Dan Jardin takes first in Georgia at U.S.A. Cycling Race

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by Cindi Giovo

The U.S.A. Cycling is the only governing body for competitive cycling in America.  According to their website: www.usacycling.org , this 501c3 membership based organization strives to sustain success in international cycling competition as well as assist in developing competitive cycling here in America.  

Eighteen-year-old cyclist Dan Jardin, resident of Mexico and freshman at Lees McRae College in North Carolina participated in a United States Cycling Criterium at Dalton University in Georgia on the weekend of Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18.  

On Saturday Jardin had to compete in a 22 mile time trial (an individual race against the clock) and when he came in, he placed to compete the same day in the men’s B 46 mile race.  

It was reported that Jardin turned the corner and hammered (very steady, strenuous pedaling) the way and came in first place with a time of under an hour (50:16:003).  

On Sunday, he competed in the 56 mile team race at Dalton.  

The team built on each other while drafting (riding closely behind a teammate which creates a slipstream or air pocket so the lead rider expends 30 percent more energy than the following rider does) scored and came in first place.  

It is no surprise that Jardin is fitting in well as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for the college cycling team. This division I college team has won nationals for a number of years.

Jardin’s major while at Lees McRae College is in the field of communication arts.  His interests lie in web page designing, logos for corporations and animation.  

Most recently, during the weekend of Saturday, March 31 to Monday, April 2, Jardin competed in more races in Athens, Georgia.  On Sunday, in a 45 minute criterium he finished fourth in the men’s B.  

Later in the day, Jardin was a team of four that cycled in a team time trial in which the team came in first place.  The road race is scheduled for Monday, but the results were not in time for print.

In the future, chances are Jardin will pursue a dream of cycling in Europe and then…the road is paved and the sky is the limit.