Women’s team pursuit record falls on day two of Elite Track Nats
Carson, Calif. (Oct. 1, 2009)—The 2009 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships continued at the Home Depot Center velodrome on Thursday with the women’s team pursuit national record falling, young stars showing flashes of greatness in the men’s team pursuit, an Olympian re-gaining his national title in the kilo and scratch race champions crowned. In all eight Stars-and-Stripes were awarded on the second day of competition.
As expected the women’s team pursuit race turned out to be one of the highlights of the evening’s competition as the trio of former pursuit world champion Sarah Hammer (Temecula, Calif.), Dotsie Bausch (Irvine, Calif.) and former junior world championship pursuit medalist Kimberly Geist (Emmaus, Pa.) worked together to set a new national record with a time of 3:34.114. Riding for the Empower Coaching Systems squad the trio virtually bested their own mark of 3:34.783 set at this event in 2007 when Hammer and Bausch teamed up with keirin world champion Jennie Reed (Kirkland, Wash.). Another powerhouse women’s team, the Proman Hit Squad of Higgins, Christen King (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Shelley Olds (Los Gatos, Calif.) earned the silver with a time of 3:41.165.
“I feel pretty honored to be riding with these two,” stated Geist following the record-setting ride. “We were really just looking to ride the best time possible, the record was just a bonus. Sarah was our pacesetter and I was just trying to maintain speed.”
The Trek-Livestrong squad of Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo.), Ian Moir (Long Beach, Calif.), Julian Kyer (Boulder, Colo.) and Justin Williams (Los Angeles, Calif.) dominated the men’s team pursuit contest taking the Stars-and-Stripes by nearly 10 seconds. With a time of 4:25.83, such a dominant performance by a group of young men all under the age of 21bodes well for the future of American track cycling. Coming in second with a time of 4:34.094 was the Black Dog Cycling squad of Daniel Lionberg (Fort Collins, Colo.), Ryan Luttrell (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Ryan Sabga (Denver, Colo.) and Zach Watson (Louisville, Colo.).
In the day’s opening event 21-year-old Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas/Momentum Coaching) forced last year’s 500-meter winner and yesterday’s omnium champion Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo./Proman) to settle for the silver. Walker posted a time of 36.681 to top her personal best by more than two seconds. In addition to her first elite national title, Walker also earned the U23 gold with her ride and third-place-finisher Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa./Verducci Breakaway) grabbed silver in the espoir category.
In the scratch race, points race Olympian Bobby Lea (Mertztown, Pa./OUCH p/b Maxxis) was able to take advantage of the complacency of some of the other favorites to win his first scratch race national title. Twenty-one-year-old national development program rider Kyer sprinted to the silver in the 15-kilometer contest while defending champion Daniel Holloway (Morgan Hill, Calif./Felt-Holowesko-Garmin) settled for the bronze.
An aggressive women’s scratch race showed some good team tactics with the impressive Proman squad helping Shelley Olds (Los Gatos, Calif.) to back-to-back Stars-and-Stripes. Nineteen-year-old Hayduk earned her second medal on the day finishing second while Catherine Fiedler-Cook (Long Beach, Calif./Tommasini) was third.
In the nightcap Olympian Giddeon Massie (Huntington Beach, Calif./Bike Religion) posted a 1:02.793 to re-claim the kilometer time trial national title from phenom Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong). Phinney did earn his second Stars-and-Stripes of the day, winning the U23 category, despite being two weeks removed from sinus surgery. Collegiate national champion David Espinoza (Kutztown, Pa./Bike America) earned the bronze with a 1:06.134.
Competition will continue on Friday with the men’s and women’s individual pursuit, women’s keirin and men’s sprint events.
2009 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships
Carson, Calif.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 4
Women’s 500-meter Time Trial
1. *Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas) 36.681
2. Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo.) 36.927
3. Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa.) 37.317
4. Jen Featheringill (Portland, Ord.) 37.545
5. Anna Lang (San Diego, Calif.) 37.859
Men’s Team Pursuit
1. Trek-Livestrong (Kyer, Moir, Williams, Phinney) 4:25.831
2. Black Dog Cycling (Lionberg, Luttrell, Sabga, Watson) 4:34.094
3. Ouch-Maxxis (Harm, Kilun, Lea, Pelaez) 4:34.191
Women’s Team Pursuit
1. Empower Coaching Systems (Bausch, Geist, Hammer) 3:34.1141
2. Proman Hit Squad (Higgins, King, Olds) 3:41.165
3. Broadmark Capital (Triplett, Wheeler, Thomas) 3:54.398
Women’s Scratch Race
1. Shelley Olds (Los Gatos, Calif./Proman)
2. Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa./Verducci-Breakaway)
3. Catherine Fiedler-Cook (Long Beach, Calif./Tommasini)
4. Anna Lang (La Jolla, Calif./B&L Bike & Sport)
5. Shelby Reynolds (Cypress, Texas/Sugar Cycles-180)
Men’s Scratch Race
1. Bobby Lea (Mertztown, Pa./Ouch p/b Maxxis)
2. Julian Kyer (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong)
3. Daniel Holloway (Morgan Hill, Calif./Felt-Holowesko-Garmin)
4. Jacob Duehring (Irvine, Calif./Felt Factory Team)
5. Eric Barlevav (Northridge, Calif./Team Mountain Khakis)
Men’s Kilometer Time Trial
1. Giddeon Massie (Huntington Beach, Calif./Bike Religion) 102.793
2. *Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong) 104.438
3. David Espinoza (Kutztown, Pa./Bike America) 1:06.134
4. Daniel Sullivan (Bloomfield, N.J./Team Metra-Wendy’s) 1:06.388
5. Peter Billington (San Rafael, Calif./LTO Velo) 1:06.535
*U23 national champion
About USA Cycling
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX, and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling consists of 64,000+ licensees including 1,500 coaches, 4,000 student-athletes, 2,200 officials, 1,800 clubs and teams, 350 professional cyclists, 200 certified mechanics, and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,500 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists through various initiatives and programs. Additionally, USA Cycling conducts national championship events for all categories of amateur and professional cycling. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.
This Article Published October 1, 2009 For more information contact:
