Joe Moving On Up

 

Joe Struggled at Battenkill

The beauty of bike racing is that you have to earn your way to the top. Nothing is given, which makes the reward of achievement ever more meaningful. We at Downeast Racing are especially proud to announce that Joe Lynch has been notified by USA Cycling that he has been upgraded to a Category 2 racer. The pyramid of racing participants gets much more pointy as one moves from a 5 to a 4 to a 3 to a 2. There are but thirteen 2's in the state of Maine.

 

Joe spent the first half of the season in service to others and, in the process, gaining form. At Battenkill he worked to keep Eliot fresh for Joe Bean Hill at the halfway point of the race where Joe then sagged to a 101 place finish and Eliot surged to a win. Excellent work both and equally appreiciated by those on the team and in the peleton. More work at Sunapee and Killington where the depth of form continued to run deeper and deeper. Come July Joe exploded on the cat 3s (and everyone else) and showed all that he could play at the front, stay at the front and finish at the front. He forced the break at the New Britain Crit (3rd), hammered the front at the Balloon Festival Crit (5th) and then rode away from the field over the final 24 miles for a 35 second solo win at Jamestown. Of course Joe is the first to give credit to his Downeast Racing teammates for their help in his success, and they were only to happy to finally be able to return the favor. So, congrats, Joe, on a very deserving achievement. 

 

Joe showing his 2nd half good form

Leading the Way at the Mayor's Cup