Surprise Win for Saunders/Stewart in Madison
(Lehigh Valley, PA) – The Lehigh Valley Velodrome held off rain and lightning to complete the fourth night of the USCF National Track Cycling Championships in Trexlertown, PA. Events with newly crowned national champions include the men’s sprint and madison and the women’s keirin and five-mile scratch race.
In the 120-lap madison Lea and Wamsley of T.E.A.M. Fuji took the early lead with a strong ten-lap breakaway. When they were caught Jonas Carney and Colby Pearce (Prime Alliance) launched a counter attack making the team of Nothstein and O’Bee (Navigators) chase in earnest. This breakaway was quickly chased down launching the decisive Erik Saunders/Jackson Stewart (Ofoto/Lombardi Sports) break.
Saunders and Stewart were able to take a lap on the field with eighty laps remaining in the bike race. Then a move that would have secured second place for Gui Nelessen and Todd Yezefski (Sportsbook.com) slipped away from them when they were unable to hold their lap on the field. This leaving Ofoto as the only team with a lap.
With 30 laps remaining the battle began for second place between Saturn of Bellevue, Prime Alliance and T.E.A.M. Fuji. The Prime Alliance team of Pearce and Jonas Carney was able to hold off all advances to take second place with team of Saunders and Stewart taking the win with their lap on the rest of the field.
The women’s keirin saw Sarah Uhl (Saturn Cycling Team) lead out the final two laps with Becky Conzelman and Becky Quinn following in suit. With a half lap remaining Conzelman faded and Jennie Reed (Gregg’s Cycle/VW) made a run from the back. In what came down to a photo finish Reed nearly overtook Uhl, but the young Perkasie, PA. resident held her off to take her third national championship jersey of the week.
The women’s five-mile final began with a horrific crash involving Becky Conzelman (Frisco Cycling Club) and Junior National Champion Kim Geist (East Coast Velo). When the race resumed with 18 laps to go, Mari Holden (Team T-Mobile) went to the front using her road fitness to keep the pace fast. With one lap to go Becky Quinn, the 2002 National Champion in the scratch race, found herself five places back while fourteen year-old phenom Lauren Shirock (Coyote Cycling) led the field all the way to turn two. From there Becky Conzelman made a run down the backstretch, but out of turn four Sarah Hammer (Team T-Mobile) charged overtaking Conzelman to win the Five-Mile National Championship.
The men’s sprint came down to a third ride between teammates Giddeon Massie and Stephen Alfred (Cody Racing). In the first ride it was all Alfred, but making a run in the second ride Massie came even. In the third and final ride Massie jumped in turn one to take the lead with Alfred plotting his course. Coming around turns three and four Alfred kicked and was able to overtake Massie for the win and his first USCF National Sprint Championship.
The Saturday morning session is to qualify men for the ten-mile final and team sprint competitions to be contested Saturday night.
2003 USCF National Championships August 29, 2003
Women’s Keirin Heats Heat 1
Release courtesy of Jacob Burns/Lehigh Valley Velodrome
In the 120-lap madison Lea and Wamsley of T.E.A.M. Fuji took the early lead with a strong ten-lap breakaway. When they were caught Jonas Carney and Colby Pearce (Prime Alliance) launched a counter attack making the team of Nothstein and O’Bee (Navigators) chase in earnest. This breakaway was quickly chased down launching the decisive Erik Saunders/Jackson Stewart (Ofoto/Lombardi Sports) break.
Saunders and Stewart were able to take a lap on the field with eighty laps remaining in the bike race. Then a move that would have secured second place for Gui Nelessen and Todd Yezefski (Sportsbook.com) slipped away from them when they were unable to hold their lap on the field. This leaving Ofoto as the only team with a lap.
With 30 laps remaining the battle began for second place between Saturn of Bellevue, Prime Alliance and T.E.A.M. Fuji. The Prime Alliance team of Pearce and Jonas Carney was able to hold off all advances to take second place with team of Saunders and Stewart taking the win with their lap on the rest of the field.
The women’s keirin saw Sarah Uhl (Saturn Cycling Team) lead out the final two laps with Becky Conzelman and Becky Quinn following in suit. With a half lap remaining Conzelman faded and Jennie Reed (Gregg’s Cycle/VW) made a run from the back. In what came down to a photo finish Reed nearly overtook Uhl, but the young Perkasie, PA. resident held her off to take her third national championship jersey of the week.
