Bryan Fawley saw his opportunity to win the Age-Based State Criterium Championship open up toward the finish line, and he took advantage of it.

DRC/Gary Payne

Bryan Fawley celebrates finishing first in the 2008 Texas Age-Based Criterium (Redondo Denton) Championships 23-to-34 age division at C.H. Collins Athletic Complex on Saturday in Denton.

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“We came in pretty slow to the finish,” Fawley said. “Everyone kind of sat around and watched. At about 200 meters, I jumped on it and sprinted to the line.”

Fawley won the 23-34 age division Saturday at C.H. Collins Athletic Complex in the first of two races slated for the Sam Bass Challenge weekend that concludes today with the Downtown Denton Criterium. Both races are part of the Texas Cup racing series, sanctioned by the Texas Bicycle Racing Association.

Spectators brought their tarps and lawn chairs to watch the all-day event, despite temperatures creeping near triple digits. Close to 250 racers registered to participate in Saturday’s events. The same number of competitors is expected for today’s downtown race.

“They do an awesome job putting on the race up here,” Fawley said. “It was a super hot day, and the backside of the course was unbelievably windy.”

Fawley was among a slew of racers who bunched together around the last turn heading toward the finish. Once the group straightened out, Fawley made his move first and then several other racers joined in an exciting sprint to the finish.

The 23-year-old Dallas resident edged several other riders to capture the split-second win.

“I saved my legs and waited for the finish,” Fawley said, “I was really surprised that nobody else jumped early. If I had been caught off guard, I definitely would have lost the race.”

Fawley raced in the event last year and placed third. He is the current state champion in cyclocross, mountain bike and now the age-based criterium. He placed fifth in the skill-based criterium state championships in May.  

Fawley said he couldn’t have won the race without his Park Place Lexus teammates.

DRC/Gary Payne

Rick Wetherald turns the corner with other racers during the 2008 Texas Age-Based Criterium (Redondo Denton) Championships 23-to-34 age division at the C.H. Collins Athletic Complex on Saturday in Denton. Wetherald finished second in the race.

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“The field split in half pretty early in the race, way before the halfway point,” Fawley said. “My teammate Derrek [Taber] did a bunch of work and kept the race together and pulled us around the whole last two laps.”

Earlier in the day, Noah Williams captured a victory in the Junior 13-14 division, marking the fifth time this season Williams won a Texas Cup road race.

Christian Williams, Noah’s father, said his son plans to compete in the national championships in California next week. Christian Williams is the Sam Bass Challenge event director and race founder.

Denton resident Christina Smith won the Women 30-and-older division, and she posted the fastest time among all female age groups.

Tracie Akerhielm won the Women under-29 division, and Kim Ciolli won the Women 40-and-older.

Bret Crosby won the 35-and-older division, and Erik Benz captured a win in the Men’s 45-and-older division. Scott Porter (55-and-older) and Richard Vincent (65-and-older) each won their age divisions.

Gunnar Scheck earned a victory in the Junior 10-12 division. Lawson Craddock won the Junior 15-16, and Stewart Austin won the Junior 17-18.

The race today will start at 8 a.m. with the highlight race at noon featuring a $635 purse. With 10 different race categories slated, start times will occur throughout the day.

The downtown race will be a spectator-friendly event with riders looping around the downtown square on the 0.8-mile course featuring a dozen 90-degree turns.