The Bucknell Cycling Classic Returns on March 21-22, 2026!

 Hello Cyclists!

I'm excited to announce that the Bucknell Cycling Team is hosting the Bucknell Cycling Classic this spring on March 21st and 22nd! Saturday will consist of an individual time trial and road race at the beautiful Montour Preserve in Danville, PA. Sunday will consist of a criterium race on Bucknell's Campus in Lewisburg, PA! We have new time trial and road race courses this year, and they are sure to make for some great racing! The road race consists of a fast and punchy 7.8 mile loop with 338 ft of elevation gain, perfect for getting your Zwift legs back into racing for the spring. For the crit, we'll be using our classic 1km loop around the South Campus Apartments and Bucknell Farm.

Photo: Brian Case 15.' (2023 Bucknell Campus Crit)

A race flyer with lots of information about the race can be found here, and the BikeReg page can be found here. Registration on BikeReg opens tomorrow, 2/1/2026! 

We are super excited about the new Road Race course (above). The Montour Preserve is a fantastic venue, and these rolling roads will provide great racing.

Volunteers are the most important part of putting on a road race, and we'll take all the help we can get from our cycling community to make this an awesome weekend of racing! If you're interested in helping us out, please fill out this Google form. Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Photo: Brian Case 15'

Please share this with friends, family, your teams, and anyone else who may be interested in racing or helping out! 

Photo: Brian Case 15.' (2023 Bucknell Campus Crit)

We hope to see many of you in March!

Ride on,

Sam Lasher 25'

Alumni Race Advisor

Pollen, Warm Air, and Panda Express. Navy/UMD Race Weekend 2025!

 This past weekend, the team went down to Maryland for the first race weekend of the spring. A group of 8 guys, including 4 rookies (Luke, Jiho, Nihad, and Hunter) and 3 veterans (Erikson, Jeffery, and Jack), and 1 injured (Sam). Since the Men's D race was somehow not at 8:00 AM but instead at 1:05 PM we drove down early Saturday morning. Of course, while loading the hauling van at Bucknell on Saturday morning it was downpouring, thunder and lightning... We had a great drive , however, laughing at all of the special stores on route 15 south towards Harrisburg. We arrived at the race to see the 3/4 field finish with more aero socks in a 3/4 field than I have ever seen in my life... what's going on these days, someone get a ruler. 
After pulling out the grill, the new tent, and the whole tailgating setup, we grilled some burgers before getting ready to race. 

Coach Andrew 20' met us at the race to help out. Andrew and I frantically helped pin numbers on the Men's D guys (Erikson, Jeffery, Luke, Jiho, Nihad, and Hunter) as our 2 hours to get ready had flown by. Jack led them on a warm-up and everyone made it to the start line in time until we realized Jiho forgot his number! We quickly pinned it on at the start line. 

After a very slow neutral start where Erikson gapped the peloton at 12 mph the "flag" dropped and the racing began. With the excitement of his first-ever race, Luke went to the front and started drilling the pace. After a few minutes on the front the pack swarmed around him and he found himself off the back and in the red; a mistake but a good learning experience. The field was stronger than expected and before the end of the first lap, only Jeffery and Hunter remained in the main peloton with the rest chasing from behind. 

To make matters worse, Erikson, Luke, and Nihad made a wrong turn and lost a few seconds going on to their second lap. 

At the end of lap 3 Hunter was still in the peloton with Jeffery just off the back. Jeffery got back on for a few miles after some sneaky drafting of the pace car but was dropped on the final climb. Hunter held on until the final sprint and finished at the back of the group (he was on flat pedals too smh). Jeffery rolled in shortly after. The rest of the guys rolled in and finished a nice day out on the bike. 

After some more grilling and grubbing, it was time for the Men's B race at 4:00 PM with Jack. Jack also forgot his number, and Andrew came to the rescue once again!

Jack was not feeling the best, but he stayed in the group for the first few laps. After bonking and getting dropped, he decided to save his legs for the crit. 

Erikson and I had some fun taking silly pics, too. Also working on improving our mid photography skills lol.

For the UMD crit on Sunday, some rain came, and with that, some crashes. Thankfully everyone on our team stayed rubber side down!

Our Men's D boys (put with the men's C for the crit...) had a rude awakening to crits being held up by a crash in the very first corner and having to fight to get back on the peloton. The USAC officials were pulling people fast and most of the D guys got pulled. Hunter lasted most of the race.

The crashes in the Women's A/P123 race were super bad with the return of wet roads, and Jack decided not to start the Men's A/B crit. 

Overall, it was a weekend with no crazy results on paper but a great weekend of bike racing,  team bonding, learning experiences, first races, and more. Oh yeah, we went to Panda Express twice and the calories per dollar are crazy! Definitely my highlight of the weekend.

