Stars double up on Stars-and-Stripes at elite track nationals
Carson, Calif. (Oct. 3, 2009)—The 2009 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships continued at the Home Depot Center velodrome on Saturday with Giddeon Massie (Zion Hill, Pa./Bike Religion), Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong) and Sarah Hammer (Temecula, Calif./American Track Fund) earning their third national titles of the week while Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas/Momentum Coaching Group) collected her second Stars-and-Stripes on the event. Massie sprinted to the win in the men’s Keirin while Phinney won a tie breaker in the points race. World champion Hammer showed her continued strength, winning the points race while Walker added a sprint title to Thursday’s 500-meter time trial gold.
In the men’s 30-kilometer points race, Phinney and Mike Creed (Colorado Springs, Colo./Team Type I) both completed the race with 53 points after lapping the field twice. Phinney however finished second in the final sprint to Creed’s third, therefore Phinney was awarded his third Stars-and-Stripes of the week. In the action-packed race, omnium winner Cody O’Reilly (Santa Barbara, Calif./Bissell) grabbed third, one lap down on the leaders with 40 points, while Danny Heeley (Hermosa Beach, Calif./South Bay Wheelmen) and Jackie Simes (Breiningsville, Pa./TIME Pro Cycling) rounded out the top five. Phinney also earned the U23 national title with O’Reilly and Simes second and third in that category.
“I haven’t ridden on the track in two years so I wasn’t expecting a ton,” explained Creed. “I knew it was tight going into the final sprint and it was disappointing to get so close.”
Sarah Hammer (Temecula, Calif./American Track Fund) once again displayed her dominance winning the women’s points race two laps up on the field with 57 points. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Verducci Breakaway) and Shelly Olds (Cypress, Texas/Sugar Cycles-180), who finished one lap up, earned 35 and 31 points respectively to win silver and bronze. Catherine Fiedler-Cook (Long Beach, Calif./Tommasini) earned the U23 national title with her fourth-place-overall result.
In the men’s Keirin, Giddeon Massie (Zion Hill, Pa./Bike Religion) held off a fierce challenge by 20-year-old David Espinoza (Breinigsville, Pa./Bike America) and Steven Beardsley (Portland, Ore./Gentle Lovers) to win the gold. 2008 Keirin national and Pan Am champion Jimmy Watkins and last night’s sprint champion Adam Duvendeck (Long Beach, Calif./Momentum Coaching) were absent from the event; Watkins contesting and winning a large South American track race and Duvendeck due to injury. For Massie, it was the third national title of the week as he took the Stars-and-Stripes in both the 250-meter time trial and the kilometer time trial. The 2004 and 2008 Olympian also earned the silver in last night’s sprint. After finishing second in the 250-meter time trial and third in the kilo, Espinoza once again just missed the title.
“It was a good week,” said Massie. “I was feeling good all week and racing every day. I plan on taking this form and contesting as many international races as I can. That’s what I need, what we need, to take it to that next level.”
The women’s match sprint took center stage on Saturday as the top two qualifiers, Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas/Momentum Coaching Group) and Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo./Proman Hit Squad) went head-to-head in the match sprint final. Walker, on monstrous form, took two straight catching the reigning champ at the line each time to earn her second national title of the week.
Third and fourth-place qualifiers Dana Feiss (Telford, Pa./Home Depot Center) and Jen Featheringhill (Portland, Ore./Bike Central) swapped places in the bronze medal ride with Feiss taking two-in-a-row to earn third place.
Competition will conclude on Sunday with the men’s and women’s team sprint and men’s and women’s Madison events.
2009 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships
Carson, Calif.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 4
Men’s Keirin
1. Giddeon Massie (Zion Hill, Pa./Bike Religion)
2. David Espinoza (Breinigsville, Pa./Bike America)
3. Steven Beardsley (Portland, Ore./Gentle Lovers)
Men’s Points Race
1. *Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong) 53
2. Mike Creed (Colorado Springs, Colo./Team Type I) 53
3. Cody O’Reilly (Santa Barbara, Calif./Bissell) 40
4. Danny Heeley (Hermosa Beach, Calif./South Bay Wheelmen) 31
5. Jackie Simes (Breiningsville, Pa./TIME Pro Cycling) 31
Women’s Points Race
1. Sarah Hammer (Temecula, Calif./American Track Fund) 57
2. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Verducci Breakaway) 35
3. Shelly Olds (Cypress, Texas/Sugar Cycles-180) 31
4. *Catherine Fiedler-Cook (Long Beach, Calif./Tommasini) 21
Women’s Sprint
1. Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas/Momentum Coaching Group)
2. Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo./Proman Hit Squad)
3. Dana Feiss (Telford, Pa./Home Depot Center)
4. Jen Featheringhill (Portland, Ore./Bike Central)
*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 4, 2009 For more information contact:
