Lucas Bourgoyne (Team Cadence Cyclery) wins the sprint ahead of Alfredo Rodriguez (City Bikes), on left, and Michael Garrison (MGR pb +Speed l Studio) in 2025 pro men's race(Image credit: Sunny King Criterium)
Team Cadence Cyclery p/b Encore Wire lead the charge on the final lap(Image credit: Sunny King Criterium)
Women's pro podium (L to R): Rebecca Lang second, winner Samantha Clark, and Makayla Macpherson in third(Image credit: Sunny King Criterium)
Men's elite podium (L to R): Alfredo Rodriguez second, winner Lucas Bourgoyne and Michael Garrison third(Image credit: Sunny King Criterium)
Lucas Bourgoyne (Team Cadence Cyclery p/b Encore Wire) held off defending champion Alfredo Rodriguez (City Bikes) and Michael Garrison (MGR pb +Speed l Studio) in an explosive finish at the pro men's race under the lights at Sunny King Criterium, the opening round of USA CRITS.
The pro women's race was just as feverish as Samantha Clark (Milligan University) blasted from a reduced six-rider late breakaway and held on for the victory, Rebecca Lang (Team Winston-Salem) in second and Clark's Milligan teammate Makayla Macpherson in third.
After a full hour of attacks and counter-attacks, the men's field was all together on the bell lap with five Team Cadence riders driving the pace, setting up Bourgoyne, who launched his acceleration on the climb after turn four. Rodriguez surged through the bunch and passed Garrison, but could not get around the Texan.
Samuel Mayer (SCAD Atlanta) finished fourth and Luke Harris (Kingdom Elite) was fifth.
Bourgoyne had wins last year for the Williams Racing Development squad Austin Aviators at a pair of ChicagoGrit races, a pair of Tour of America's Dairyland crits and the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, but this was a major USA CRITS victory in his first appearance at Sunny King Criterium.
"It was my first time doing Sunny King, my first time in Alabama. Needless to say, I really love Anniston, Alabama," the 24-year-old Bourgoyne told Cyclingnews.
"An absolutely incredible feeling to see what we worked for all off-season come together in the first round of USA CRITS."
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The final lap of the women's race saw six riders break free at the front. Clark, who was 10th last year in the pro race, powered across the uphill finish with two bike lengths to spare ahead of the chasers. Lang just edged Macpherson for second, while Jette Aelken improved from 17th last year for fourth place. Adonays Vera was fifth and Claire Abrey sixth among the front group.
The results from Sunny King Criterium set the early standings for the nine-race USA CRITS series. The next two rounds are back-to-back races in Georgia, Spin the District in Hapeville on Friday followed by Rock&Road Criterium p/b 75 Jackson Properties on Saturday.
Results
For full women's results, visit annistoncycling.com.
Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
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