A wet start didn’t dampen riders’ spirits as aggressive racing and dominant victories were the themes of the day at the 2013 USA Cycling Masters Track National Championships in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
Racing was delayed by four hours after a light rain hit the Major Taylor Velodrome.
Clocking in at 15.8 seconds, Bonnie Woodbury (Escondido, Calif./Eddie B Cycling) set a new U.S. record for 70-74 females in the sprint. The multiple-time national champion said she felt good and was looking forward to setting another U.S. record in the 500-meter time trial on Friday.
“I just want to do my best and have some fun,” a beaming Woodbury said.
Already a world record holder in the 65-69 female age group, Woodbury is hopeful she can go even faster at the upcoming world championships in Manchester, England, later this year.
History repeated itself in the female 55+ sprint and male 50-54 sprint races, as last year’s champions Rita Kacala (Racine, Wis./ISCorp Cycling – NCSF) and Todd Hayes (Ann Arbor, Mich.) retained their stars-and-stripes jerseys. Both won their best-of-three races in two straight against Elizabeth Heller (St. Louis, Mo.) andWilhelmus Zegers (Weston, Florida/Chester County Cycling Foundation), respectively.
Catherine Moore (Waco, Texas/ThinkFinance Racing) dominated the female 40-44 scratch race with a gutsy breakaway that lasted about half the 5-kilometer race. Karen Claeys (Seattle, Wash./Lake Washington Velo) was consistently aggressive during her 45-49 points race, earning her the gold medal.
Michael Williams (Metarie, La.) lapped the field twice during the Male 70+ points race, eclipsing every other rider’s point total. Eighty-five year-old Carl Grove (Bristol, Ind./Pista Elite) came in third during the race, but won the national championship for his age group.
A three-man breakaway allowed Daniel Casper (Northfield, Minn./ Revolution Cycle/Twin Six) to take control of the 20 kilometer men’s 45-49 points race about a third of the way through, and he refused to let up the rest of the way to take his seventh national championship.
“The best way to race masters is aggressively,” Casper said afterward. When he took the race lead, he decided, “No one is going to get by me. I’ve just got to keep hitting and hitting.”
Casper admitted he almost didn’t try to make the decisive break, but when he saw the strength of second-place finisher Michael Lantz (Columbus, Ind.), he knew they could make things happen on the track. Along with Brian Haas (Chicago, Ill./Pact- DISH Network Cycling), the trio scooped up points at several sprints until they eventually lapped the field.
A wreck with 15 laps to go almost ruined Casper’s race, as the crashing rider nearly took out his rear wheel before going down. Luckily, Casper managed to stay upright, going on to win the race.
For more from the Major Taylor Velodrome, including photos, results, a schedule and more, visit the USA Cycling event page at www.usacycling.org/2013/
2013 USA Cycling Masers Track National Championships
Major Taylor Velodrome
Indianpolis, Indiana
July 31, 2013
Men’s 50-54 Flying Time Trial
1. Wilhelmus Zegers (Weston, Fla./Chester County Cycling Foundation) 11.673
2. Todd Hayes (Ann Arbor, Mich.) 11.685
3. Mark McMurry (La Place, La./New Orleans Bicycle Club, Inc.) 12.090
4. Rich Rozzi (Hollywood, Calif./Firefighters Cycling Association) 12.100
5. Joseph Paulson (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Orthopedics) 12.124
Men’s 55-59 Individual Pursuit
