King wins U23 road race; Rivera earns record 28th junior title
Bend, Ore. (June 26, 2010) – Saturday’s penultimate day of competition at the USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite Road National Championships was highlighted by Benjamin King’s(North Garden, Va./Trek-Livestrong) win in the U23 men’s road race and Coryn Rivera’s (Tustin, Calif./Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY 12) collection of her 28th national title in the junior 17-18 women’s road race. The pair is likely headed off to represent the United States in the UCI Junior and U23 Road World Championship contests later this summer, earning automatic nominations to the squad with their wins. Miguel Bryon (Miami, Fla./Velocity) also won a bunch sprint to earn the junior men’s 15-16 road national title.
Just like he did three years ago in the junior 17-18 national championship road race King soloed to title, this time ahead of a U23 field stacked with talent. Racing was animated in the early going of the 160-kilometer affair with Bend’s own Carson Miller involved in nearly every move. After four of six trips around the 27-kilometer Awbrey Butte Circuit Austin Allison (St. Louis, Mo./Dogfish Racing) and Kevin Gottelieb (Alexandria, Va./Lateral Stress Velo) were able to get a one minute gap. The powerful peloton quickly reeled them back in and that’s when King made his move.
“Andrew Talansky tried to go and Carter Jones covered; everyone was kind of frustrated that nothing was sticking,” explained King after winning his second national title in as many days.
Nathaniel Wilson (Boulder, Colo./Lateral Stress-Kelly Benefits), Jerome Townsend (Princeton, Mass./BikeReg), David Williams (Grand Rapids, Mich./Bissell) and Allister Ratcliff (Durango, Colo./BikeReg-Cannondale) went with King around the 50K to go mark, but one-by-one each fell off his wheel. Danny Summerhill (Centennial, Colo./Garmin-Transitions-Holowesko), Josh Yeaton (Ventura, Calif.) and Andrew Dahlheim (Richardson, Texas/Metro Volkswagon), amongst others, tried to chase but without much organization were unsuccessful.
“I knew there was some disorganization,” said King. “I didn’t feel confident until maybe the final kilometer. I pushed it all the way to the line.”
Watch as King rides into the finish to win the USA Cycling U23 men's road race national title. Check out more videos from the week's event on USA Cycling's YouTube page.
Last year’s USA Cycling U23 Road Race National Champion Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Team Holowesko Partners) won the field sprint to the line to earn the silver medal. Andrew Dahlheim (Richardson, Texas/Metro Volkswagon) finished third, Cheyne Hoag (Centennial, Colo./Kelly Benefits) fourth and King’s teammate Julian Kyer (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong) pulled the final podium spot from the bunch sprint.
Read Ben King's first hand account of the race on USA Cycling's blog page.
Read Ben King's first hand account of the race on USA Cycling's blog page.
Twenty two junior women toed the line Saturday morning to contest two laps of the 27-kilometer loop. Racing was quiet early until a trio of underdogs was able to open a more than a minute gap on the field. Zoe Reker (Littlecanada, Minn./St. Paul Bicycle Racing Club), Lisha Herold (Oakdale, Minn./Minnesota Junior Cycling) and Ivie Crawford (Etiwanda, Calif./VRC-NOW-MS Society) opened up a seemingly sizeable gap on the second lap, but it was only a matter of time before Rivera chased it down and Kaitlin Antonneau (Racine, Wis./Team Kenda) and Kendall Ryan (Ventura, Calif./VRC-NOW-MS Society) helped pull it all back together at the foot of the final time up the Archie Briggs climb.
With around five-kilometers remaining Rivera took off with Antonneau on her wheel and Ryan chasing. Approaching the final few hundred meters Rivera showed why she is the most decorated junior cyclist in American history, shedding Antonneau and heading into the finishing straight alone. Fifteen seconds later Antonneau grabbed the silver with Ryan earning bronze. Ruth Winder (Lafayette, Calif./Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY 12) and Somersby Jenkins (Santa Barbara, Calif./Echelon Santa Barbara) rounded out a podium that ended nearly identical to yesterday’s criterium. “There was an attack of three and they got up to 1:15 gap, but it all came back together,” explained multiple-time national championship medalist Antonneau. “At the top of the steeper climb Coryn and I got a gap and Kendall was solo behind us. Then I just went as hard as I could to the line.”
After all 60-kilometers of the punchy, rolling Awbrey Butte circuit course 40 of the 78 starters in the 15-16 men’s division came roaring toward the finish together. Miami Florida’s Miguel Byron (Velocity) took the bunch sprint to earn his first Stars-and-Stripes; edging Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./Lake Washington Velo) who finished a close second to earn his second silver medal of the week. Lucas Wardein (Naples, Fla./Oralndo Road Club), Darrell Kohli (Rapid River, Mich./Team Geargrinder) and crit champion Erik Volotzky (Chatsworth, Calif./Cycle World) were just off their wheels earning the final podium spots in a heated pack finish.
Tomorrow’s racing will mark the final day of competition at the USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite and Paralympic Road Cycling National Championships. The elite men and women as well as the junior men 17-18 contest the road race with things kicking off at 8:00 a.m. near Bend’s Summit High School.
For more information including schedules, rules, course maps and more, visit the Juniors, U23, Elite Road National Championships official event page.
To view a collage of photos from the event check out USA Cycling’s photo gallery and to view and purchase a variety of high-quality images from the week’s racing, visit CascadeEventPhotography.com. Also check out USA Cycling’s YouTube page to view a random selection of videos from the event.
*Photos courtesy Heidi Swift.
*Photos courtesy Heidi Swift.
2010 USA Cycling Juniors, U23, Elite Road National Championships
June 22-27
Bend, Ore.
U23 Men
1. Benjamin King (North Garden, Va./Trek-Livestrong) 3:46:01.30
2. Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Team Holowesko Partners) 3:57:59.90
3. Andrew Dahlheim (Richardson, Texas/Metro Volkswagon) 3:58:00.5
4. Cheyne Hoag (Centennial, Colo./Kelly Benefits) 3:58:04.90
5. Julian Kyer (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong) 3:58:06.70
Junior Women 17-18
1. Coryn Rivera (Tustin, Calif./Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY 12) 1:42:35.40
2. Kaitlin Antonneau (Racine, Wis./Team Kenda) 1:42:50.10
3. Kendall Ryan (Ventura, Calif./VRC-NOW-MS Society) 1:42:57
4. Ruth Winder (Lafayette, Calif./Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY 12) 1:42:02.10
5. Somersby Jenkins (Santa Barbara, Calif./Echelon Santa Barbara) 1:42:02.40
Junior Men 15-16
1. Miguel Bryon (Miami, Fla./Velocity) 1:25:33.50
2. Logan Owen (Bremerton, Wash./Lake Washington Velo) 1:25:33.90
3. Lucas Wardein (Naples, Fla./Oralndo Road Club) 1:25:33.90
4. Darrell Kohli (Rapid River, Mich./Team Geargrinder) 1:25:34.10
5. Erik Volotzky (Chatsworth, Calif./Cycle World) 1:25:34.40
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 comprises 66,500+ licensees; 2,200 clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,650 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.
This Article Published June 26, 2010 For more information contact:
