By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
Over 200 cyclists came to Hardy County to experience the majestic mountaintop views and gravel roads winding through tree canopies for the fourth annual Lost River Classic in Mathias which is part of the West Virginia Gravel Series.
There were three different course sizes for this Lost River Classic to earn points for the West Virginia Gravel Series: Lost River Classic stretched 85 miles, the medium route spanned 60 minks and the Cove Mountain Loop covered 28 miles.
The start and finish line was located at the Mathias Community Center where spectators enjoyed a special farmer and craft market with local vendors and roots music performed by CC Nichols, Ben Townsend and Matt Metz for their enjoyment.
The Lost River Trails Coalition started this Lost River Classic to help fund the development of mountain biking trails in the Lost River State Park and to support the Hardy County Cryptids, a NICA youth mountain bike team which opens its season competing at Canaan Valley Resort this coming weekend.
The original Lost River Classic was the brainchild of Jay Moglia, the founder of Raw Talent Ranch and first president of the LRTC and this new iteration of the race carries his dream and memory.
Hardy County native and IronMan competitor Austin Williams returned from Texas to compete in the Lost River Classic 60-mile course and finished the Men’s Open in sixth place with a time of 4:39:23 and 12.8 speed.
Austin’s siblings, Amber and Sloan, helped run the family’s South Branch Cattle and Meat Company table at the farmer’s market.
Jamison Dietrich won the WVGS Medium Men’s Open in a time of 3:23:53.
The WVGS 85-mile Men’s Open champion was Zachary Racine with a time 4:34:11 and speed of 18.6.
A Lost River Trails Coalition member, Jeremiah Bishop finished as the runner-up in the 85-mile journey with a time of 4:39:30.
The WVGS 85-mile Women’s Open champion was Elizabeth Sheldon with a time of 5:49:39 and speed of 14.5.
The WVGS 60-mile Women’s Open champion was Alyssa White with a time of 4:23:15.
The WVGS Cove Mountain Loop Men’s Open champion was Jimmy Railey with a time of 1:38:12.
The WVGS Cove Mountain Loop Women’s Open champion was Lanie Honeycutt with a. Time of 1:54:38.
The Lost River Pride sponsored the newest Lost River Classic racing category, the WVGS 85-mile Nonbinary Open featuring champion Em Bhoo from Dirty Kitten Racing with a time of 7:04:44 and speed of 12.0.
Lost River Classic organizer and LRTC president Ethan Gruber noted there were 200 cyclists from the mid-Atlantic region with various levels expertise and was very excited about all the vendors for the farmer’s market and live music..
The main sponsors for the Lost 2River Classic included: American Woodmark Foundation, Lost River Pride, Lost River Trading Post, Lost River Trading Post Realty, South Branch Inn, Pilgrim’s Pride, Walmart, Red’s Broken Spoke, Mathias Community Center, Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hammer Nutrition, Lost River Barn, South Branch Smokehouse, Gerald Langan PLLC, Burke and Herbert Bank, Cove Mountain Bakery, Drifter’s Cafe, King Technical Apparel and RC Cola Bottling of Winchester.
