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SPORTS
Riders compete in Tri-State Criterium
Riders blast off the starting line during the McDonald's Tri-State Criterium on Saturday, June 4, 2011, in Downtown Huntington.
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HUNTINGTON -- As Marco Aledia made the drive from Columbus to Huntington, it all started coming back to him.
"It was just like memory lane," he said. "I'm like, 'Oh, yeah, there's Frank's Place in Portsmouth.'
"Just like all the things you remember from traveling down here. It was fun."
About as fun as the blow-your-hat-off speed he displayed in the final stretch of the McDonald's Tri-State Criterium's showcase race on Saturday.
It was only fitting that Aledia won the Men CAT 1/2/3, beating out a hard-charging John Grant by the tip of his helmet, to cap off a banner day for Huntington.
After all, he's got Jewel City connections.
"I own a record label and managed my brother's band that played down here," Aledia said. "We'd road-trip from Columbus down here and played at the Stone Monkey.
"I don't even know if it's still around."
It isn't but if Saturday was any indication, competitive cycling in this town will be around for a long time.
"Our race staff that came in town to help us run this gave us five stars," said Jere Gilpin, the director of operations for McDonald's, which joined with Jeff's Bike Shop and Scott Orthopedic to put on Saturday's event. "They were thrilled with this.
"They said this was one of the best venues they've ever seen."
Over 100 competitors -- from kids to pros -- made their way around downtown, navigating the .8 mile rectangular course, which ran between Eighth and 10th Streets and Third and Fourth Avenues, in a series of nine races.
Pullman Square served as the start-finish site.
By all accounts, it was a success.
"The course was excellent," said Curtis Tolson, a 28-time national track cycling champion and winner of Saturday's Master 40-plus race. "It suited me very well. If I were to come and lay the course out, I would do something very similar. I like these four-turn courses. I like them flat, fast with wide-turns.
"A few technical spots with a few manhole covers and different things, but you get that on any city street. The course was great.
"I came in and the registration was smooth. No real problem, no real waiting for anything.
"From a racer's point of view, everything was great."
Which has to bring a smile to Jeff Joy's face.
The event coordinator and owner of Jeff's Bike Shop had to play host/competitor on Saturday. He accomplished both, presenting a venue worthy of positive feedback as well as earning a podium, third-place finish in the Master 40-plus race (he later finished 13th in the CAT 1/2/3).
"I think it went as expected," Joy said. "It's a first-year event so that turnout's not going to go as good as we want it to be. But we hope to do this annually, and once people find out how great of a race it was and the course and the money, I think you'll see more riders here next year."
This was the first year of the Tri-State Criterium's three-year contract, but the ultimate goal is to make this a permanent stop for cyclists and cycling enthusiasts, alike.
"It's run real well, the volunteers are great," Joy said. "That's what it takes. And of course, the money is definitely there, so we can attract more riders next year. And they're going to hear about it and, you know, they'll be talking about it next year, I'm sure."
The total purse of the event was $6,500, which, according to Gilpin, is "large for cycle racing at this level." Aledia got the biggest payout, earning a cash amount of $620, by surviving the entertaining Men CAT 1/2/3 when riders reached speeds close to 35 mph.
Saturday's other winners included Lewis Jackson (CAT 3/4), Jim Jenkins (Masters 50-plus), Staci Joy (Women CAT 1/2/3), Mary Russell (Women CAT 4), Colby Winters (Kids ages 6-8), Mark Spears (Kids ages 5 and under), Osiris Kessinger (Kids ages 9-12), Marshall Police Department's Greg Pickens (Public Safety Race) and Bill Neidinger (CAT 5).
