Bike racing returned to Happy Valley for the first time in many years this past Saturday at the 2025 State College Criterium. The event was organized by the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance and also served as the 2025 Pennsylvania State Criterium Championship. Connor Thompson and Andy Dudle are Penn State alumni (as is this writer), so we were excited about racing on Beaver Ave through "the Canyon" and Frat Row. Julianna Rutecki was returning as the 2024 Women's Pennsylvania State Champion, and our alumni teammate Sam Smith was there to defend the 2024 Men's PA State Championship, racing for Team Cadence Cyclery. 

The women's race was going great ... until it wasn't. Teammates Danielle Van Niekirk (Johannesburg, South Africa) and Julianna Rutecki (West Chester, PA) had both been racing on Friday night on the track at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center until thunderstorms brought racing there to a halt. They arrived in State College just in time for another T-Storm just ahead of the start of the women's elite race, which left the white lines on Allen Street very slick. Fortunately, everyone was safe after an early crash, but both Danii and Julianna experienced mechanical issues that marred their race. Philadelphia racer Kim Stoveld of the Automatic Abus Team finished with a dominant win, and Julianna held on for second place. 

Ultimately, bike racing is both an individual and team sport, and winning a bike race is determined by team tactics. To counter strong opponents like Sam Smith (Team Cadence Cyclery) and PSU alum, Alec Ratzell (Total Civil Construction), we countered with a full squad including Colin Fitzgerald, Chris Meacham, Sean Guydish, Connor Thompson, Brad Green, Alden Weinhold, and Andy Dudle, hoping to deliver Andy Wolfe (Philadelphia) to a win. Darn it, sometimes a plan just comes together. While the team worked all afternoon to shut down breakaway riders, Colin Fitzgerald launched Andy Wolfe in the final meters to sprint just ahead of Sam and Alec to his first Pennsylvania State Championship. Rumor is we may have celebrated at Cafe 210 West for those in the know.