We will be back next weekend for the Brinkerhoff RR and the Army Crit in NY!

That's all for now,

Sam Lasher 25'

The Bucknell Cycling Blog is BACK!!!

We are finally updating the website/blog! In the year 2025, Bucknell Cycling is alive and well! More updates coming soon! Our Instagram and Facebook have been kept up to date over the past six years but unfortunately, the blog has been neglected (thanks covid). I updated the race calendar and a few other bits. A lot has happened and a lot continues to happen with the team. AND DON'T WORRY, BABY BLUE KITS ARE BACK FOR 2025!

That's all for now,

Sam Lasher 25'

UMD(omination)

Welcome back!

This past weekend we had an exciting weekend of racing down South. With out further ado, here's how it went down!

On Friday afternoon, we all met at the shed at about 1:30 and packed up the van as per usual. Then we hit the road for our destination for the road race, Barnesville, MD. Luckily, Schlichty *finally* got his university license, which was a nice break for me. When we arrive, we unpacked and settled into our hotel rooms. One of the first observations we made about the hotel room, however, was that there was no water in the hot tub. Sad! Then we went to scout out the road race course for the next day. All in all, it didn't look too bad, but there were some pretty rough road surfaces on the final stretch. We were all just really happy that it was so flat compared to what we are used to. Once we were done with that, we rolled back into Barnesville and grubbed on some pre-race chipotle. One might think Chipotle is a questionable pre-race choice, but trust me, it works wonders (provided you have some coffee the next morning). Since we arrived fairly early, we had plenty of time to chill for the rest of the evening. Max and I chose to knock out some homework and Eli and Schlicht watched some show that involved "baby geese throwing themselves off cliff-sides" 🤔 you'll have to ask them about that one.

The next morning we were up bright and early for Max's 7:55am start in the Men's D race. We got the race, setup, made sure Max got to the line (with a FIRE Dave Board - which we were too late to show him, unfortunately), and then looked at each other as to figure out what to do for the next 8 hours before we raced! So naturally, we decided to ride out to the course to watch Max tear it up. The rest drove and I rode my bike (which was a mistake), but thankfully the rest gave me a ride back. Overall, Max looked really strong. It was kind of an odd race because they combined the Men's C and D fields, but Max held his own in the mixed competition, and came out with an eighth place finish.

We then reconvened at the van and fired up the grill. We feasted on some burgers and dogs (another questionable pre-race fuel decision - but it also worked out pretty well) and then chilled out for the rest of the afternoon. Max and Eli found a football and spent a good hour throwing it a basketball to see who could get it through the hoop first. Eli eventually got it and then celebrated so hard that he tired himself out. The rest of the afternoon was preeeetty uneventful so we will just skip to the Men's B race at 4:20PM.

The race was nothing short of strange. At the line, the moto made it **very** clear to us that there would "OnLy Be FiVe LaPs In ThE rAcE" but then as soon as we came around for the first lap the lap counter said six laps to go (?????) Obviously there was some miscommunication between the refs and officials and it all made us a little bit confused as to what to do tactic wise. Of course Eli decided it would be a good idea to SMASH the first downhill section on the course, which I will be honest wasn't the worst idea. It got everyone on their toes and set the tone for the race that we would not be poking at it. The first five laps were just like that. Every couple miles, someone would attack, sit up, and then we would chill. Eli, Schlicht and I took some turns testing the waters but just tried to stay smart for the most part. Then in the final lap (which was actually lap 7, not lap 5), the attacks got more real. At the end of the downhill section at the beginning of the lap, I found myself 5-10 seconds on the front. I (for whatever reason) decided to burn way more matches than I needed to and try and stay off the front, but eventually got reabsorbed a few minutes later. As a result, I had nothing to give into the sprint finish, but Schlicht sure did. He timed it just right and blitzed up the road to nab third place. Eli and I rolled in with the pack, both pretty dead from earlier attacks. We were all pretty pleased with the way the race went, though! It felt like for the first time, we were actually working together in a race which made it so fun.

Someone attacked at the end of lap 5 and then bailed because they thought they won and Andrew and I were not ready for the attack 😂

Once the races were over, we quickly packed up the van and gathered our belongings to head to the Schlicht's house. After a quick round of showers, we gathered in the dining room for the moment we had all been waiting for, Mama Schlicht's amazing Baked Ziti! I wish I could describe how good it is, but words just don't do it any justice. It's nothing short of amazing! We then slipped into a Ziti coma and rested up for the next day's Criterium.

