View Larger Map
Well, this was the first UCI junior stage race in America, so it was pretty cool to be a part of it. The Tour of the Red River Gorge, located in Kentucky, was a four day stage race with five stages. There were 18 teams of six riders for a total of 108 racers. Everyone stayed in the dorms at the University of Kentucky. For each stage we loaded up on buses to be taken to the start of the stage while the team cars brought our equipment and bikes. Stage 1 was a 1.6 k time trial taking only a little over 2 minutes. Then, we had a 99 k road race in the afternoon in the rolling hills. The race started off and I didn't have the best position, but managed to move up through the field and was right near the front for the first KOM. There were attacks and a break of 10 got away. After going through the twisting narrow roads to the wide open four lane highways, we were coming into the final kilometer. I finished 15th in the field so 25 on the stage. We came back to the dorms, showered, and headed on the long walk over to the cafeteria to eat dinner. The next day was a 22,7 k time trial on a rolling/flat course. Then came stage four, the queen stage going over four main climbs totaling 4,000 ft of climbing over 113,5 k. The race started with a climb followed by a big descent, where there was one crash I came a little too close to, however, didn't go down. Then we had a climb that went up to a very dark, narrow tunnel. It was very important to have a good position going through it as I figured out last year. I was not in the best position and part of the field came to a quick stop in the middle of the pitch dark, wet tunnel. Once out, it was a little chase to get back with the front pack. Then a little bit later with a diminished field, while going around a left sweeping turn, a crash happened about 5 guys in front of me. I had nowhere to go other than to slow as much as possible and flip right over. Luckily, I landed soft in the grass in a ditch and hopped up fast to try to catch back on to the group. It was a very hard chase back on as this part of the course was not very suitable for the caravan. We got a paceline going with 10 of us and finally got on at the base of the steepest climb. This was a hard climb,and I hung on for a bit, but didn't have the energy left to make it over with them, so I finished a little bit behind. Finally was the last stage, stage 5, which was a criterium in downtown Lexington. This course had six turns with a long and wide backstretch. It was a very fast pace the entire time. I ended up 65th in GC, a little disappointed that the crash happened at an unfortunate time where I lost time for the GC, but that's bike racing. Our team, Florida Velo Junior Development, finished 7th in the overall team competition. Now I had to pack up to head to Val-d'Or, Quebec, Canada to compete in the other UCI junior stage race in North America, le Tour de l'Abitibi. Thanks to Land-Ron Inc., Glory Cycles, David's World Cycle, Retro Cycles and Veloce Speedwear for your support of our team. Also, thanks to the FRCA for supporting junior development in the state of Florida.
Tour of the Red River Gorge & le Tour de l'Abitibi Reports Coming
Posted by Craig Creeden at 7/31/2009
This year I went back for my third time to the southeast camp in Greenville, SC. We stayed in the dorms at Furman University, just south of the Blue Ridge Mountains with 35 juniors and 11 coaches for the week. This camp is designed to do power testing on the riders so USA Cycling can ID talented riders that can come up through the pipeline. Below is a day by day review of what we did.
Sunday
I arrived at Furman University after lunch to check in and move into my dorm room. There were only 10 out of the 36 of us that were returning from last year, so there were a good amount of new people there. However, there were many good friends that I’ve gotten to know over the past couple of years that were still there. We went for a 2 hour easy social ride in the afternoon to spin the legs. Later we had our first classroom lecture to introduce everyone and set out the schedule for the week.
Monday
We were awaken by Rusty, who is a pro and ride leader, with his famous cowbell at 6:30 am and we headed to breakfast. After that, we left at 9:00 for the power profile test out on Caesar’s Head, a mountain just north of Greenville. There was a short TT of about a mile and a longer TT
around 2.7 miles up the mountain. After completing these, we rode to the top of the mountain to eat box lunches. Then it was time to “chill out” on the descent. We got back to campus at 4:00, showered up and then off to dinner at 5:00. After dinner it was time to head to lecture where we talked about things from nutrition, anti-doping, race tactics, racing in Europe and more.
