Big D Cycling wraps up road season, looking forward to Cyclocross!

A lot of racing has happened in the months of July and August, with Big D Cycling getting on the podium multiple times along the way.

Paul Aldeguer and Joe Kleidosty took gold at the age state championship, in their respective age categories, of the  Sunflower Road Race in Topeka, KS. Mary Thompson earned gold with her effort, as well.

Fast forward to Truman Cup, where Jim Clevenger put in an impressive performance over three different racing disciplines ~ time trial, circuit and criterium racing ~ to earn 3rd overall in the omnium for Masters Men.

Jim Clevenger on the Truman Cup omnium podium!
Jim Clevenger on the Truman Cup omnium podium!

Nigel Vaught capped off his road race season with a bronze medal in Category 5 at the Kansas State Category Road Race in Salina, KS! Nigel won every junior KBAR race that he entered this year and has been showing improvement with every race.

Nigel Vaught on the top step of the podium at Truman Cup!
Nigel Vaught on the top step of the podium at Truman Cup!

Kleidosty shifted his focus from road to gravel this season. He borrowed teammate Alvaro Gamarra’s fat bike to compete in that category at Gravel Worlds in Lincoln, NE.  Kleidosty earned 2nd with his efforts in that race.

Fat bike Gravel Worlds podium photo
Fat bike Gravel Worlds podium photo

Greg Vaught has indicated he plans to do Dirty Kanza in 2017, so he joined Kleidosty recently at the Pony Express 120 Gravel Dash to get a taste of a longer distance gravel race. In addition to recording his longest ride, he completed it in under 8 hours and finished 9th overall, with limited gravel training or riding! Kleidosty finished 2nd overall and also earned the under-8 hour trophy.

Kleidosty purposefully took a wrong turn on the course, so he could catch up with Vaught and then pull him along for a large portion of the ride!
Kleidosty purposefully took a wrong turn on the course, so he could catch up with Vaught and then pull him along for a large portion of the ride!

Overall, Big D Cycling finished 2nd in the Keen Wealth Cup competition.  Key contributors to that effort were the following people with podium or near-podium finishes in KBAR: Greg Vaught, 2nd Masters 50+; Jay Raupp, 4th Masters 60+; Frank Quinlan, 2nd Masters 65+; Reg Robertson, 6th Masters 65+; Kathryn Johnson, 2nd Women Masters 50+; Kathleen Raupp, 1st Women Masters 60+; Roberta Dierks, 2nd Women Masters 60+; Mary Thompson, 3rd Women Masters 60+; and Nigel Vaught, 1st Juniors 9-14 Male!

Danny Mertz, new to the team this year, raced in a few road races and a couple criteriums, earning a respectable 6th place in Masters 60+!

Big D Cycling is primed and ready for cyclocross to start up this year, with practice happening over the past several weeks at the Vaught Cyclocross Compound. The Masters Men team is ready to defend their team title from last year, and the team is excited to present and promote the Keen Wealth Classic, which will be held at the beautiful grounds of Wyandotte County Lake Park!

Special thanks to our title sponsor Bill Keen and Keen Wealth Advisors for their tremendous support of our team and of junior racing!