After three days of not-so-ideal weather, Sunday’s conditions could not have been more perfect for the finale of the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville.
“Beautiful day, great crowds, great course,” said Shelley Olds, member of the pro women’s team Tibco. “It was my first time racing here, and it was a great race. We came here looking for the overall win. That was the ultimate goal, and we did it.”
Frankie Andreu, manager of the 5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda men’s team, said the climate made the challenging courses even more difficult. These courses included Thursday’s 2.5-mile uphill course in Devil’s Den Park, Friday and Saturday’s road races, which included over 110-mile courses for the pro men, and Sunday’s final battle through downtown Fayetteville.
“(The weather) made it a lot harder on the riders,” Andreu said. “After two hours, they start getting a lot colder and not functioning the way they’re used to, and it’s harder to peddle, harder to shift. There are a lot of riders that crack, a lot of riders that didn’t finish.”
While the riding conditions were ideal on Sunday, that didn’t make the criterium less daunting. Cyclists followed the 1.2-mile course that included Dickson Street and finished on Fayetteville Square. Because of the toughness of the final day, race director Bruce Dunn said teams can’t afford to let down.
“At other races, Sunday is normally a day that can be kind of a parade day, but this course demands that people race,” Dunn said.
It’s for those reasons the Joe Martin Stage Race is part of the National Racing Calendar and one of the stops of the nationwide series.
“It’s incredibly difficult and hard racing here because of the quality and caliber of riders that this race attracts,” Andreu said. “It’s a premiere race in the U.S., and that’s why you have all these world class athletes here.”
Dunn said this year was one of the biggest attendances from riders and support staff the race has seen in its 11 years on the National Racing Calendar.
“The pro teams all brought their A-squad, which was really nice to see,” he said. “This is our 11th year, and when you do something, and you work hard and you see it all come together on a beautiful day like this, it makes all these years worth while.”