Out of all of the races we do throughout the season, the one at UMD is by far my favorite. It's flat, technical, and there's always a great crowd of spectators to cheer you on. Oh and not to mention the beautiful weather! Max was the first one to race. After a sold warmup, we got him to the line and delivered yet another FIRE Dave Board. I guess it worked, because Max ended up taking third in the race! It came down to a field sprint with a small group and he laid down the hammer on the last turn and got third! I think it's time for someone to upgrade for sure.

The Dave Board!

At just past noon, the Men's B race lined up. This race was nothing short of a blast. We didn't really talk too much about team tactics before the race, but they just sort of ended up developing naturally. Eli, Schlicht and I were patrolling the field, taking pulls, attacking in smart places, and helping each other stay up at the front. It was so cool to see how working with just two other people can make a difference in a race and definitely a great learning experience going into the rest of the season. Throughout the early stages of the race, we managed to take 1st or 2nd on every single prime as well! The real race did not start until about 2-3 labs to go. There was a kid from Wake Forest in the field who we knew from the day before was really strong and stealthy. We made sure to keep an eye on him because an attack was imminent. I stayed in the front with Eli and Schlicht followed right behind us. And sure enough, just as the bell rang for the final lap, the Wake Forest kid launched it into a right hand turn. Eli, a UMD rider, and I followed suit. Eli cut the turn just a little too tight and went off the road, so he unfortunately missed the break. The rest of the lap, I focused on maintaining contact and cornering quickly, knowing that Schlicht was in the main group. After a quick left turn followed by a right turn, the three of launched it into the final turn. I swung out on the inside and saw a chance to lay down the power and try to make it to the final corner first and sure enough it paid off! I hit the turn just right and hung on for the win! It was such an exciting feeling. Schlicht came in right behind our group of three to take fourth place. It was a really solid weekend for him! Eli eventually caught back on to the back of the group and finished eighth. I really wished he could have been in our group going into the last lap, I think he could have placed really well.

Schlichty on the front hitting the smoothest lines through the corners

No better feeling!

Eli getting a finger wag for jumping the curve into someone's lawn

"Where did you guys even come from?" - The Moto and Refs after the race

With the races for the weekend over, we had the remainder of the burgers and dogs and then packed up. It was yet another fantastic trip to Maryland and I can't wait to come back next year!

Thank you so much to the Schlicht's for being amazing hosts, the Bravo's and Lilly for your support, and Papa K for being there for us! We cannot thank you enough for all that you do for us.

Stay tuned for more racing next weekend at the Shippensburg Scurry!

Until then, Ride On!
 -- Matty McG

Philly Phrickin Phyler!!

Welcome Back!

This past weekend we opened up the ECCC season at the Philly Phlyer in the City of Brotherly Love. We came away with some good results and experience going into the rest of the season.

The festivities began on Friday night at the Bravo's house. We all gathered for a delicious lasagna dinner with a side of Dave's famous garlic bread. Thank you Dave and Susan Bravo so much for your continued hospitality! We really appreciate that you continue to open up your home to us for the Phlyer every year. After dinner we sat down and watched some Basketball before hitting the hay for the night. Usually we watch the collegiate Wrestling championships, but unfortunately they were a week late this year.

On Saturday morning we met up at the Bravo's house at about 7:30 to head down to the race. Thankfully Papa K and Dave volunteered to go down to the race a bit early to secure a parking spot for us. It was a big relief to not have to wake up before the sun rose, so thank you so much for doing that for us! Once we were ready, Eli, Schlicht, Peter and I piled into Schlicht's SAAB and whipped it down the Schuylkill Exp(arking lot)ress way to the Please Touch Museum. Once we got there, we quickly set up our camp for the day and went to registration to get our numbers. This year Schlicht, Eli, and I will be racing in the Men's B field together which is super exciting. It's nice to have teammates in a race and to look out for each other. Peter would be racing in the Men's D field, which had 89 starters on Saturday! He was admittedly a little nervous about the size of the field and the competition, but as soon as he got to the line that went away.

Peter's race went really well! At this race last year, Peter was in the Men's E field and suffered a nasty crash early in the race. But this year he is a new rider entirely and he stuck with the field throughout most of the early stage of the race. Unfortunately, he got caught behind the wrong wheel on the hairpin turn up Strawberry Mansion Drive and lost contact with the main group. But he worked well with a group that he latched onto and finished in the middle of the pack! Peter wasn't very satisfied with the result, but when you consider how far he has come in just one year, he did great. This will be a good learning experience for the rest of the season and I am sure we will see some good results soon!

