Elite Track Nationals Heat Up Opening Night
(Lehigh Valley, PA) - The first night session of the 2003 USCF National Track Cycling Championships at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome in Trexlertown, PA opened with the threat of rain and ended with what may become one of the most controversial rides of the entire championships. In the end, national championships were awarded in the men's and women’s individual pursuit and the men’s keirin.
The night started off with an awesome performance by Team Saturn’s Sarah Uhl. Uhl, in her first individual pursuit competition, took on former national pursuit champion Erin Mirabella (Frisco Cycling Club) in the final for first place. At the halfway point Uhl took the lead only to be countered by Mirabella. With only two laps remaining in the nine-lap event Uhl followed close behind but was able to power ahead and take the national championship title.
In the men’s individual pursuit Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar rider Adham Sbeih was able to take his first elite individual pursuit championship in one of the closest ever final rides against T.E.A.M. Fuji’s Bobby Lea.
In what proved to be a cat and mouse battle Lea led over the first three laps with Sbeih taking the lead in the following three laps. From there it looked as if Lea was going to hold off Sbieh and in fact he did until the final time the two crossed the ticker tape. Sbeih won by exactly than one tenth of a second to the shock of the partisan Trexlertown crowd.
The men’s keirin finished in what may become one of the most controversial events of the entire 2003 USCF National Track Cycling Championships. It was all Marty Nothstein (Navigators) to the finish line but following close behind were his coach Gil Hatton (Gotham Cyclists) and young Ben Barczewski (East Coast Velo). Hatton crossed the line second but was relegated to sixth after what was deemed a move too erratic. With all of the controversy Barczewski took home second place and looks to the future and next year’s Junior Track World Championships.
Also taking place was the qualifying and first rounds in the women’s sprint. Chris Witty (Team T-Mobile) was able to secure the first seed over teammate Tanya Lindenmuth (Team T-Mobile) by less than one tenth of a second. Both of the top seeded riders, Witty and Lindenmuth, easily moved on to the quarter final rides to be contested in the Wednesday, August 27th morning session.
USCF National Track Cycling Championships August 26, 2003
Release courtesy of: Jacob Burns, Lehigh Valley Velodrome
www.lvvelo.org
The night started off with an awesome performance by Team Saturn’s Sarah Uhl. Uhl, in her first individual pursuit competition, took on former national pursuit champion Erin Mirabella (Frisco Cycling Club) in the final for first place. At the halfway point Uhl took the lead only to be countered by Mirabella. With only two laps remaining in the nine-lap event Uhl followed close behind but was able to power ahead and take the national championship title.
In the men’s individual pursuit Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar rider Adham Sbeih was able to take his first elite individual pursuit championship in one of the closest ever final rides against T.E.A.M. Fuji’s Bobby Lea.
In what proved to be a cat and mouse battle Lea led over the first three laps with Sbeih taking the lead in the following three laps. From there it looked as if Lea was going to hold off Sbieh and in fact he did until the final time the two crossed the ticker tape. Sbeih won by exactly than one tenth of a second to the shock of the partisan Trexlertown crowd.
The men’s keirin finished in what may become one of the most controversial events of the entire 2003 USCF National Track Cycling Championships. It was all Marty Nothstein (Navigators) to the finish line but following close behind were his coach Gil Hatton (Gotham Cyclists) and young Ben Barczewski (East Coast Velo). Hatton crossed the line second but was relegated to sixth after what was deemed a move too erratic. With all of the controversy Barczewski took home second place and looks to the future and next year’s Junior Track World Championships.
Also taking place was the qualifying and first rounds in the women’s sprint. Chris Witty (Team T-Mobile) was able to secure the first seed over teammate Tanya Lindenmuth (Team T-Mobile) by less than one tenth of a second. Both of the top seeded riders, Witty and Lindenmuth, easily moved on to the quarter final rides to be contested in the Wednesday, August 27th morning session.
USCF National Track Cycling Championships August 26, 2003
Women’s 3km Individual Pursuit Qualifying 1. Sarah Uhl Saturn Cycling Team 3:56.582 2. Erin Mirabella Frisco Cycling Club 3:57.094 3. Sarah Hammer Team T-Mobile 3:57.263 4. Ashley Kimmet Colavita-Bolla 3:59.661
Men’s 4km Individual Pursuit Qualifying 1. Bobby Lea T.E.A.M. Fuji 4:42.482 2. Adham Sbeih Sierra Nevada 4:43.310 3. Kenny Williams Saturn of Bellevue 4:45.822 4. Tyler Farrar Jelly Belly/Carlsbad Clothing 4:49.513
Men’s Keirin Final 1. Marty Nothstein Navigators 2. Ben Barczewski East Coast Velo 3. Stephen Alfred Cody Racing
Women’s Sprint Qualifying 1. Chris Witty Team T-Mobile 11.708 2. Tanya Lindenmuth Team T-Mobile 11.809 3. Jennie Reed Gregg's/Trek-VW 11.872
Women’s Sprint 1/8th Final Heat 1 1. Chris Witty 13.317 2. Michelle Cassidy Heat 2 1. Tanya Lindenmuth 14.616 2. Lori Nock Heat 3 1. Jennie Reed 12.557 2. Jillian Vogtli Heat 4 1. Becky Conzelman 13.993 2. Cindy Lakatosh Heat 5 1. Sarah Hammer 13.055 2. Martha Dunne Heat 6 1. Jamie Pettinato 12.792 2. Elizabeth Reap
Women’s Sprint Repechage Heat 1 1. Michelle Cassidy 2. Cindy Lakatosh 3. Elizabeth Reap Heat 2 1. Lori Nock 2. Jillian Vogtli 3. Martha Dunne
Release courtesy of: Jacob Burns, Lehigh Valley Velodrome
www.lvvelo.org
This Article Published August 27, 2003 For more information contact:
