NATCHEZ &045; Just as great American sports hero Lance Armstrong kicked off his post-Fourth of July celebration with the start to the centennial edition of the Tour de France in Paris, back home eight cyclists filtered into the Main Street Marketplace at 6:45 a.m. Saturday for a 35-mile caffeinated trek no cup of Canal Street coffee could provide.

Snooze alarms are withdrawn from the group’s vocabulary.

It’s 7 a.m. or be square.

The demanding start to the weekend and the laid back 12-mile Tuesday evening rides are both parts to the re-evolution of the Natchez Bicycle Club, which until recently was down to a paltry three.

&uot;We were kind of into the racing end of it,&uot; said Mark Newman of himself, Tommy Graves and George Marshall. &uot;Through me working at Mainstream (Fitness), I got to talk more people into coming out and riding.&uot;

The interest has risen so much that this past Tuesday an impressive 24 people came out for the happy hour session.

The club has origins dating back to 1983, when Curtis Moroney and Tommy Smith, two current members, along with others took the initial steps.

In 1988, the Natchez Bike Classic was created. Despite meager beginnings, it quickly blossomed into one of the southeast’s premiere racing events.

&uot;We grew the (Natchez) Classic in 1988 from a two- or three-state race to over 400 competitors,&uot; said Smith, who hopped aboard a road bike in 1976 and by 1981 was riding competitively. &uot;We want every event that happens here to plant a seed for the next event.&uot;

Like May’s Mississippi Gran Prix, which had more than 115 cyclists entered from as far south as the New Orleans metro area and up north to Memphis, Tenn.

Approximately 100 more spectators enjoyed the weekend, which began with a road race in Brookhaven that Saturday.

In all, Smith roughly estimates $20,000 that wasn’t there before was pumped into the local economy during that weekend.

&uot;People don’t realize the real economical impact,&uot; he said. &uot;Sometimes there are people who gripe about the streets being closed. They don’t understand that for the few moments of inconvenience what is being brought to town.&uot;

The club hopes a century ride (100 miles) benefiting the Natchez Children’s Home and in memory of Michael Boykin this fall will spark more support for the cycling community.

Boykin, who worked at the Natchez Bicycle Center and was big into mountain biking, was killed last month in an automobile accident.

The ride will consist of 25-, 50- and 100-mile intervals to cater from the recreational rider all the way up to racers, Smith said.

&uot;Locals don’t realize that a dozen cyclists come down every week and spend nights and money here,&uot; he stressed. &uot;Through cooperation with local government and the police department, we can create a cycling-friendly environment.&uot;

Newman, who has lost more than 125 pounds through the efforts of riding bikes and dieting, sold his construction business several years ago and spent a full year riding.

Newman, who recently returned from the State Games of Mississippi with a gold medal in the 40-44 time trial division, races competitively in 14 to 17 events annually.

&uot;We’re not out here to solely compete in races,&uot; Newman said. &uot;We plan on this club being about group rides. As a club, we have projects in the works to get a trail constructed at the (Natchez) State Park, and we’re trying to revitalize the races around here.&uot;

On Aug. 23, Vidalia, La., plays host to the Mississippi/Louisiana Time Trial Championships, which is the area of expertise that the 73-year-old Marshall excels in lavishly.

Marshall began riding nearly 25 years ago as a means of commuting to his job on LSU’s campus while living in Baton Rouge.

As he raked a healthy collection of medals &045; mostly gold &045; off the seat of his red Ford Ranger, Marshall explained why time trials &045; tests between the rider and the clock &045; are his forte.

&uot;I’m more of a lone rider,&uot; he said. &uot;Gold medals don’t mean that much at my age because there aren’t that many in my range. Unless I go to the Masters where I can find a cavalry of riders.&uot;

The Masters is the U.S. Cycling Federation’s Masters Nationals Championships, an event where cyclists between the ages of 30 and 80 compete for best in their class.

Marshall has been to a handful of Masters in &045; fittingly &045; Augusta, Ga., Spokane, Wash., Tallahassee, Fla., and Santa Rosa, Calif.

&uot;Almost all these guys are people who are in training, not just people with bikes,&uot; Marshall said of the Masters. &uot;They ride over 1,000 miles a year. Cycling can be a casual, fun ride. But it’s like anything competitive. Very quickly you’ll get fatigued.&uot;

But not age discriminatory. Case in point are Marshall, along with Newman and club member Don Blankenstein, a pair of plus-40-year-olds.

&uot;Don and Mark are great examples,&uot; Smith said. &uot;They had never touched a bike until they were 40, and I have been biking all my life. They’ve begun their second childhood.&uot;

Like good teenagers, the club’s members are stubborn about growing old.

With the Natchez Trace, Clear Springs Mountain Biking Trail in Meadville and other unexplored territories abounding, who can blame them for wanting to stay young at heart?

&uot;We were on one of our Sunday rides, and we ran into a group from Baton Rouge who said they make a bike trip up here once a year &045; just riding,&uot; Smith said. &uot;We need to bring those type people closer in.

&uot;We absolutely have the best roads to ride on in Mississippi.&uot;