Later in the day, Eli, Schlicht and I raced in the Men's B race. The rest was pretty crazy from the start. Immediately, we bombed the hill down to MLK and from there, a two man break went off the front of the race to never be seen for the remainder of the race. From there the race went as usual: someone attacked, everyone lost their mind, and then it mellowed out again. The only thing that threw all of us off was that we were catching riders from the 3/4 race in front of us who would latch on to our group. This was especially troubling going into the last lap when people would latch on into the sprint. But besides that, we all did pretty well. Andrew's seatpost fell midrace so he had to battle through that, but only finished about 3-4 minutes behind the main group. Eli lost contact in the second lap and rode out the rest of the race. I stayed with the pack into the last lap and then finished 9th overall in the field sprint. The wind was brutal and the potholes were horrendous, but I would say it was a good result for all of us in our opening race of the season.

Schlicht and I cruising along with the pack

Eli not too far off the back

After the races, we went back to Eli's and feasted on some pasta before resting up for the next day's races.

On Sunday we got to Temple University bright and early for their campus crit. Peter raced first in the Men's D crit, which was split because of the size of the field. Peter again did a great job! He finished in the middle of the pack in her first criterium. Later in the day (after some delays), Eli, Schlicht and I raced the Men's B crit. The beginning of the race was a little dramatic with some pretty hot laps, but once the field narrowed down to just about 10 riders, things mellowed out a bit. Then there was a slew of laps where there were people on the course who should not have been there, pedestrians not watching as they crossed the street, and one man going off the front of the race. The rest of the race beyond that was focused on just making it to the last lap with the field and Schlicht and I did just that. With two corners left in the last lap, I decided to make a bit of a risky move that (of course) no one followed, where I went up the inside to hit the corner early. I managed to hold off the pack for a bit but got caught by a few riders before the final turn and finished 6th. Schlicht was not too far behind. Given the windy conditions and technical course, we were both very pleased with the outcome.

"Bye" --- Peter Kaladius (2019)

Men's B's ready for Battle

Look at those white skin suits!!!

Thanks again so much to the Bravo's for hosting and supporting us this weekend. We are so grateful for your generosity to our team. Thank you to the Schlicht's and McGauley's and for your support on both days. And as always, thank you so much to Papa K for your continued support. 

In other news, WE CANNOT WAIT TO HOST IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!!!! I hope that everyone is as excited as we are to race in the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside as we are.

Wet n' Wild William and Mary Road Race

Hey everyone it’s been a while, but welcome back. Now that things (kind of) seem to be thawing out from the Winter, it’s time to start our favorite part of the year: racing season! So with the opportunity to head down to the South (for what we thought would be some nice, warm weather), a few of us did just that.

On Friday we left campus just after 3:30PM. Luckily the women’s tennis team didn’t have any competitions this weekend, so we got a chance to take the sprinter van down to William and Mary. It’s always a pleasure when we they’re available. It’s so easy to fit everyone and all of our stuff into one vehicle. So simple and organized! We were super happy (as always) that Papa K was able to join us for this weekend. We are eternally grateful to his commitment to making sure that we arrive to our races in a safe and timely manner and it’s always a pleasure to spend our Spring weekend’s with him. Last year he missed a few weekends due to a car accident, so it’s so great to have him back. This weekend myself, Schlicht, and three first years (Jon Tze, Axel Olsson and Nick Fardone) would be venturing to tackle the pancake-flat course in Williamsburg. This was Nick and Axel’s first experience racing in a USAC cycling race, so it was great to have them with us, even if the forecast for race day was a little menacing. The drive down went super smoothly and featured a stop at Chipotle for some grub. Once we got to the hotel (which was very nice, thanks Karen!) we quickly went to bed to rest up for the next day. 

The Dave Board - Definitely got some attention this weekend

Preparing the bikes for battle

We arrived to the race course at about 7:45am and got everyone checked in. Unfortunately they weren’t able to process Jon’s upgrade request from D to C in time, so he had to race D this weekend. Nick joined him in the D field and Axel would be in the C field. Schlicht and I raced men’s B. Jon and Nick’s race was in less-than-ideal conditions and unfortunately neither of them were able to finish their race. It was nothing to be upset over, however. The conditions were truly horrendous and if for nothing else, they got some valuable experience in preparing for when the conditions are less than favorable on race day. Axel raced soon after and did very well! He finished 10th in the men’s C, which for a first time racer is a great accomplishment! It will be great to see how he progresses throughout the season and to see how he fairs on hillier courses, which will definitely suit his strengths. Schlicht and I’s race was nothing short of miserable. It rained, it was cold, our hands and feet turned into popsicles and we were borderline hypothermic at the end, but we both did fairly well for our first race in the men’s B field. Schlicht placed 8th and I was 4th. After the finish we promptly hurried back to the warmth of the van and skrted out of there to a gas station so we could de thaw on some warm drinks. We then hit the road because we were just doing the road race for the weekend. On the way back, we stopped for some delicious barbecue food at Chubby’s. Because what would a trip to the south be without some good barbeque?