Tuesday
After breakfast we did an easy 2 hour skills and drills ride as we were doing the local Greenville Tuesday night Worlds. In the afternoon we left for about an hour ride to the Donaldson Center race. This isn’t exactly a race, it’s more like an Erroll World’s. However, there were about 180 riders to
tal for the A’s and B’s. Also, there was police support for a ride, how cool is that? I raced the A’s for 43 miles on a 7 mile loop around an old airport. There were many really good racers present, including a former Jittery Joe’s rider (now Myogenesis), Rich Hincapie and more. There even was a Team Columbia-High Road support car present. This was a very aggressive race with many attacks and constantly fast. I was in many moves, however none managed to stick. One did have a good makeup, including Thad (Myogenesis) that eventually broke away on his own to win. However, the field strung out and pulled us back. I finished in the field for the sprint. This was a very exciting race/ride and I’d like to do it again someday. We rode about an hour back to campus, had a late dinner and went to bed.
Wednesday
Now it was time for an easy day. We did an easy skills and drills ride in the morning and afternoon with a lecture and field games at night. Field games consisted of the following activities; the cardboard slide; which involved riding in a field over a piece of cardboard and locking your back wheel on it and sliding, fishtailing down the hill. We also did some bumping and wheel kissing. My favorite has to be “knockdown” or last man standing. We rode in a circle and bumped or cut other people off and track stood to make them put their foot on the ground so they’re out. Then as there are fewer and fewer people, the circle gets smaller. I managed to win one round with my special strategy.
Thursday
We went out for the longest ride of the week, about 85 miles and did four relatively flat time trial repeats that were 1.5 miles each. Then we ate lunch and climbed up the Watershed to the bakery in Saluda, NC. We rode back to campus in the rain when I flatted, but it was changed fast thanks to the mechanic Herman. During all rides we had two ride support vehicles for water and mechanic support. We had the last lecture where my dad, who has been an assistant coach, gave out water bottles, t-shirts, Chipotle cards and signed Hincapie posters.
Friday
Many people weren’t doing the spin around campus so I just packed my bags in the morning before leaving for the North Carolina State Road Race in Salisbury.
Saturday & Sunday
I raced the North Carolina State Road Race on Saturday in Jr. 15-18 and Sunday in Cat. 3. Saturday I worked with and for some friends of mine that are from NC to try and help them win their state title. Sunday I raced cat. 3 where I finished in the field after trying many times to break away.
This was my last year attending camp and it has to be one of my favorite ones, getting in around 300 miles on the bike. Thanks to everyone that worked hard to put it on and help assist: Richard Dunn, John Kelly, Michael Jordan, Rusty, Travis, Leslie, Matt, Ken, Herman, GW, Bob and Keith.
Next, I will be attending the two UCI Junior stage races in North America: the Tour of the Red River Gorge in Kentucky and le Tour de l’Abitibi in Canada. I will be racing for the Florida Velo Devo Team which consists of two, six man teams from the southeast U.S. Red River takes place July 13-17, and l’Abitibi is July 20-26.
I have just finished a good week of training in the mountains in north Georgia. Before riding in the mountains, I raced the last stage of the Tour of Atlanta (Cat. 3). The road race was 65 miles and was in rolling hills with a good uphill finish. A big break of 12 riders got away on the first of 3, 22 mile laps. I was not able to get in it and finished 2nd in the field sprint (climb) for 14th.




I know that it has been a while since I last wrote, but since then a lot has happened with many races throughout Florida and a couple in South Carolina. Some of the races I'm most proud of how I raced are the Dade City Crit. (8th), Winter Haven Crit. (4th), Patriots Trail RR in SC (5th) and the Miami Vista View Park Circuit (6th). I have just finished high school and will be attending graduation June 5th. Until then, I will be going up to the mountains in north Georgia.
I went up there during Spring Break and really enjoyed it and I can't wait to go back. I will try to update more often during the summer as I will be doing many races in and out of state. Thanks for reading.
Craig
(Click on the pictures to make them bigger. They are of the sprint in the Winter Haven Crit. and the Miami Vista View Park Circuit)
"Attack and make other people suffer."