Bicyclists begin a 100-mile ride during the “3 State 3 Mountain Challenge” on Saturday near the First Tennessee Pavilion in Chattanooga. The route went through parts of Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia and over Aetna Mountain, Sand Mountain and Lookout Mountain.Chattanooga Bicycle Club member Kevin Bartenfield was tired but happy Saturday afternoon outside Finley Stadium after completing the 100-mile route in the 3-State, 3-Mountain Challenge bicycle ride.
“It went OK for 100 miles,” he said despite what he described as an “awful” climb up Lookout Mountain on Burkhalter Gap Road.
In addition to his satisfaction over his personal achievement, Bartenfield was excited about the recent decision to bring USA Pro Cycling Championships to Chattanooga for three years beginning in May 2013.
“It’s fantastic; it’s awesome. It really is,” he said. “We’ve already got a great cycling community in Chattanooga, and this is just going to add to it.”
On Thursday, USA Cycling announced a partnership with Volkswagen that will bring the top-level championship event to the area following a successful seven-year run in Greenville, S.C. The competition is expected to attract close to 200 participants and thousands of spectators for two days of racing over the three-day Memorial Day weekend.