HYATTESVILLE, MD – The third weekend of racing for the ACCC began on a gloomy, overcast Saturday at the Route One Rampage. The race, hosted by the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, was placed in downtown Hyattesville, MD, even closing off part of Route One for cyclist to race on. The course ran clockwise and was a 4-turn, 1.6 km (1 mi) loop, beginning at Centennial Park on Baltimore Ave in the heart of Hyattsville, MD. The opening straight was a fast downhill section into the first corner followed by a less than pleasant 0.5 km (0.31 mi) climb at an average grade over 14%. The final straight offers brief relief, with two nerve-racking speed bumps, as it leads into the final right hand turn towards the finish.
Collegiate racers took the start line in the afternoon, after multiple open races in the morning. The difficult course led to most fields blowing up into small groups placed throughout the course. The Women’s A field was small and dominated by Virginia Tech rider, Kathleen O’Neil. Right from the start O’Neil attacked the field and road away from everyone. She would stay away the whole race for a solo victory.
The Men’s A race was greeted by a decently sized field of about 30 riders or so. Off the line, the field saw a flurry of attacks, which strung out the pack. No attacks were able to stick but, the surges put a hurt on most of the field, shelling over half the field out the back. A select group of about 12 was seen in the final few laps. On the final lap of the race, a high schooler from Killington Mountain School, Vivien Rindisbacher, launched an attack. Rindisbacher’s surge was placed on the back side of the course, on the incline before turn three. He was able to hold the gap to the end, for a solo win. The field finished close behind, with Virginia Tech rider, Blane Maddox, winning the field sprint and being the first collegiate rider to finish.
Sunday saw light rain in the morning as collegiate riders began racing in Columbia, MD for the Gateway Circuit. The race, again presented by the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, was a fast 3.3 km (2.1 mi) loop around the business center on Columbia Gateway Drive. With a total elevation gain of 33 m (108 ft) each lap, the loop runs clockwise from the start at the intersection of Albert Einstein Drive. The course consists of sweeping right turns with a sharp 90 degree right turn at the 2 km (1.2 mi) mark at the end of a fast downhill section. A short climb into the finish straight ensured excitement for both spectators and racers.
Sunday’s flatter course saw more field sprints and a larger peloton crossing the finish line for most races. The Women’s A race took off with the Men’s B field at 11:45am, in a cloud of light rain, which would not last long. High school racer, Clio Dianan, took off with an acceleration that no one could follow. Clio Dianan would hold her gap for a solo victory, while Virginia Tech rider, Kathleen O’Neil, would roll in second.
After a short break in racing the Men’s A riders came to the start line. Preceding a discussion with officials, riders decided to cut the race short, from 30 laps to 20, due to a threatening storm on its way, which would hit them at the end of the race anyway. After the decision was made, riders hit the course for what would be a grueling hour and 40 minutes. The peloton was calm, for the most part, during the first two laps. After a string of unsuccessful attacks, Virginia Tech rider, Mike Reidenbach, launched off the front to a gap of 40 seconds, which he would hold most of the race. After Reidenbach was off the front, a group of Hokies came to the front to control the race. VT would not let anything go, pinning attack after attack. With two laps to go, and Reidenbach seeming to have the victory in his grasp, another Virginia Tech rider, Luke Woodard, launched his attack, gapping the field. Reidenbach would hang on for the victory, as Virginia Tech rider, Blane Maddox, would sprint to second, just catching Woodard at the line, who would hang on for third. It was a Virginia Tech podium sweep.
Virginia Tech riders, Blane Maddox, of the Men’s A field and Kathleen O’Neil, of the Women’s A field, will now both be donning the coveted pink jersey of the individual points leader. The ACCC heads to Blacksburg, VA for the Virginia Tech Cycling Classic this upcoming weekend.
Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference
The Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference (ACCC) is a collection of cycling clubs representing colleges and universities from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. We are one of eleven conferences that make up the collegiate program of USA Cycling, the national governing body of cycling in the United States. Our athletes compete in road, mountain, and cyclocross racing throughout the academic year at the conference level with hopes of qualifying for the USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships. For more information, please check out the ACCC website.
