Criterium
On Sunday the Bees raced hard, fast criteriums that drove up a steep hill down into a tight, winding chicane. The unyielding nature of the course made for ruthless racing across the board all day.
In the Men's A race,
Andrew Sparks attacked from the gun. Moves went constantly and were continuously brought back. The field thinned as athletes succumbed to the relentless pace and hard terrain. In the last ten laps, the Bees brought order to the peloton, with Colin working expertly to patrol and control the front, and Forrest eventually replacing him. Three laps to go, SCAD lined the front to deliver our finishers to the line. Emiliano came third, Eugenio came fourth and Andrew came eight.
The Women's A race was equally hard from the gun. A gap opened on the climb and Jette established a breakaway with several other riders, while Dagny and Kara worked to calm the field. Jette then broke her competition, dropping her fellow breakaway riders on the hill, and lapped the field, while Kara closed the gap to the final dropped breakaway rider.
Coming into the finish, Jette went on to win the field sprint. Kara came in sixth.
On her transition from mountain biking to road cycling, Jette had this to say:
"I really like it. I really enjoy it – especially the criteriums. I would say, this weekend I started to figure out how everything works. The last race I was a bit unsure -- but now it's getting better. I feel more structure."
Jette also appreciated how her teammates helped protect and position her in the road race.
"It was so great to be led out in the sprint," says Aelken.
Though she is pleased with her hat trick and her new love for the road, the team has yet to convert her into proper road cycling cleats.
All in all, it was another strong weekend for the Bees, despite freezing temperatures and tough fields. The Bees are pushing the program now to new heights. Coaches Kimball and Hoover were proud.
WHAT'S NEXT? The Bees will travel to Clemson, S.C. to compete at Clemson University on Saturday, April 1
st – Sunday, April 2
nd.
