Devil of Nevils Stage Recap:
The last stage of Savannah Cycling League’s 2011 Savannah Winter Tour felt the wrath of the Devil take his toll on their quads as they completed the 193 Kilometer stage. The riders showed up in good spirits and worked well together most of the day as they battled the winds, rain, and terrain. Georgia Southern send out several of it’s heavy hitters specifically to dominate Josh “Beretta” Barrett .. . .but Mr. Barrett was tied up with domestic issues of his home country and could not secure the proper authorization from his government to travel and race outside of his home residence. The Ga Southern Eagles ready for blood were disappointed but ready to take up arms and fight anyone else that got in their way.
Another upset to the beginning of the stage was the fact that the tour leader was sidelined as his doctors said he was unfit to race and was forced to sit out the last stage due to medical issues. However, this did not stop the other racers from taking it to one another to win a sprint or the overall of this Epic Queen’s stage of the tour. The riders left down town Savannah and rode all the way out to Nevils and back.
The first sprint came early in the stage with less than 20 miles in their legs. The Pine “where’s the line” Barren sprint brought out the true sprinters as it was straight and fast. Phill the Thrill with a pill took it to Wes as they were neck and neck. The crowd thought it was going to be Wes as they were elbow to elbow, but after the long sprint Wes sat up in anger as Phill lunged his bike across the line like a born track racer for the win. Jody of the Ga. Southern completed a solid 3rd place finish. Bill old yellar Sellers was the main engine that lead out the train at a blistering 32 mph + The coaches tried to remind the man they still had 100 miles left to race for the day.
The peleton stayed smooth, tight, organized, and worked seamlessly. The fear of the distance of this tour probably contributed to all working together so that the group as a whole could conserve energy to make the entire distance. Families and kids along the route waved and some even ran or rode their cruisers along side the peleton for spurts. All was joyus and good with the peleton as the Cycling Gods smiled down on them and blessed them with Sunshine and moderate temps.
The second sprint was just down right ugly. The whistle blew at 5 K out. Ryan tan from the Beach Leech had a substantial lead from taking a town sign earlier that did not count for anything except bragging rights. That lead disappeared as the peleton motored up the over pass. Two riders then decided to fly the coop. Wes Lock-NESS Parrish monster leg his legs roar like a monster. Only Jody the middleman Middleton was able to answer. Like a Ga Souther Eagle he tucked is talons, spread his wings and soared beyond the peleton. The two quickly looked just like two in a break on the Giro on Versus. Each one took a strong hard long pull into the wind. Their mouths gasping for air, sweat dripping from helmets, but total focus on their turn to pull through without hesitation and to keep it smooth. They managed to attain a solid 700 meter gap. The group of 6 behind got organized and quickly started working together like a Rolex watch. The group shrunk the gap to 500 meters and then promptly came apart like a pipe line for BP Oil. Riders started blowing in spectacular fashion into the blistering headwind like oil spewing from BP’s 2010 Oil spill. One lone ranger in the Chevy Chevette chase group, decided it was about as broke as the company that made that car and took off on his trusted steal steed. The lone gunman, Ryan dyin on a 42 tooth big ring Leech, closed the gap to about 350 meters. The front runners of the out of control stampede started to duke it out and then the Lock-NESS monster sat and pedaled as fast as a manatee trying to get out of the way of a drunk motorboat operator in the Flordia keys. The Eagles soared to the top of the board for this sprint as Jody the middleman Middleton took his cut of a big W- for Win for representing Ga. Southern. Ryan came in third for the sprint, as the rest of the peleton was pure carnage spread on a saltine cracker like pate’.
The peleton came back together and rolled down the last main avenue prior to the final stage sprint. The whistle blew at 4 K out and guns were blazing like D-day on the beaches in France. The group dwindled quickly down to 5 and four of them were true sprinters. We haven’t seem this much cat and mouse the last 3 KM since I watched Tom and Jerry. With 1500 meters to go for the final King Louie Stage overall Final Stage Sprint to win the Stage, Rex illusions of grandeur, Demers takes off for the win. With a solid 80 meter gap he gave it his all, but it was not to be for this man today. It was feast for the sprinters as they reared past him on the way to the 500 meter line. The pace jacked, the hear rates maxed, and the sprinters taxed their legs with everything they had. Like a Bosch chain saw, Ryan the peach Leach had his 42 tooth big ring humming as he took the final sprint in a dominating fashion with no one near him. Phill the Thrill took second and Wes sewed it up with the third place finish.
Final Standings and Post Tour Party for all riders that every showed up to any SCL ride TBA soon!
Thank you to all for the overwhelming support and thank you to all for completing this stage. By officially having this stage on the books, we have raised the bar and standard of Savannah Cycling. We have now shown what Savannah Cyclists are capable of with this 193 KM stage finish.
A big thanks to everyone that came out and participated in the winter SCL training rides. The final standings will be posted shortly. Next year will be bigger and better, but until then come out to tech tuesday on, you guessed it, tuesday nights and show everyone what you got.
