Americans win 8 jerseys on final day of masters CX worlds
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Louisville, Ky. (February 1, 2013) -- The 2013 UCI Cyclo-cross Masters World Championships concluded Friday at Champions Park in Louisville, Ky., with the awarding of eight more rainbow jerseys. The world's best masters cyclo-cross racers in men's 30-34, 35-39, 40-44 and 45-49 earned world champions as did women's 35-39, 50-54 and 55-and-over. An overnight snow storm followed by frigid temperatures left the course frozen with many ruts. As the day went on, certain frozen sections of the course thawed, leaving a thin mud as the top layer.
The racing on Saturday moves to Eva Bandman Park where the juniors men 17-18, under-23 men and elite men and women are slated to contest the 2013 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. The juniors men 17-18 begin the racing at 9:45 a.m. The elite women will toe the line at 11 a.m., before the under-23 men start their race at 12:30 p.m. The day's final competition features the elite men, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday's races will be streamed live by the UCI and carried live by USA Cycling.
Russell Stevenson won the men's 35-39 world championship on his birthday. (Photo by Louisville Metro Parks)
The men's 40-44 contest was the day's most tightly contested and featured several lead changes. In the end, Mark Savery (Omaha, Neb./Midwest Cycling Community-NE) pulled away from his chasers to win by 38 seconds. Defending world champion Peter Webber (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport-USA) grabbed the early lead and seemed poised to defend his world title. Webber fell victim to some poor exchanges in the pits, which cost him valuable time in the race, allowing Savery and Michael Yozell (Emmaus, Pa./Kapelmuur Independent) to overtake him. In the end, Savery turned his five laps in 49:49, while Yozell completed the race in 50:27 and Webber, who won the bronze medal, was only eight seconds behind Yozell.
Donald Myrah (San Jose, Calif.) and Jon Cariveau (Steamboat Springs, Colo./MOOTS) engaged in a two-rider battle to decide the men's 45-49 world championship. The two riders quickly distinguished themselves as the strongest riders in the field, forcing the field to ride for the bronze medal. Myrah and Cariveau were unable to pull away from the other before Cariveau suffered a mechanical on the last lap, allowing Myrah to pull away and win by 38 seconds. Cariveau placed second, while Roger Aspholm (FIN/Finkraft) placed third, one minute behind Cariveau.
"What a great battle Jon gave me," Myrah said. "That was anybody's race. I just got lucky. Jon was equally strong as I was. I just happened to get the lucky break."
Thomas Turner (Canton, Ga./Team Jamis) came from behind to win the men's 30-34 race. Kevin McConnell (Iowa City, Iowa/Mercy-Specialized Iowa City Cycling Club) led Turner as the two riders turned into their fifth and final lap. Turner surged late in the race to overtake McConnell and coast into the finish line to earn his rainbow-striped jersey. McConnell finished 19 seconds behind Turner in second place and Sven Baumann (GER/Wolverine Sports Club) placed third, 53 seconds behind McConnell.
Russell Stevenson (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport), who started in the second row after missing his call up, took the early lead in the men's 35-39 race and never relinquished control. Stevenson learned from his teammates, who competed in races earlier in the day, which lines to take and how to best attack the course. The lessons succeeded as Stevenson, who celebrated his 37th birthday on Friday, won by two minutes over silver medalist Brian Sheedy (Brevard, N.C./GIANT). Justin Robinson (Bonny Doon, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) claimed the bronze medal, finishing 41 seconds behind Sheedy.
Kristal Boni is very happy after winning the women's 35-39 world championship. (Photo by Louisville Metro Parks)
The Americans swept the podium of the women's 35-39 contest. Kristal Boni (Erie, Colo./Rapid Racing) topped the field after she completed the four-lap race in 40:18. Melissa Barker (Boulder, Colo./GS Boulder-Studio 1 Dental/Organic India) finished second, only 35 seconds behind Jane Burlew (Weaverville, N.C./Asheville Cyclocross). Despite the adverse weather conditions, Boni was able to execute a flawless ride and was careful with the lines she chose through the course, allowing her to win by 56 seconds over Barker.
"I got a good start," Boni said. "I just tried to keep it really smooth. I tried to pick good lines and keep my head up to see what was coming up."
Karen Brems (Redwood City, Calif./Team Rambuski Law) got the early lead in the women's 50-54 race and never looked back. Brems, who has been riding cyclo-cross for only five years, kept a smooth ride throughout the three-lap race and completed her race in 31:05. Lillian Pfluke (Wilmington, Del./US Metro Transports) held off a hard-charging Karen Tripp (Deerfield, N.H./Blue Steel Cyclery) to win the bronze medal. Pfluke finished 40 seconds behind Brems and only 10 seconds ahead of Tripp.
The day's first race featured the women's 55-and-over competitors. The three-lap race was won by 55-year-old Kathy Sarvary (Manchester, N.H./Blue Steel Cyclery), who completed the course in 35:23, only five seconds faster than Patricia Kaufmann (Whitefish Bay, Wis./My Wife Inc.). Those two women dueled throughout the race, but Sarvary was held to hold off Kaufmann's valiant effort to secure the top step of the podium. Rebecca Williams (Prairie Village, Kan./Localcycling.com/Slimenundgrossen) placed third, 27 seconds behind Kaufmann.
2013 UCI Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships
Thomas Turner had an icicle in his beard after winning the men's 30-34 world championship. (Photo by Louisville Metro Parks)
Louisville, Ky.
Jan. 29-Feb.1, 2013
Masters Men's 30-34
1. Thomas Turner (Canton, Ga./Team Jamis) 41:10
2. Kevin McConnell (Iowa City, Iowa/Mercy-Specialized Iowa City Cycling Club) +0:19
3. Sven Baumann (GER/Wolverine Sports Club) 1:12
Masters Men's 35-39
1. Russell Stevenson (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) 50:47
2. Brian Sheedy (Brevard, N.C./GIANT) +2:00
3. Justin Robinson (Bonny Droon, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) +2:41
Masters Men's 40-44
1. Mark Savery (Omaha, Neb./Midwest Cycling Community-NE) 49:49
2. Michael Yozell (Emmaus, Pa./Kapelmuur Independent) +0:38
3. Peter Webber (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Cycle Sport) +0:46
Masters Men's 45-49
1. Donald Myrah (San Jose, Calif.) 47:40
2. Jon Cariveau (Steamboat Springs, Colo./MOOTS) +0:38
3. Roger Aspholm (FIN/Finkraft) +1:38
Masters Women's 35-39
1. Kristal Boni (Erie, Colo./Rapid Racing) 40:18
2. Melissa Barker (Boulder, Colo./GS Boulder-Studio 1 Dental-Organic India) +0:56
3. Jane Burlew (Weaverville, N.C./Asheville Cyclocross) +1:31
Masters Women's 50-54
1. Karen Brems (Redwood City, Calif./Team Rambuski Law) 31:05
2. Lillian Pfluke (Wilmington, Del./US Metro Transports) +0:40
3. Karen Tripp (Deerfield, N.H./Blue Steel Cyclery) +0:50
Masters Women's 55+
1. Kathy Sarvary (Manchester, N.H./Blue Steel Cyclery) 35:23
2. Patricia Kaufmann (Whitefish, Bay, Wis./My Wife Inc.) +0:05
3. Rebecca Williams (Prairie Village, Kan./Localcycling.com-Slimenundgrossen) +0:32
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