Nick Fardone ('22) posing at Chubby's

Delicious pulled pork (it didn't last much longer
after this pic was taken)

Team food adventures - absolutely one of favorite
aspects of cycling weekends outside of racing

In all it was a great pre season racing experience for all of us and we are excited for what is ahead. The Bucknell Cycling Classic (March 30-31) is quickly approaching and we could not be more excited! Stay tuned for more on that. 

A special thank you to Country Cupboard and Allstar Bagel for providing us with food for this weekend! We are grateful for your support. 

Ride on,

— Matty McG

Late September Updates: Friday Fun, a 100 Mile Journey, and Plenty of Parents

Welcome Back!

Just because the Milton Harvest Festival Race happened two weeks ago already doesn't mean we haven't been busy. A lot has been going on in these short two weeks and I'm excited to share about it!

Friday Rides:

We have had a couple of Friday rides since the Harvest Festival and we are still starting to see some new faces! On our ride this past Friday, we welcomed Zach Schaeffer to the team. He was riding a new Giant Contend which was made possible by our generous sponsor Earl's Bicycle Store.

Other new members have also been showing promise as they begin to develop their skills on the bike. Arshnoor Amin is finding it easier to keep with the group on the rides and ride in a large group. His ability to control his bike has improved immensely in these few short weeks and he even uses Strava to track his rides now! The same goes for Sebastian Ascoli, who's handle on his bike shows signs of improvement every weke.  Just the other week, Tim Chillemba and Peter Kaladius went out to ride up New Berlin before our Friday Ride and Tim did it! This is truly no small feat for a new rider, so great job, Tim. As for Peter, I think he's ready to tackle some of the big climbs in the area like Jack's Mountain. Nick Fardone has gotten much more involved with the team, which is awesome. He's been coming to rides throughout the week, enjoying mountain biking on the weekend, and seems like a good fit for racing in the Spring. This week Jon Tze was finally able to get back on his bike for the first time since he badly injured his hand just before the beginning of the semester! I was not with him on the Thursday Night Ride this week, but from what I heard, he's going to be a big asset for the team in the Men's B field this Spring.

An Epic 100 Mile Journey:

On Saturday, the 15th, myself, Andrew Schlicht, Tom and Evan Dominick, and Jon Lewis took an epic journey out to the mountains of Williamsport. Originally Andrew and I were planning on doing the Triple Bypass route, which is a feat in of itself. It features three category 3 climbs, each within a 30 mile loop! But Tom and Evan Dominick had an even greater route in mind. We would do the same route as Triple Bypass but add another 30 miles through the hills to the North of Williamsport.

This ride was tough to say the least. One of the most daunting things about it was the 30 miles of unknown road that was north of Williamsport. By that point we had already faced two hard climbs and had to make sure that we saved enough gas to make it up the final climb in Williamsport and then ride the final 25 miles back to Lewisburg. Miraculously, through some great hydration and nutrition tactics, we all made it through the ride and held a solid average! In our cardio-enduced haze after the ride, Andrew, Jon and I went to the Caribbean Connection in town to feast on some Pernil. Definitely worth a visit if you're ever looking for somewhere to eat in town! Thanks to Tom and Evan for the ride and to Jon and Andrew for joining. I hope that we can encourage more members of the team to join us next time.

Attached below is a profile of the ride and some pictures of it. It's so tough, but honestly so rewarding and beautiful. I can only imagine how spectacular some of the views will be as the trees begin to change colors.

Somewhere North of Williamsport...

Breath-taking view looking South from the top of Sulfur Springs

Near Rose Valley Lake

Surviving our way back to Lewisburg on PA44

Profile of the ride. Definitely go and try at least the Triple Bypass loop!

 Plenty of Parents:

This past weekend was Parent's Weekend on campus and we were fortunate enough to ride with plenty of them! Dave Bravo, my Mom (Cindy McGauley), my Brother (Sean McGauley),  and Stephen Lewin (Father of a Bucknell Junior) joined us for the ride on Saturday. It was a beautifully cool and clear first day of Fall, and we even had our first leaf catch of the season! Dave Bravo was the lucky one to catch our first leaf. Eli wasn't too keen on letting his Dad steal the honor, but the rest of us all agreed it counted. It was very nice to have my Mom and my Brother out there riding with us. Plenty of locals joined in with us too. JR Riehl, Eric Grimes, Laurie Glowatski, and Alan Marchiori were all in attendance. It's always a pleasure to ride with you all!

On Sunday we had a smaller ride over to the east of the Susquehanna river. We were joined again by Dave Bravo and Eric Grimes. Andrew was also in attendance and got to celebrate his 21st Birthday with a nice morning ride. The pace was chill, the roads were flat, and the weather was breezy and cool, which made for a refreshing combination for a Sunday morning. At one point, Dave beat Eli in a township-sign sprint. Eli, never wanting to live that down, went off the front and won all of the sprints for the rest of the ride.

After the ride, as is tradition, the team went to Amami Kitchen and Espresso bar to enjoy some coffee and paninis. It's so wonderful to have a sponsor like Amami who is as excited to see and hear about our rides as we are to feast on their delicious food. Thanks as always Davide! And thank you to Dave Bravo for treating us to lunch and coffee, we all appreciate it immensely!

See below for some pictures of the ride on Saturday and from our lunch today.

What a group!!

Lunch at Amami

Schlicht telling us how he managed to break his chain

First leaf caught this Fall!

That's all for this blog post. There's still plenty more action to come this semester. Next weekend we will be going to the Velofest swap meet, at some point in October we are planning on having a movie night and in early November we will be petitioning to revive the Bucknell Classic. Stay tuned, but for now, ride on!

 —Matty McG

August Updates and the Annual Milton Harvest Festival Bike Race

Hey everyone, welcome back to the Bucknell Cycling Team blog! My name is Matt “Matty McG” McGauley and I will be the president of the Cycling Team this year. If we’ve never met before, I’m a Junior from Exton, Pennsylvania and I’m studying Biology here at Bucknell. I was loosely involved with the team at the beginning of my Freshman year (big mistake) but ever since my first season of racing in the Spring of 2017, I’ve fallen in love with cycling and this team. I started as a Men’s Collegiate C in 2017 and got dropped by the field in every race except for two. It was frustrating coming from a running background because I thought that my fitness would translate to cycling quickly and that I would be successful right away. I quickly learned that there’s so much more to this sport than just fitness. After a couple of seasons of training, learning, and racing, I finally feel let I get the hang of it. As a result, I will be racing in the Men’s Collegiate B category for the 2019 season. I’m looking forward to accomplishing a lot of big things this year. The first of those is to assist our former President, Andrew Schlicht, in bringing the Bucknell Cycling Classic back to Central Pennsylvania. Secondly, I want to make cycling an approachable and inviting sport for new riders in the same way that the former executives of the team did for me. And finally, I want to encourage new and returning riders to take full advantage of the opportunity to race for the Bucknell Cycling Team. It is truly a privilege and honor to do so. That’s enough about me, here is what we have been up to for this beginning of this semester:

August 2018: On Friday, August 24, we had our first Friday Ride of the year. What a turnout we had; more than 20 people came out for the ride! On the returning side, our executives Andrew Schlicht, Eli Bravo, and Evelyn Korbich were in attendance. Sasha Weilbaker, Elyza Agosta, Harry Huang, Peter Kaladius and Mitch Warner also came out for the ride. Our returning riders are all feeling strong and excited for the year after a summer of training. Our new members represented every class year! From the senior class we were joined by Paul Lego. Juniors Evan Fillion and Sierra Meggitt were in attendance. Sophomores Conor Vogt, Arshnoor Amin, Devyn Myers, Tim Chilemba and Dan Heffernan came out and rode with us for the first time. And last but not least we are excited to welcome our freshman recruits Sebastian Ascoli, Khoi Lam, Giovanni Matarrazo, Nick Fardone, Jon Tze, Luka Baramidze and Eleanor King. Local JR Riehl was also in attendance. Tim was enthusiastically quoted during the ride saying “This [was] the most fun [he’d] had in a long time!” Overall, we had a great first ride together. The new riders are quickly learning the quirks of cycling and getting a good feel for the sport. We also revived a forgotten team tradition: Flapjack Friday. After Friday we gathered at Schlicht’s house and enjoyed some pan-fried bacon and delicious chocolate chip pancakes. It was a great way to hang around and get to know each other! Schlicht has been hard at work to get the Bucknell Cycling Classic approved for the Spring. He is making very promising progress! He recently attended township and county meetings to gain approval for his proposed Criterium and Road Race routes. The next steps will be to finalize plans for the race and get the proposal approved by the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference in early November.

Beautiful day for our first Friday Ride of the year

Milton Harvest Festival Bike Race:

September is one of the best times of the year in Central Pennsylvania. The weather starts to get cooler (every year except this one…), the trees turn beautiful colors, and the Milton Harvest Festival 28 mile Bike Race happens. This year we had an amazing turnout for the race. We brought a small herd of 17 bison who were eager to race. New riders Tim Chilemba, Luka Baramidze, Dan Heffernan, Nick Fardone, Eleanor King, Sebastian Ascoli, Arshnoor Amin, and Conor Vogt got the chance to dip their toes into their first bit of competition. All of them did a great job completing the tough, hilly course. Unfortunately Nick and Luka suffered flat tires early in the race, but both of them still had a great experience and are eager to continue riding despite their misfortune.

Evelyn Korbich, Sasha Weilbaker, and Elyza Agosta had a strong showing in the Women’s race. Evelyn was the second place female overall and Elyza and Sasha finally broke their Milton-course-curse and set personal records by over two minutes!

Harry Huang and Peter Kaladius continue to show vast improvement from last year. I can remember just last year when Peter struggled on Friday rides and now he is riding like a true veteran. His persistence and work ethic are impeccable. Same goes with Harry, just last year he wasn’t even riding with the team, but now he is riding strong and working on his racing tactics. I hope that the new riders can learn from their example of how hard work pays off! I can’t wait to see where the rest of the year takes these two. Mitchell Warner also had a great race despite feeling under the weather. It’s great to see him still coming out to ride with us even though he has a very busy schedule with ROTC.

Andrew, Eli, and I were able to stay with a chase group throughout the race. We all made it safely over the Follmer Road wall and through the rolling hills of Mexico Road. The group we were in for the beginning of the race fragmented on the climb up PA route 54, but the three of us were able to work hard on the hill and join a group of riders that survived the gruelling and fast climb. After the descent down to PA route 642, one man broke off from the group and stayed away for the rest of the race. Props to that guy because he soloed for the win for almost half of the race, broke the course record (handily), and according to his Strava was just using the race as “Little more of an opener than [he] had intended” for the USA Crits race in Doylestown (Sept. 9). The three of us were able to work with the Shipp train at the front of the pack and stay with the group for the rest of the race. In the end we sprinted in with the group and finished the 28 mile course in about ~1:06:40 (still under the previous course record). It was an exciting showing for the three of us especially considering that we will be racing together (along with Freshman Jon Tze) in the Men’s B field for the 2019 Collegiate Racing Season.

Afterwards we rode back to Lewisburg as a team and enjoyed a delicious lunch with one of our generous sponsors, Amami Kitchen and Espresso Bar.

A special shoutout to Papa K, Angie Fritzges, Eric Grimes, Mr. and Mrs. Schlicht, and my Dad (Mr. McG) for coming out to the race to support the team.

See below for Results and Pictures from the race!

Here's how our riders did according to the official results:

Evelyn Korbich   1:16:52.3   6th place female

Sasha Weilbaker   1:21:08.7   7th place female

Elyza Agosta   1:38:24.7   15th place female

Eli Bravo   1:06:19.7   8th place male

Matt McGauley 1:06:25.1    13th place male

Andrew Schlicht   1:06:29.0    15th place male

Mitchell Warner   1:13:36.3   52nd place male

Peter Kaladius   1:17:46.2   77th place male

Harry Huang   1:20:58.5   87th place male

Conor Vogt   1:36:49.8   120th place male

Tim Chilemba   1:49:21.1   127th place male

Arshnoor Amin   2:16:28.9   133rd place male

What a squad! 17 strong!

(L to R) Andrew Schlicht,  Luka Baramidze, Matt McGauley, Nick Fardone, and Eli Bravo after the race

That's all for this post. Can't wait to share more in the coming weeks!

            Ride on,

              Matty McG

2018 Road Series: MIT Conference Championships (4/21 - 4/22)

The team for its next and final weekend adventure of the ECCC road racing season made its way to Western Mass for the conference championships hosted by M.I.T.

Absorbing the view of the Connecticut River (L --> R: Max, Steven, Matt, Harry, Evelyn, & Eli)

Harry, taking pointers from Eli

Evelyn in the road race

Saturday morning was a day for the climbers. A set of undulating hills featuring a 1.7-mile dirt climb of over 500 feet of elevation change awaited the racers. Thankfully, after the long drive we were allowed to sleep longer than usual. The first racers were off at 10:15; these were the Men’s C riders Matt McGauley and Andrew Schlicht. The Men’s D rider Max Skirpan was then off after 5 minutes had passed. Goal for the C riders: not get caught by the D field. Goal of the D field: catch the C riders. The races were fast paced. Fresh legs, not yet touched by the climb, made cause for attacks and long pulls. In the C field, Andrew was unable to hold onto the blistering pace set by Matt and others at the front of the peloton when the field made its way up the hill. Andrew had to settle for a top half finish while Matt was able to finish with the top ten after 2 laps of the course. Max meanwhile was holding firm to his ground. He found himself with the front group up the big climb, until for him too, the pace proved too much. By the time he crested the hill the group had split into two main groups. Caught between them and unable to claw his way to the front group, Max remained with this second group until the hill returned again, at which point he found himself breaking away with 2 other riders till the finish to once again place himself between the first and second groups of riders.

Eli in the road race

Harry then took his turn at tackling the course with the Men’s E field. Despite losing the group rather quickly, Harry was not going to give up. He continued to push himself up the hill and caught a pair of riders. Passing both of them, he stayed ahead for the remainder of the race. Then it was time for the Men’s B race and Women’s A/B with Eli Bravo and Evelyn Korbich each racing in their category respectively. With Eli unable to keep pace on the second lap, he paired up with another B racer and they pulled themselves. Fast-forward 40 minutes, Evelyn has since pulled herself from the race after three laps. However, the officials told all three, Evelyn, Eli, and the other Men's B rider that there were points still available. So, the three took to the course for one last lap. Followed by Steven Robare, a 4 year racing team alumnus, and President Andrew by car, the three racers finished their races and did indeed earn points for the team.

Steven taking over the grill

Max all bundled up for the crit

For the next day, the team made the quick drive to Turner Falls, MA for a short kilometer loop with a 14% kicker partway through it. Along a raging Connecticut river, the course surrounded a park, making for a rather scenic race day. To kickoff the day was Max in the Men's D race. After a few laps, it was made apparent to Max that he found himself at home on the short climb. Making up spots on said climb and retaining his place in the descent made for a good combination Max greatly benefited from all the way to the finish. Next were Matt and Andrew in the Men's C field. The 40 minute race began and the two riders went round and round with the pack. For Matt, the beginning was horrendous. At the top of the climb is a U turn, a touching of wheels at this turn led to Matt hitting the deck on lap 2. Fortunately, he rallied to rejoin the pack with another two laps. Both riders remained with the pack for the remainder of the race to the finish line.

Eli breaking away

After a nice interlude of the team exploring Turner Falls, trying out the local skatepark, and visiting a local coffee shop, it was time to race again. In the crit, Harry found himself a part of a small field. A well rested Harry made his way around the course. Conquering the climb with each passing lap, he was able to pair up with another rider and beat them in the final sprint. Next came Eli in the Men's B race. An action packed 50 minutes of riding in circles, Eli was able to hang with the pack each time they completed a lap. Playing a conservative game, Eli poked his nose into the wind rarely and rode in the middle of the pack. After a little quarrel with another rider in the field, Eli finished with the pack. Finally, to wrap up the season, the teams only female racer this season was Evelyn in the Woman A/B race. After a quick start line photo-shoot that placed her on the front of the conference Facebook page, it was her turn at the course. With the group the first handful of laps, Evelyn made it known that the field was going to have to turn up the heat if they were to lose her. The field did pick up the pace and Evelyn could unfortunately no longer stick around. Pulled from the race a few laps from the finish, Evelyn concluded her season happy with the results after a string of hard fought races.

Evelyn racing the crit

Weekly observations:
1) Time has no feeling; if you know what I mean

2) I just went numb; if you know what I mean
3) Donuts are tasty in reverse; if you know what I mean

4) Harry slept through his medal award ceremony and went over 75 miles per hour, a personal record; if you know what I mean
5) You can easily fit 7 pretzel sticks under a cars windshield wipers without anyone noticing; if you know what I mean
6) Someone needs to start taking photos of Andrew and Matt racing, if you know what I mean

A massive thank you to all our sponsors, who made it possible for the team to continue thriving. Bucknell Cycling covers transportation, lodging, race fees, and some food for all its members, in an effort to make the sport more accessible and affordable, especially to new riders - and it is our sponsors that make this possible year to year! These sponsors include: Earl’s Bicycle Store, Matty’s Sporthouse Grille, AMSEC, Giant Bicycles, Sun Orthopedics, Grimes Group, Amami Kitchen & Espresso Bar,  Giant Food Stores, and Terry Howson. Thank you!

Harry crossing the crit finish line

Always a huge thank you to Gary Kahler (aka, Papa K) for his very necessary and very loved role on the team - hauling-van driver, grill master, jacket-holder, photographer, observer, race info binder-keeper, and more. The team would be a mess and a half without him and struggled a little with each weekend that he wasn't present! Thank you also to our advisers/coaches, Ron Marquette and Eric Grimes! They have been gracious enough to offer their services of fundraising, bike repairs, and networking with the community more than you could imagine. Thank you!

Matt and Andrew exploring Turner Falls

Thus concludes the ECCC Road Racing season for Bucknell Cycling. This summer we have big plans to continue racing and strive for more upgrade points. The team also has experienced a rejuvenation of the desire to host a return of the Bucknell Cycling Classic. This time round, we know what needs to happen when and with a course in mind, things are looking good already. Keep your ears open, for you may just hear the sounds of a bike race in the Susquehanna Valley!

- Schlichty

Results:
RR
Crit
Overall

Eli rounding the U Turn in the crit

Max taking it easy in the sun

The team taking the time to watch the Men's A field

Eagerly awaiting at the finish line or looking into the future...?