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Cyclocross event gets huge turnout

By JESSICA MUNDIE, Times Correspondent
Published January 30, 2008

Warmly dressed spectators rang Belgian cowbells as Florida's fastest cyclocross racers made their way around the wooded wet course in Largo on Sunday.

The UCI World Cyclocross Championships may have been held in Treviso, Italy, on Sunday, but Florida's excitement was no less intense than at home on the Largo course for the 2008 Florida State Championship Cyclocross Races.

Riders came from as far away as Tallahassee and Miami, hoping to get a feel for the multi-lap course that Lance Riddile had designed before moving to North Carolina.

The only question was the weather: Dry and sunny conditions would mean a fast course requiring skinny tires inflated to maximum air pressure; a weekend of rain would turn the rough offroad sections into a state championship mudfest. As it turned out, sections of thick mud laced the course after Saturday afternoon drizzles.

Brian Harter is now the supervisor of Highland Recreation Complex, and the hours he and his staff spent designing a safe but challenging course for Florida's cyclocross state championships paid off with a huge rider turnout for Sunday's final.

The strongest and most dominant local rider of the day was USA Cycling junior champ Steven Rusnak Team GearLink. Rusnak, 15, is a student at St. Petersburg Catholic High, and he blasted away from the junior field on the first lap.

"My hobby is bike riding, and I ride about 250 miles per week," said Rusnak, who said he does no running, despite gaining valuable time on the steep dismount run-ups each lap. "I enjoy quality training more than pure volume. It's a fun time to me."

Rusnak made it look easy, as he lapped riders before his solo effort earned him another title and the 2008 Florida State Cyclocross Championship jersey and silver cup.

Medalists included the following riders registered in Florida: kids 6-8 division winners Brandi Odum, Reece Curtis, Kate Birdwall; juniors boys 9-11 winner Graydon Odum; junior boys 12-14 winners Lucas Wardine, Cody Sandford, Jake Hill; beginner women's winners Diane Blake, Denise Fairbanks, Joan Flaherty; junior boys 15-18 winners Steven Rusnak, John Paul Russo, Will Willis; USA Cycling category 5 winners Matthew Boyd, Jeffrey Zipperer, Adam Lewandowski; USA Cycling category women 1-2-3 winners Kristin Dowers, Heather Davis, Elizabeth Morse-Hill; USA Cycling category masters 45+ men's winners Steve Noble, Kurt Leverett, Martin Kasten; USA Cycling category masters 35+ men's winners Jack Rich, Jim Smart, Neil Neece; men's category B winners Jesse Morse, Darren Dowing, Erik DeKold; and men's category A winners Gary Yates, Dan Langlois and Paul Kavan.

"We went from a four-race series to the eight-race series in one year," said Riddile, who was due to report to his new job in North Carolina the next afternoon. "I (had) to drive 10 hours (Sunday night), but I would never have missed being a part of the state awards party."

Added race announcer John Sinibaldi Jr.:"The vision Lance Riddile had was to have a multi-city cyclocross series. Lance started the ball rolling here in the bay area, and the riders were ready to race cyclocross."

Complete results are available at www.floridacycling.com.

CYCLOCROSS PHOTOS: Photographer Carrie Pratt was taking photos of her favorite cyclists at the Largo state cyclocross course last weekend. Pratt's cycling photos of local riders can be viewed at www.studiobluimages.com/cyclocross.

TOUR OF BAHAMAS: Local USA Cycling racers will grab their skinny tire road bikes and head south for the fifth annual Tour of the Bahamas, set for Saturday and Sunday. The Tour of the Bahamas will be a weekend of stage racing, featuring time trials, circuit races and road races in Nassau.

Among the area teams competing for the $6,000 prize purse are Team BBC, Tampa; Colavita, Orlando; Team GearLink, Clearwater; Naples Cyclery, Naples; Team Neptune Cyclery/Dent Wizard, Tarpon Springs; and Team Spokes, Oldsmar.

For more information, contact Jeff Major at jarcycling@gmail.com or at (305) 433-4295.

SUNCOAST CYCLING CLASSES: Suncoast Cycling Club board member Anthony Monaco has announced the first riding classes of the new season. Suncoast Cycling Club members are experienced at teaching classes about group riding basics, and various types of pacelines and etiquettes, as well as tips that will help riders develop safe riding skills in groups.

These classes are recommended by more experienced riders, and cyclists do not have to be aspiring racers to participate. Classes are scheduled in Palm Harbor today and Saturday.

Classes are free for members of Suncoast Cycling Club, and non-members will pay a $20 fee. Riders are welcome to join the club anytime. To register for upcoming classes, e-mail Monaco at apmonaco2@aol.com

Times correspondent Jessica Mundie can be reached at: sptimescycling@yahoo.com.

[Last modified January 29, 2008, 20:04:35]