More than 700 athletes from all across the world spent Thursday through Sunday competing in the Joe Martin Stage Race.
The race kicked off in downtown Fayetteville Thursday at 1:30 p.m. and wrapped up just after 5 p.m. on Sunday with an awards ceremony.
Race participant, Jacob Lasley, has been competing in the race for teen years but this is his first year to win.
"It's a very big race and it actually means quite a bit,” said Lasley. “It's great to come out to a big, huge event and do really well at it."
Travis Furman, from Lincoln Nebraska, says nothing prepares you to ride the hills of Arkansas; but, despite the challenge, he placed first Sunday in the men’s category 3 criterium.
"It's a blessing,” said Furman. “I was fortunate enough to be able to do good the first day and hold on. Today at the line I was able to get the bonus time needed to leap-frog the guy who had been in the lead."
18-year-old Gerald Drummond was the overall winner of his category. He has been riding competitively for three years but this is his first time to compete in the Joe Martin Stage Race.
"It's a really big accomplishment I feel like,” said Drummond. “You kind of have to let it sink in a little bit. I'm pretty surprised but I'm really excited."
The Joe Martin Stage Race began as the Fayetteville Spring Classic in 1978. Joe Martin served as the race director until 1988 when he was stricken with cancer. Upon his death in 1989, the race was renamed in his honor. Since then, the Joe Martin Stage Race has grown into one of the top National Race Calendar and amateur events in the nation.
To see a full list of race results, click here.