Colin Kelly, Chris Meacham, and Andy Dudle at the Starting Line
The Reading Radsport Festival included three days of racing from Friday August 2-4th in the greater Reading, PA area to benefit the Reading Recreation Commission. Our team participated in Saturday night's main feature, the Men's Pro Category 1/2 Criterium Race. This "crit" race was comprised of a 40 lap, 0.8 mile circuit around the downtown business district. The race started and finished in fronts of a large crowd of spectators spilling out of the shops, bars, and restaurants along Penn Avenue in West Reading. The race was won by Shane Kline who is a 2020 Olympic hopeful, and also included three-time Olympian Bobby Lea. In other words, the field was deep and the race was fast and brutal. Our best finisher was Gui Nelessen (Lambertville, NJ) in 28th, who was making his first ever start for us as a guest rider. Andy Dudle (Emmaus), Chris Meacham (Doylestown) and Chris Baccash (Doylestown) finished close behind. Kudos to the guys for sticking out a very difficult race.
Andy Dudle with his Giant Omnium Track Bike at the Mt. Penn Climb
Sunday's races included a "fixed gear bicycle climb" up the switchback roads leading to Reading's famed pagoda atop Mt. Penn. A fixed gear bicycle, which is commonly used in track cycling, has no gears or brakes. It also lacks a free-hub meaning the rider can't coast. Andrew Dudle (Emmaus) won this extremely difficult race by 13 seconds over his closest competitor, sporting his Giant Omnium track bicycle and carbon wheels from Boyd Cycling. Congratulations Andy on getting to the top step!
The Pagoda Atop Mt. Penn 190 meters Above Reading, PA
Andy Summiting Mt. Penn Through the Crowd Chaos
Thank you to our Friends at Fred Beans Boyertown for Sponsoring and Hosting!
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