NTC: Calendar champions to be crowned at elite track nationals

  
  


The Cal Pacific Export Packers Grand Prix at the Home Depot Center’s VELO Sports Center in Carson, Calif., served as the final event of the USA Cycling National Track Calendar (NTC). Riders pushed themselves to earn valuable points to claw up the standings. One rider swept both of her races to propel herself into the top spot by only one point while other riders earned crucial points fortifying their positions in the standings. The four winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony this Saturday night at the 2012 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships in Carson, Calif.

SPRINT

Tela Crane topped the final National Track Calendar women's sprint standings. (Photo by Jim Maher, www.jimmaherphotoworks.com)
Tela Crane topped the final National Track Calendar women's sprint standings. (Photo by Jim Maher, www.jimmaherphotoworks.com)

With a late-season surge, Giddeon Massie (Cypress, Calif./Bike Religion) amassed 81 points to win the NTC men's sprint standings. Danny Robertson (Rolling Meadows, Ill./WDT-Allvoi International Cycling Team) finished in second place with 67 points, 11 points ahead of T.J. Mathieson (Redondo Beach, Calif./Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic), who placed third. Jonathan Fraley (Menomonee Falls, Wisc./WDT-Allvoi International Cycling Team) and Jeffrey Whiteman (Chicago, Ill./George Garner Cyclery Track Team) each amassed 50 points to round out the top five.

The lone sprint event at the Velo Sports Center Grand Prix was the keirin. Hugo Barrette (CAN) won followed by Zachary Kovalcik (Portland, Ore./Sizzle Pie Cycling p/b Veloforma) in second place and Jesse Marans (Irvine, Calif./Ritte Van Vlaanderen) in third position.

Tela Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Broadmark Capital) added 15 points to her already insurmountable lead atop the NTC women's sprint standings. Crane finished the season with an astounding 131 points while second-place rider Madalyn Godby (Louisville, Colo./enCompass Racing) completed the calendar with 57 points, five points ahead of Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas/Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic), who placed third. Missy Erickson (Cypress, Calif./Home Depot Center) placed fourth with 45 points while Erin Glover (Portland, Ore./Bike Central) rounded out the top five with 36 points.

Crane won the women's keirin in California while Tara McCormick (Long Beach, Calif./Exergy TWENTY12) placed second and Lindsay Felker (Seattle, Wash./Peterson Racing) finished third in the race.

ENDURANCE

Zachary Kovalcik topped the final National Track Calendar men's endurance standings. (Photo by Jim Maher, www.jimmaherphotoworks.com)
Zachary Kovalcik topped the final National Track Calendar men's endurance standings. (Photo by Jim Maher, www.jimmaherphotoworks.com)
Zachary Kovalcik (Portland, Ore./Sizzle Pie Cycling p/b Veloforma) placed second in the scratch race to fortify his position atop the NTC men's endurance standings with 93 points. Jean-Michel Lachance (CAN/Rossetti Devo Cycling Team) racked up 59 points to finish in second place, five points ahead of Emile Abraham (TRI/Rossetti Devo Cycling Team), who placed third at the end of the calendar. Zack Carlson (Plano, Texas/Matrix-Richardson Bike Mart) accumulated 40 points to complete the calendar in fourth place, only three points ahead of the fifth-place Franco Marvulli (SUI).

Zach Noonan (Kutztown, Pa./FCS-Metro Volkswagon) won the men's points race while Jimmy Watkins (Bakersfield, Calif./Project London 2012) took the top spot in the men's scratch race.

Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo./Exergy TWENTY12) swept the points and scratch races at the event in California to top the final NTC women's endurance standings with 72 points. Higgins collected 30 points to surge past Lauren Stephens (Dallas, Texas/FCS-Rouse: p/b Mr. Restore) and earn the top spot by only one point. Stephens finished in second place with 71 points, 25 points ahead of the third-place Shelby Reynolds (Cypress, Texas/Helens-Cannondale), who was runner-up to Higgins in the scratch race. Suzie Goodwin (McKinney, Texas/Crest-Richardson Bike Mart Cycling) placed fourth in the standings with 36 points while Cindi Vargas (Humble, Texas/Matrix-Richardson Bike Mart) rounds out the top five with 28 points.

Full results from the Cal Pacific Export Packers Grand Prix.

Check out a photo gallery of pictures by Jim Maher (www.jimmaherphotoworks.com).

 

USA Cycling NTC Standings:

ENDURANCE

Men
1. Zachary Kovalcik (Portland, Ore./Sizzle Pie Cycling p/b Veloforma) — 93
2. Jean-Michel Lachance (CAN/Rossetti Devo Cycling Team) — 59
3. Emile Abraham (TRI/Rossetti Devo Cycling Team) — 54
4. Zack Carlson (Plano, Texas/Matrix-Richardson Bike Mart) — 40
5. Franco Marvulli (SUI) — 37

Women
1. Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo./Exergy Twenty12) — 72
2. Lauren Stephens (Dallas, Texas/FCS-Rouse: p/b Mr. Restore) — 71
3. Shelby Reynolds (Cypress, Texas/Helens-Cannondale) — 46
4. Suzie Goodwin (McKinney, Texas/Crest-Richardson Bike Mart Cycling) — 36
5. Cindi Vargas (Humble, Texas/Matrix-Richardson Bike Mart) — 28

SPRINT

Men
1. Giddeon Massie (Cypress, Calif./Bike Religion) — 81
2. Danny Robertson (Rolling Meadows, Ill./WDT-Allvoi International Cycling Team) — 67
3. T.J. Mathieson (Redondo Beach, Calif./Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic) — 56
4. Jonathan Fraley (Menomonee Falls, Wisc./WDT-Allvoi International Cycling Team) — 50
5. Jeffrey Whiteman (Chicago, Ill./George Garner Cyclery Track Team) — 50

Women
1. Tela Crane (Sammamish, Wash./Broadmark Capital) — 131
2. Madalyn Godby (Louisville, Colo./enCompass Racing) — 57
3. Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas/Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic) — 52
4. Missy Erickson (Cypress, Calif./Home Depot Center) — 45
5. Erin Glover (Portland, Ore./Bike Central) — 36
 

For complete standings, visit the NTC's official webpage at usacycling.org/ntc.



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This Article Updated October 2, 2012 @ 03:47 PM For more information contact: