ELIJAY, Ga. (Aug. 26, 2019) – The Truett McConnell University cycling team opened up their 2019-20 season for the Southeastern Collegiate Conference at the Ramblin Race Weekend hosted by Georgia Tech University at the Ridgeway Mountain Bike Trail on Saturday and Sunday.
 
"It provided a good idea of where we stand within the conference and gave the team goals to work toward throughout the season," Head Coach Joshua Muzyka said. "Collegiate MTB races are broken into any two endurance events- Cross Country, Short Track or Team Relay, and two gravity events which could be any combination of Downhill, Dual-Slalom, or Enduro Stage Race. This weekend was XC, Short Track, Downhill, & Enduro."
 
The Bears were entered as follows:

• Foster Hutchings Category B Endurance.
• Gabriel Loper was Category C Endurance.
• John Rosenbaum, Cat C Gravity, Cat C Endurance
• Brennah Griggs Cat B/C Endurance, Cat C Gravity
• Jaiden Ward, Cat B/C Endurance.

Saturday's results in prospective categories:

• Foster as 8th place
• Gabe in 4th place
• John 12th place XC, 4th place Downhill
• Brennah 2nd place XC
• Jaiden 4th place XC

Sunday's results:

• Foster 5th place
• Gabe 4th place
• John 4th place STXC, No Gravity results yet
• Brennah 2nd place STXC, No Gravity results yet
• Jaiden 3rd place

 
"Saturday's women's race was off to a solid start with Jaiden Ward sprinting to third at the hole shot entering the trail system, placing her in good position for the rest of the race," Muzyka said. "Brennah Griggs entered the hole shot eighth, forcing her to work her way to the front of the pack on single track. Molly Hayes of the UNG club team blasted to the front and held a solid lead for the duration of the race, leaving Brennah and Jaiden to battle with Eliza Da Shon of Warren Wilson College for second, third and fourth place. The TMU girls made their passes on the steep, muddy climbs offered by the trail bringing Brennah from eighth to second and Jaiden holding strong at fourth place.
 
Gabe struggled to enter the trail at the beginning of his XC race, but he specializes in climbing and like the girls he was able to bring himself up from the back of the pack up to second place during the climbs. Unfortunately, in the technical section of the trail Gabe hit a tree causing him to have a minor crash, causing his chain to knock off his drivetrain. About 6 riders took the opportunity to pass him bringing him down to eighth place mid-race. Gabe picked up his bike, fixed his chain and ran down the trail, jumping on and catching up with the lead pack. It wasn't enough to bring him into the top three but all points considering we're happy to have a fourth place finish.
 
John had one of the strongest runs in Downhill, surpassing all the previous set times up to a technical rock garden which exited in a blind corner. John had accidentally overshot the corner and came off the side of the trail, costing him valuable time. He managed to get back on the trail and finish the run, but lost valuable time, bringing him from first place to fourth place Downhill.
 
For the women's short track, Jaiden absolutely crushed the hole shot sprint into the trail leading the pack of female riders, but the fatigue wore on her during their 15-minute race and she dropped back from first place to third, encouraging her teammate, Brennah, to pass her during one the climbs! Jaiden fought to hold third and helped to keep TMU with two spots on the women's podium. Brennah fought hard to catch up with Eliza from Warren Wilson, but Eliza's short term speed gained her first place in STXC.
 
Foster and John both fought hard during their STXC races. A student from Brevard crashed immediately in front of Foster, slowing him down but not stopping him. Foster managed to fight strong for a fifth place finish with 12 laps while John came through for eighth place during STXC. Brennah and John both competed in Sunday's Enduro event."
 
Results for the Enduro event are still to be posted.