Cyclists take on 40th Annual Roan Groan road race
Published 12:32 pm Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Star Photo/ Ivan Sanders The women's stage leaves Cat Island Park on their way to the top of the Roan.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders A Men's Stage begins to line out Highway 19-E as they leave the city.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders A wave of riders remain in a pack as they pedal on Highway 19-E toward Roan Mountain.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Riders start to jockey for position as they establish themselves into single-file riding.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders A pair of cyclists take the corner near the Downtown War Monument.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
The 2024 Roan Groan bicycle road race is in the books and once again Stephen Bassett of Knoxville took the podium as the winner of the 80 mile road race that followed roads through Carter and Unicoi County before wrapping up at Carver’s Gap.
Bassett, racing for Project Echelon Racing, finished in a time of 3:44.52 which was six minutes slower than the finishing time in 2023 when Trevor August took the victory.
James Schurman of Delray Beach, FL took second place in the Pro 1/2 race followed by Blowing Rock, NC native Brendan Housler who finished :02.8 behind Bassett.
In the Masters 35+/45+ race, Thomas Gibson of Asheville, NC, took first place, with teammate Taylor Delhagen finishing only one second behind Gibson. Both ride for B.B. Barns Cycling Team.
Bryan Dobes of Greenville, SC was third.
On the Women’s side of the race in Pro 1/2/3 Boone, NC native Jennifer Thornton-Brooks took top honors by finishing in a time of 3:26:30 riding for Team Skyline-Cadence.
Emily Shields from Vinton, VA claimed second place almost two minutes behind Thornton-Brooks with Catie George riding for the Virginia Tech Cycling team captured third place. Milligan University’s Samantha Clark finished fourth in the race.
Other race winners include the following:
Men Cat 3 – Ben Ewert (Beavercreek, OH)
Cat 4/5 – Joe Helton (Swannanoa, NC)
Women 4/5 – Christie Taylor (Charlottesville, NC)
Masters 40+/50+/60+ – Bradley Price (Blountville, TN)
