Road races kick off 2013 Amateur & Para-cycling Road Nationals

Tanner Putt (right) celebrates his U23 men's road race win with teammate Nate Brown

Blue Mounds, Wisconsin (July 3, 2013) — Three first-time national champions took home a Stars-and-Stripes jersey today after winning their respective road races at Blue Mound State Park as the 2013 USA Cycling Amateur & Para-cycling Road National Championships got underway.

The men’s U23 race began the day with Tanner Putt (Park City, Utah/Bontrager Cycling Team) earning the win just ahead of fellow Bontrager Cycling Team and USA Cycling National Development Program rider Nathan Brown (Covington, Tenn./Bontrager Cycling Team). Tyler Magner (Athens, Ga./Hincapie Sportswear Development) outsprinted Sam Bassetti (San Geronimo, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized) to the line to earn the third spot on the podium.

The four were part of a five-rider breakaway, along with Robin Carpenter (Philadelphia, Penn./Hincapie Sportswear Development Team), that was at the front of the race in the final lap. The group built a lead over the peloton of close to two minutes before they hit the final climb toward the finish.

“The five of us rotated and worked really well. Everyone was pulling through, and we decided that we’d just get the gap up and keep it, and then race the last time up the climb,” recalled Putt. “On the last lap, I attacked at the bottom again and everyone went with me, and then immediately after that Nate Brown attacked and no one could follow him. I waited for him to get a little gap and then I went again and bridged up to him going up the top of the climb. And then he just rode his heart out for me to get to the finish. We crossed the line one/two, and I couldn’t ask for a better teammate.”

Click on the video below to watch Tanner Putt describe his race:

Junior Women’s 15-16 Road Race

Hannah Arensman (Rutherford College, N.C./ExergyTWENTY16) earned her national title after edging Madeleine Boutet (Anchorage, Alaska) in a two-rider sprint to the line. As in the men’s U23 race, it was the final hill that split apart a breakaway of five riders on the lead in to the finish.

“On the last hill we all were really tired and a few of us broke off,” explained Arensman. “And then when we hit the 1k to go, me and another girl just soloed away and it came down to the sprint, and I was able to get across first!”

Chloe Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind./Midwest Development Cycling Inc.) finished just four seconds down from Arensman and Boutet to take third. Emma White (Delanson, N.Y./Farm Team Elite Women’s Cycling Team) earned fourth and Emma Swartz (Madison, Wis./Brazen Dropouts) was fifth.

Click on the video below to watch Hannah Arensman talk about her winning ride:

Junior Women’s 17-18 Road Race

The last race to finish, the women’s 17-18 event, seemed to be wide open as a group of eight riders led the field on the final lap. But ultimately it was Janelle Cole (Rockford, Mich./West Michigan Coast Riders) who crossed the line solo and into her first Stars-and-Stripes jersey.

“Coming up the last hill someone went at 1k to go; I went with them and tried to half-wheel the whole way up,” commented Cole. “And at 500 [meters to go] someone else went, and I just kept going after that. With about 400 meters — just sprint it out. It feels great to have all that hard work finally pay off!”

She was followed to the line by Kelly Catlin (Arden Hills, Minn./Gopher Wheelmen) at 12 seconds back. Hannah Swan (Alpine, Calif./Strive Racing) rounded out the podium in third.

Click on the video below to watch Janelle Cole talk about her race:

Racing continues on the Fourth of July with more than 30 time trial categories set to be contested east of Madison in Waterloo. Racing begins at 8 a.m. with the U23 men’s time trial

For more information on the event, including course maps, a schedule of each day’s races, results and photos, visit the 2013 USA Cycling Amateur & Para-cycling Road National Championships event page. Look for updates from Madison on the USA Cycling Facebook and Twitter channels, or follow on Twitter with the hashtag #RoadNats.

2013 USA Cycling Amateur & Para-cycling Road National Championships
Madison, Wisconsin
July 3, 2013

RESULTS │ PHOTO GALLERY

U23 Men – 129km
1. Tanner Putt (Park City, Utah/Bontrager Cycling Team) 3:14:10
2. Nathan Brown (Covington, Tenn./Bontrager Cycling Team) same time
3. Tyler Magner (Athens, Ga./Hincapie Sportswear Development) +0:29

Juniors Women 17-18 – 66km
1. Janelle Cole (Rockford, Mich./West Michigan Coast Riders) 2:06:09
2. Kelly Catlin (Arden Hills, Minn./Gopher Wheelmen) +0:12
3. Hannah Swan (Alpine, Calif./Strive Racing) +0:23

Juniors Women 15-16 – 45km
1. Hannah Arensman (Rutherford College, N.C./ExergyTWENTY16) 1:20:53
2. Madeleine Boutet (Anchorage, Alaska) same time
3. Chloe Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind./Midwest Development Cycling Inc.) +0:04
4. Emma White (Delanson, N.Y./Farm Team Elite Women’s Cycling Team) +0:13
5. Emma Swartz (Madison, Wis./Brazen Dropouts) +0:19