A-D Racing Race Report: Florida State Time Trial Championships

The Florida State Time Trial Championship is a 40km out and back course held this year outside of St.Cloud, Florida. The course is utterly flat and mostly straight, windswept and fast. It is one of the few, regularly scheduled full length time trials that also offers Eddy Merckx and junior categories and a team trial. Temperatures were in the 70s and there was a 10 mile per hour northwest wind.

Fred Thomas of A-D Racing entered the Masters 55 to 59 category and rode his tt Carbon Limited time trial bike. "There was a tail wind on the way out so I was able to drift along at over 30 miles an hour for long sections of the course." Fred said. "Coming back was much slower. The headwind made it very hard for me to maintain high speed without blowing up."

Fred completed the course with a time of 53:33 which was the 9th fastest time of the day and fastest time of the Masters 55 to 59 category. The official Florida State Time Trial Champion for the category is Florida resident Jose Armas who completed the course with a time of 55:10. "I didn't bother changing the address on my USA Cycling license and anyway, Jose has spent more time in Florida than I have and rode a great race." Fred said. "He will make a great champion."

Many thanks to Topview Sports for putting on this niche and challenging event, Ponte Verda Racing for helping organize it, the USA Cycling officials for wrangling riders to the start, the residents of Deer Park Road and the Osceola County Sheriff Department for marshaling some serious traffic for the whole day in the blazing sun.