Like fine wine, cyclist Frank Moak gets better with age. When most 52-year-old men are content to relax in a recliner after work, the Brookhaven natives continues to achieve milestones as a bicycle racer as he grows older.

     Moak’s latest achievement was a victory in the LAMBRA Road Racing Championships held at LaPlace, La. He won the Time Trial.

     Another accomplishment was qualifying for the Senior Olympic Games at Cleveland, Ohio, next August. That goal was achieved in the Mississippi Senior Olympic qualifying, held in Clinton.

     “My goal is to win the six kilometer time trial in Ohio,” said Moak. He won all four at Clinton: the 40, 20, 10 and 5-kilometer distances.

     He proudly points to the Mississippi, Louisiana Bicycle Racing Association competition held at LaPlace. It came a few days prior to Hurricane  Issac hitting New Orleans.

     “On paper, I wasn’t supposed to win,” said Moak. “I said there were eight guys who could ride 55 minutes or better. I was 54.33 for 40 kilometers,” or 24.8 miles.

     Andrew Choca had defeated Moak by 90 seconds last year. This time, the results were different.

     The elements, the wind preceding the arrival of Issac, affected the 109 racers. Moak recalled the situation. “The win was blowing out of the North,” giving him a tailwind. “Then it changed to the Southwest,” causing a headwind.

     “My time held up,” Moak chuckled. “It was the third fastest I’ve ever ridden,” in 35 previous LAMBRA time trails.

     He recently won a criterium at Lake Charles, La., riding with the Herring Gas team, which he captains.

     It’s been a great season for Moak and the Herring Gas crew. They claimed the top four spots in the season-long Cycling Cup competition for Category 1-2.

     Woody Beaudreaux paced the Herring Gas quartet, followed by Moak, Timothy Regan and Jordan Lambert. Teammates Andrew Hammond  and Jacob Brewer finished 17th  and 18th respectively.