[C4 Rides] C4 TAKES A GOLD and 2 field sprints in SC!

[Shawn Fleming]

Central Carolina Cycling had a phenomenal day at the Rock Hill Bicycle Club's Patriot's Trail Road Race last Saturday. Held in Historic Brattonsville, SC, the race course is well known in the Southeast for its rolling hills and unusually long distance. This year, the course was routed slightly longer than in most years past and measured in at 47 miles for one lap, including a King of the Mountains sprint up the first major climb. The weather was beautiful and the atmosphere was great (my wife and son had a great time hanging out with Dustin's wife and their dog, too...).

We were thrown a curveball from the start when too many people in our category (5's) were allowed to register and the officials split our category into two groups. The divide put me and Dave into one group and Dustin in the other. Our plans of "covering breaks" and "leadout trains" and such basically shifted to "just hang in there and win!"

And man, did it happen!

In one of the meanest and coolest leadout-less sprints I've ever seen, our own Dustin Wilson took 1st place by catching and roaring by one rider who had put a gap on the field coming down the home stretch. Congratulations, Dustin! We'll find some photos of the finish and post them on the website asap...

In the other group, Dave and I missed a break of 10 riders that stayed away to the finish and later we got separated from each other as the pack again split, but both of us won our respective "field" sprints to take 11th and 21st places.

1st, 11th, and 21st -- Not too bad at all for a 47 mile race that averaged 22+ mph.

Give Dave and Dustin a huge pat on the back next time you ride with them. 

-Shawn


      
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