Sunday, January 10, 1999 -- Sissonville
WV Cyclocross Race #4

Jacob Fetty, topping the final hill, warms up for what was a great day of racing

[Coverage/Recap w/Pics] [Results]
Pictures: [Set #1] [Set #2] [Set #3]

The winter weather finally caught up with the WV Cyclocross Series. The first three races saw unseasonably warm weather, but number four arrived with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark with close to an inch of snow on the ground. However, with the right cycling clothes, the weather and course conditions were nothing short of enjoyable.

The racing started just after 1:00pm with Ryan O'Connor (Mongose) wasting little time in moving to the front. O'Connor stretched his lead with each of the four laps to take the Expert Class win in a time of 43:13. O'Connor has dominated the series with wins in the last three races.

Ryan O'Connor enjoys another day out front

The remainder of the Expert Class quickly took up positions in the 2nd through 4th place slots. Randy Gibbs, 47:58, Jacob Fetty, 48:59, and Mike Boyes (Huntington Bicycle Center), 49:40, finished every lap in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively.

The Sport Class, racing three laps, had Pablo Martinez (Ridge Rider) jump to an early lead only to be passed by Jeff Smith later in the first lap. Smith took his lead to the finish with a winning time of 42:03.

Martinez continued to race hard but was slowed by mechanical problems with his rear wheel pulling out of the drop outs several times. This allowed Dave McKain (WVOutside) enough time to battle Martinez for 2nd place. At the finish, Martinez (43:06) held off McKain (43:10) with only seconds to spare.

Tom Samples wonders if he has the right shoes for the job

The Beginner Class, racing two laps, was won by Mark Johnson in a time of 29:27, while the Masters Class, racing a single lap, was won by R.L. Martin (Yamaha of Sissonville).

While not everything went perfect (Dave McKain broke a chain during a practice lap, Pablo Martinez had his problems with his real wheel, and Tom Samples spent most of the race unable to clip into his pedals because of ice packed cleats, just to name a few) another great day of racing was enjoyed by all. After the race, Steve Thaxton, Worldwide Chiropractic, and many local sponsors once again provided generous awards, great food, and refreshing beverages for everyone (did we say free beer?) There's only two races left in the series, so don't miss your chance to join in the fun!