Watch the best college cyclists as they roll into WNC

MARSHALL - Cycling continues to be a driving force across Western North Carolina.

Asheville and the Biltmore Estate hosted the USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships in January, professional riders and teams stream into the mountains to set up home and cycling headquarters, and every now and then a NASCAR star (Jimmie Johnson) shows up on a local ride. (By the way, Johnson’s next appearance on bike will be at the May 16 Assault on Mount Mitchell)

And for the second year of the two-year bid, WNC will host the USA Cycling Collegiate Road Cycling National Championships Friday-Sunday, May 13-14. This year the event is organized by Velosports Racing of Asheville.

“This is the equivalent of the college basketball Final Four – this is the collegiate championship ‘game,’” said Jimm MeElroy, director of Velosports Racing and operations director for the three-day college national championships.

“For some cyclists, it’s something fun to do, but for others, these will be our future Olympians and Tour de France riders. This race is a chance to see future stars.”

And speaking of stars, National Criterium Champion and Olympic silver medalist Lauren Tamayo will be the keynote speaker at the awards ceremony.

USA Cycling rotates the honors to host the college national championships around the country, usually landing in one city for two years. In 2017 and ’18 it will be in Golden, Colorado. McElroy said the championships also throw a spotlight on the beauty of the region, where people are lured to take side trips to places like the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Biltmore Estate.

Last year, WNC hosted 97 schools from at least 36 states, some 400 collegiate riders and more than 100 non-collegiate riders in the open criterium races, in addition to thousands of weekend spectators.

The event began Friday with a road race in Marshall, then a criterium (a one-mile closed loop course) starting and ending on Coxe Avenue in Asheville’s South Slope, and ended Sunday with an individual 30K (18.6-mile) and team time trial in Marshall.

Hugh Moran, former head cycling coach at Mars Hill College, said they are expecting at least as many athletes and spectators this year, but with a couple of course changes.

Asheville hosted the criterium event last year on the South Slope. The straight up and straight downhill starting on Coxe Avenue amid transit bus lines, businesses and residents proved to be exceptionally challenging for a championship course, Moran said.

This year, the Saturday criterium will start off the town square in Burnsville.

“It’s also a challenging course with elevation change, but it will be a very vibrant day,” Moran said. “We are partnering with the Bursnville Fit Families 5K in the morning to benefit Graham Children’s Health Services. They were kind enough to partner up with us. The 5K race will be in the morning, then we’ll have the kids bike race before the championship and open races begin.”

There will also be an Expo in the park with nonprofits, local organizations and bike companies in the middle of town square and a kids bike course or bike rode set up for kids to navigate from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sierra Nevada will hold a tap takeover at the Snap Dragon with a beer garden/slash VIP viewing area.

“It has been a great thing for Marshall and Madison County, and Burnsville (Yancey County) has been great – it could lead to having a long-term event there,” Moran said.

“It has helped the economies. Some businesses had their best days last year over the same weekend the year before. All the towns, organizations and government entities have been very helpful – they’ve recognized the benefit to the communities.”

Connie Molland, of Marshall, volunteered at the race last year and this year is helping with the massive organization. She said the event took place on Mother’s Day weekend last year, so it was moved a week later, fortuitously after Mars Hill graduation.

The Mars Hill campus and dorms will be transformed into lodging and home base for USA Cycling staff, race officials, athletes and their families, Molland said. They will also host the Awards Banquet in the dining hall, which makes it more affordable for students and teams, she said.

“We estimate each rider brings at least two people with them to the race, and stay for the weekend,” Molland said.

“I did an informal survey last year of businesses in downtown Marshall and found that they took in at least $25,000 more on race weekend than the same weekend the previous year,” she said.

She expects the infusion of active, hungry college athletes into Madison and Yancey counties this weekend will have similar effects on the communities.

Mars Hill Heady Cycling Coach Matt Willing said in some ways it’s a little stressful to be playing host to the biggest competition in college cycling, but in other ways, it’s cool to have the upper hand on the racecourses.

Last year, Mars Hill won the team omnium for Division II schools. They go into racing this weekend in second place in the year-long omnium (team points) race behind Milligan College and ahead of King College.

“Having nationals here is definitely a motivator. We ride here every day. The team is really motivated to get out there and stake some claim. We want to prove that we’re the best at doing it.

In the road race will be four athletes - two women and two women, and there will be six riders in the Saturday Criterium, including the only senior to be racing, John Croom who Willing said “is definitely in the running. He’s ranked third going into it.”

In the Team Trial on the last day of racing, Willing said his team is “shooting for a top five if not higher.”

“This area in general is super competitive. We have Brevard College, Milligan, Lees McRae, King College … it’s the strongest competition, Willing said. “Cycling is exploding in this region. Solid teams are growing very quickly. It’s neat to be in this region for that reason.”

“I’ve definitely seen an uptick in those wanting to go to college and race bicycles as their sport,” Moran said. “More colleges and universities have created cycling programs – it’s a growth sport.

“I think the National Championships has a positive impact on the sport. It is very exciting to watch, especially if you’ve never seen something like this before. The chances of it being here again are very small. If you ever wanted to see a National Championship event, now’s the time.”

IF YOU GO

The USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships will be May 13-15 in Marshall and Burnsville. 

Friday May 13: Road Race from 7-11 a.m at Blannahassett Island, Marshall, N.C. Female D2 starts at 8 a.m. with 77K ride; Female D1 starts at 8:15 a.m.with 77K ride; Male D2 starts at noon with 115.K ride; and Male D1 starts at 12:15 p.m. with 115.5K ride.

Saturday, Mary 14: Criterium starting in Town Square in Burnsville.

9 a.m. Burnsville FIt Families 5K

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free Kids Rodeo (bring your own bike and helmet)

11 a.m.Non-championship Kids Race 11 & U 1 lapo

11:15 a.m. Criterium Female D2 50 min+3 laps

12:30 p.m. Criterium Female D1 50 min+3 laps

1:45 p.m. Criterium Male D2 70 min+3 laps

3:15 p.m. Criterium Male D1 70 min+3 laps

4:45 p.m.Non-championship Cat 3/4 15+ 45 min

5:55 p.m. Non-championship Cat 1/2 15+ 60 min

6:45 p.m. Awards Collegiate Industry Nine Awards Banquet, Mars Hill University, Pittman Hall.

Sunday, May 15. Team Trial and Individual Time Trial, Start/Finish Area, Marshall, N.C.

8:30 a.m.-noon Packet Pickup 

9:30 a.m.Team Time Trial Male D2 30K

To Follow: Team Time Trial Male D1 30K, Team Time Trial Female D2, 30K, Team Time Trial Female D1 30K

Noon: Omnium awards at Blannahassett Island

2:30 p.m. Individual Time Trial Male D2 20K. To follow: Individual Time Trial Male D1 20K, Individual Time Trial Female D2 20K, Individual Time Trial Female D1 20K. Awards at Blannahassett Island.

For full schedule and event details, visit www.usacycling.org/2016/collegiate-road-nationals.

Want to run?

The Burnsville Fit Families 5K starts at 9 a.m. May 14 at Bursnville Town Square to grow young runners and promote healthy living, exercise and good health habits for life. Entry fee is $25,  $30 on race day. Visit http://healthyyancey.org/graham-childrens/fit-families-5k/.