The women’s five-mile final began with a horrific crash involving Becky Conzelman (Frisco Cycling Club) and Junior National Champion Kim Geist (East Coast Velo). When the race resumed with 18 laps to go, Mari Holden (Team T-Mobile) went to the front using her road fitness to keep the pace fast. With one lap to go Becky Quinn, the 2002 National Champion in the scratch race, found herself five places back while fourteen year-old phenom Lauren Shirock (Coyote Cycling) led the field all the way to turn two. From there Becky Conzelman made a run down the backstretch, but out of turn four Sarah Hammer (Team T-Mobile) charged overtaking Conzelman to win the Five-Mile National Championship.
The men’s sprint came down to a third ride between teammates Giddeon Massie and Stephen Alfred (Cody Racing). In the first ride it was all Alfred, but making a run in the second ride Massie came even. In the third and final ride Massie jumped in turn one to take the lead with Alfred plotting his course. Coming around turns three and four Alfred kicked and was able to overtake Massie for the win and his first USCF National Sprint Championship.
The Saturday morning session is to qualify men for the ten-mile final and team sprint competitions to be contested Saturday night.
2003 USCF National Championships August 29, 2003
Women’s Keirin Heats Heat 1
1. Jennie Reed Gregg’s Trek/VW 12.590 2. Becky Quinn Unattached 3 Jamie Pettinato Gotham Cyclists 4. Kimberly Geist East Coast Velo 5. Martha Dunne Jelly Belly - Carlsbad Heat 2 1. Sarah Uhl Saturn Cycling 13.490 2. Becky Conzelman Frisco Cycling Club 3. Cindy Lakatosh Tri-State Velo 4. Norrene Godfrey Team Rubicon 5. Elizabeth Reap T.E.A.M. Fuji Men’s Sprint Quarterfinal 5-8 Race 5. Christian Stahl Cody Racing 11.380 6. Joshua Weir Focus 2004 7. Robert Lindstrom Colavita-Bolla Racing 8. Michael Beers Gotham Cyclists Women’s Keirin Repechage 1. Elizabeth Reap T.E.A.M. Fuji 2. Kim Geist East Coast Velo 3. Brooke O’Connor Colavita-Bolla Racing 4. Martha Dunne Jelly Belly - Carlsbad 5. Norrene Godfrey Team Rubicon Men’s Sprint Semifinal Heats Heat 1 Race 1 1. Stephen Alfred Cody Racing 11.225 2. Kevin Belz Gotham Cyclists Race 2 1. Stephen Alfred Cody Racing 11.143 2. Kevin Belz Gotham Cyclists Heat 2 Race 1 1. Giddeon Massie Cody Racing 11.893 2. Ben Barczewski East Coast Velo Race 2 1. Giddeon Massie Cody Racing 11.342 2. Ben Barczewski East Coast Velo Women’s Keirin 7-10 7. Jamie Pettinato Gotham Cyclists 13.534 8. Kimberly Geist East Coast Velo 9. Martha Dunne Jelly Belly – Carlsbad 10. Brooke O’Connor Colavita-Bolla Racing Women’s Keirin Final 1. Sarah Uhl Saturn Cycling 12.640 2. Jennie Reed Gregg’s Trek/VW 3. Becky Quinn Unattached 4. Becky Conzelman Frisco Cycling Club 5. Cindy Lakatosh Tri-State Velo Women’s 10km Scratch Race 1. Sarah Hammer T-Mobile 24:17 2. Becky Quinn Unattached 3. Erin Mirabella Frisco Cycling Club 4. Ashley Kimmet Colavita-Bolla Racing 5. Becky Conzelman Frisco Cycling Club Men’s Sprint Final 3rd-4th Race Race 1 1. Kevin Belz Gotham Cyclists 11.393 2. Ben Barczewski East Coast Velo Race 2 1. Kevin Belz Gotham Cyclists 11.108 2. Ben Barczewski East Coast Velo Final Race 1 1. Stephen Alfred Cody Racing 11.033 2. Giddeon Massie Cody Racing Race 2 1. Giddeon Massie Cody Racing 11.087 2. Stephen Alfred Cody Racing Race 3 1. Stephen Alfred Cody Racing 11.252 2. Giddeon Massie Cody Racing
Release courtesy of Jacob Burns/Lehigh Valley Velodrome
This Article Published August 30, 2003 For more information contact:
