By Curtis Luckett

Sunday was the NWA Spring Classic. This race always draws a good field and is a very tough race to win. The course features a couple small climbs, some crosswind sections (usually), and this year some rough roads to make things even a bit harder. Our race rolled out just after 10 am, following 4-5 yellow line warnings, which were always prefaced with “I don’t need to tell you guys this, but …” Anyways, from KM 0 Rob Bell (Evoke Racing) and Jay Blankenship (Tulsa Wheelmen) took off. I didn’t see them go, but I noticed them 200 meters up the road and knew instantly that was a move we should be in.

The weird thing about bridging to a move is you have a bit more time to mull over the consequences of getting up there in the move. It isn’t a long time, but it is amazing what the human brain can do in 15 seconds. Honestly, I was hesitant, because being off the front for 73 miles is not typically a pleasurable experience, but then I realized I was racing bikes. If a bike racer doesn’t want to suffer when the time comes, there will be no results. I bridged up to Rob and Jay and we started rolling, soon we turned north and got a nice helping of tailwind to keep us going. Going on the north end of the course by Lake Wedington, the gap got very small due to a chase led by Evan Bybee (Arapahoe Resources). After the climb, instead of getting caught by the field a group of 3 riders came across, Ryan Dupree (Soundpony), Ryan Gabriel (Tulsa Wheelmen), and Chad Hodges (DNA Racing). That was all major teams represented and all of sudden the gap grew very fast.

We kept rolling, it was actually quite pleasant. Nobody was skipping pulls or berating one another, a real gentleman’s break if there ever was. We got a time check of ‘yuugggeee’, then 5 minutes, and going into the last 15 miles we were told 3 minutes. The last time up Weaver Hill, Ryan Gabriel set a hard pace which dislodged one member of our group. Personally, I was feeling good up until this point. Coming over the top of the hill I got my first cramps. With only a couple miles to go and no fluid on board, I knew I was in trouble. Just prior to Weaver Hill, we spotted two-guys chasing hard. About 2 km out Ryan Gabriel attacked and the group hesitated, then responded. This acceleration sent me into the deep end of the cramp pool and I was popped. However, I still had some time on the two chasers that were coming up from the main group. I dug deep and made it to the 1 km sign still in no man’s land. And then 500m from the line Chad Cagle (Tulsa Wheelmen) and Andy Chasteen (DNA Racing) came steaming by me, I had no response. Rob Bell took the win, followed by Ryan Gabriel and Chad Hodges. I ended up 7th, but it felt a little bit bittersweet after being in the hunt for the win for 99% of the race.

All those who raced, know that this was a hard-man’s day. I stayed around the finish line and watched the racers come in, most on fumes, looking grim. It reminded me of my short mediation before bridging up to the early move of my race, bike racers are willing to suffer or they wouldn’t be there in the first place. All in all, it was a great day for many. Lastly, the Fayetteville Wheelmen/Experience Fayetteville always put on a great race that we are lucky to have year in and year out, give them a ‘thank you’ next time you see them on the road.