By: Bernie Iven
Last week, the 45th anniversary of the June 3, 1980, Olympic Cycling Road Race Trial was celebrated with a Tribute Ride in Zanesfield.
The Mad River Cycling Group rode to honor the legacy of the race and the athletes who made their mark on that historic day, including the iconic Greg LeMond, who triumphed in the trial and later became one of the most celebrated cyclists in history.
Despite threatening weather, which sidelined some of the potential cyclists, the Tribute Ride was embraced by five intrepid participants:
- Scott Gunther of Bellefontaine
- Keith Berry of Zanesfield
- Chad Beecher of Marysville
- Brian Rees of Milford Center
- Bernie Iven of Bellefontaine
Coming into the ride, Rees said, “I’ve ridden these roads for 35 years and hadn’t really thought much about the Olympic Course until recently. It made me wonder how they ended up picking Logan County for the route.”
The Tribute Ride retraced the very same route that had tested the Olympic hopefuls four and a half decades earlier.
The 1980 race covered a grueling 10 laps, totaling 177 kilometers (110 miles).
Over 900 spectators lined the course to witness the drama unfold.
Riders faced steep climbs, including the formidable Bristle Ridge, a well-known hill on County Road 10 that rises at a punishing 6% average grade with an 8.7% maximum grade just east of Zanesfield.
Over the 10 laps of the Olympic Trial, the course demanded an astonishing 7,810 feet of climbing—more vertical gain than the height of Mt. Mitchell, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River.
In 1980, LeMond’s performance was extraordinary.
The then 19-year-old cycling prodigy completed the race in 4:10:23– an average speed exceeding 26 mph.
His victory in Zanesfield helped to initiate a career that eventually secured his place among cycling legends.
After turning pro just one year later, he embarked on a path that would see him win three Tour de France titles.
In contrast, the Mad River Group’s Tribute Ride was a more nostalgic and humbling endeavor for the riders involved.
Unlike the Olympic trial, the group achieved a more modest effort, completing three laps (approx. 33 miles and 2,340 feet of climbing) instead of the original ten laps.
And although their average speed was significantly less than Greg LeMond’s, a spirit of camaraderie and respect for cycling history filled the air.
Rider Keith Berry noted that the journey really put the 1980 “contest in perspective when you consider the equipment they had and yet were still able to average more than 10 mph faster and for seven more laps than us.”
Yet the riders appreciated the challenge of Bristle Ridge, the twisting turns of Township Road 129, the arduous hills of State Route 540, and the blistering descent on Henpeck Hill– County Road 5.
Every turn was a reminder of the incredible endurance and strength required of the athletes in 1980.
The day was not only about physical exertion but also about reflection.
Mad River Cycling Group riders experienced first-hand a small-scale sample of the effort that surely unfolded on those roads in 1980.
The anniversary ride served to connect the past and the present, bringing together current Logan County cyclists to honor an exciting chapter in the County’s sports history.
“It’s really cool to be able to channel Logan County’s cycling history with this event,” said Scott Gunther.
Why do the Mad River Group participants enjoy cycling events like this one?
Motivations vary.
But Keith Berry captured a typical impetus when he said, “I enjoy the freedom to ride wherever I want to go that day, to push myself or take it easier. It feels good to be able to burn off a day’s frustrations with a good solid ride.”
Brian Rees added that it is “great therapy and a good way to meet interesting people.”
Another rider said, “Logan County is Cycling Heaven. I don’t know how anyone stays OFF their bicycle!”
As the Mad River Cycling Group completed their ride and rendezvoused post-ride, the mood was one of excited reverence.
And Gunther’s excitement boiled over.
He said that while three laps were just right for an evening group ride, he aspired to do the full 10 laps some Saturday.
No one else in the group was quite so inclined.
The Tribute Ride not only celebrated the legacy of LeMond and the other Olympic hopefuls of 1980 but also highlighted the allure and challenge of the many Peak of Ohio roads found in Logan County.
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Note: The Mad River Cycling Group meets on Thursdays, 6 pm, May through September, at the Zanesfield Ball Park Shelter.
For more details, visit HERE.
