We are excited to share this update about RCC’s most recent race outing, penned by Matt Crane, RCC’s former Director of Development from 2014 to 2017. Matt drove up to Charlottesville on Saturday, November 6 to join the crew and cheer them on for the last race of the season. Here is Matt’s report, fresh off the press.
Hello friends and supporters of Richmond Cycling Corps,
Great to be back in your inboxes, and more importantly, was fantastic to join the RCC crew at the races again! And I have to tell you, before going any further, that a lot has changed in the years since I last joined the RCC crew for some fat tire bike racing – and all of those changes are so incredibly positive. I’ll definitely tell you about the earth-shattering revelation from one of the RCC youth in a moment, but first, a piece of important news: Saturday’s race at Monticello High School in Charlottesville was the first high school mountain bike race held at a public school in Virginia! Absolutely outstanding to see that the burgeoning high school mountain bike community is not only thriving, but expanding beyond its usual venues at Virginia’s private schools to include a public school location!
I arrived at the event on the type of fall day (crisp, cool, colorful) that always makes me yearn for the days when my only concern was getting out on the bike as soon as I could after school.
On this day, the RCC contingent was easy to find – call it experience, or maybe it’s the big and familiar race trailer that hauls bikes and gear behind the RCC van to each event. In any case, I was greeted right away by Korey, who as many of you all know, has been tearing it up all year with podium finishes in every Virginia NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) race, as well as races of the smooth skinny tire variety. He looked fit, and was oozing the insouciance of someone who knows he has great form. He introduced me right away to Joe, a younger teammate who was taking the relaxed indifference vibe a little too far; his Sophomore boys event was minutes from starting and he was nowhere near race ready.
While Korey grabbed him a fresh water bottle and helped pump his tires, I noticed it: the unmistakable signs of freshly shaved legs. AN RCC RIDER HAS TAKEN THE PLUNGE!
Wow, things really have changed since I was last here.
Joe’s race got off to a thrilling start, with upward of 50 youth taking to the line, including Wop. Khnaz, in the race starting directly after the Sophomore race, ripped into the top ten out of the first long sweeping turn, and was followed by a pounding horde of fellow freshman into a technical and wooded course, snaking in out of itself in the trees surrounding the school campus. Check out this Khnaz from the first lap!
In the Freshman women’s field, Kamari was all focus on the start line, with RCC Executive Director Matt Kuhn giving her last-minute advice about the course and her goals for the day. The women’s race was hotly contested, and the field was easily double what it had been just a handful of years ago – an outstanding sign for how the sport is maturing. Kamari dug really hard out on the dirt, and was clearly suffering, but absolutely kept herself going despite the legs saying “no.” She finished really strong, grinding up the final climb to the finish line, with Matt Kuhn running behind her (for as long as he could keep up).
The RCC youth, along with riders from all over the state, were on bikes all day between their races. Most, including the RCC riders, had been at the event since 8:30am by the time the boys JV and Varsity races, the last of the day, took to the course. A lull in the music playing over speakers from the announcer’s tent only highlighted the nervous energy as two big groups of very serious looking young men, Korey among them, lined up on a grassy field for the race start. Behind Korey, who gets to start on the front row thanks to his high place in the overall standings, a 40 strong JV field waited tensely for the action to start.
I had watched Korey acting as elder statesman to his teammates all day, and was incredibly impressed to see how much he has matured in the last few years not just as an athlete, but as a captain and contributor to the group. Now, it was his turn to sprint from the line and get into the woods to duke it out.
Still looking relaxed, Korey got a great start, and stayed clear of a small pileup of riders that occurred in the first few hundred meters of the race. Emerging from a gap in the woods somewhere at the end of his first lap in third place, he was cheered righteously by the RCC team, his relaxed smile now replaced by steely determination. Over the next lap, he would be overtaken by the rider behind him, and it was here that I could see he was working as hard as he could, pushing to keep the gap close. Still, the other rider pulled away, and after a huge effort in the final lap, Korey cruised home to a fantastic 4th place finish – one of his best results all season!
Returning to the team vehicles, everyone was in a great mood after a day full of good results and big efforts. Rumors of donuts in the team van proved to be accurate, and were well deserved for a full day out at the races. This is a team of bike racers, through and through. A huge shift was evident from the early days of Richmond Cycling Corps. These kids really want to ride, view themselves as bike racers, and are loving it! I noticed too, that the team kits were sharp and stylish, the sunglasses (crucial to cycling fashion) extremely chic, and the bikes almost top of the line. I really can’t think of a better crew to find myself supporting than these guys and girls, and I can’t wait to see them racing again in the 2022 season!