1. James Host (Plainfield, Ill./Pact- DISH Network Cycling) 2:26.235
2. George Luft (Parkland, Fla.) 2:35.572
3. Raymond Gildea (Emerald Hills, Calif./Peninsula Velo Cycling Club) 2:36.701
4. Lionel Space (Phoenix, Ariz./Focus Racing) 2:38.192
5. Robert Black (Auburn, Ala./Saroff Racing Team) 2:38.724
Men’s 60-64 Individual Pursuit
1. Steven Worley (Boulder, Colo./Boulder Orthopedics) 2:33.607
2. William Flecher (Medina, Ohio/Stark Velo) 2:40.544
3. Patrick Gellineau (Brooklyn, N.Y./Somerset Wheelmen) 2:42.145
4. David Mulica (Littleton, Colo./Hammer Racing Team – TVG LTD.) 2:42.972
5. Barry Messmer (Fort Collins, Colo./Boulder Orthopedics) 2:44.497
Women’s 50-54 Individual Pursuit
1. Tara Unverzagt (Torrance, Calif./South Bay Wheelmen) 2:48.721
2. Gwenn Afton (Reston, Va./Evolution Cycling Club p/b Long & Foster) 2:58.977
3. Meg Mautner (Portland, Ore./Bike Central) 3:05.191
Men’s 35-39 Points Race
1. Andrew Crater (Asheville, N.C./Finish Strong) 27
2. Jonathan Davy (Torrance, Calif./Ironfly) 23
3. Grzegorz Monko (Buffalo Grove, Ill./WDT-Allvoi International Cycling Team) 23
4. Jeromy Cottell (Redwood City, Calif./Team Specialized Racing) 18
5. Jeffrey Anderson (Blaine, Minn./Speedfix Racing p/b Zubaz) 12
Men’s 45-49 Points Race
1. Daniel Casper (Northfield, Minn./Revolution Cycle-Twin Six) 46
2. Michael Lantz (Columbus, Ind.) 35
3. Brian Haas (Chicago, Ill./Pact- DISH Network Cycling) 34
4. James Tainter (Minneapolis, Minn.) 25
5. Daniel Verner (Island Lake, Ill./Pact- DISH Network Cycling) 12
Men’s 70-74 Points Race
1. Michael Williams (Metarie, La.)
2. Edward Burns (Vestal, N.Y./Bell Lap Racing)
3. Jim Turner (Menlo Park, Calif./Alto Velo Racing Club)
4. Earl Henry (Pinellas Park, Fla./Guinness Cycling Team)
5. Ben Williams (Dumfries, Va./A1-Cycling – Shop Ratz Racing Team)
Men’s 75-79 Points Race
1. Skip Sparry (Plano, Texas/Matrix Cycling Club)
2. J. Robert Beck (Hanover Park, Ill./Midwest Masters Cycling Team)
3. Thomas O’Rourke (West Bloomfield, Mich./Cadieux Bicycle Club)
4. Roger Wright (Fort Myers, Fla./Florida Velodrome Association)
Men’s 80-84 Points Race
1. Carl Grove (Bristol, Ind./Pista Elite)
Women’s 45-49 Points Race
1. Karen Claeys (Seattle, Wash./Lake Washington Velo) 23
2. Suzanne Goodwin (McKinney, Texas/McKinney Velo Club) 15
3. Christine Phillips (Chandler, Ariz./Strada Racing Club) 5
4. Francine Haas (Chicago, Ill./Pact- DISH Network Cycling) 1
5. Bonnie Karas (Rochester Hills, Mich./Fraser Bicycle & Fitness) 0
Men’s 50-54 Sprint
1. Todd Hayes (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
2. Wilhelmus Zegers (Weston, Fla./Chester County Cycling Foundation)
3. Thomas Donohue (Seattle, Wash./Seattle Super Squadra)
4. Rich Rozzi (Hollywood, Calif./Firefighters Cycling Association)
5. Robert Bodamer (Humble, Texas/Matrix Cycling Club)
Women’s 55-59 Sprint
1. Rita Kacala (Racine, Wis./ISCorp Cycling – NCSF)
2. Elizabeth Heller (St. Louis, Mo.)
3. Karen Kelly (Phoenix, Ariz./Strada Racing Club)
Women’s 60-64 Sprint
1. Lynn Rivier (Highland Park, Ill./Higher Gear Chicago Cycling Club)
2. Barbara Thiele (Hillsboro, Ore.)
Women’s 65-69 Sprint
1. Patricia Riddle (La Jolla, Calif./Eddie B Cycling)
2. Jo Johnson (Wilmington, Del./Team TBB – Deep Blue)
Women’s 70-74 Sprint
1. Bonnie Woodbury (Escondido, Calif./Eddie B Cycling)
2. Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass./Northeast Bicycle Club (NEBC))
3. Patricia Baker (Laguna Hills, Calif./San Diego Cyclo Vets)
Men’s 35-39 Scratch Race
1. Jeffrey Whiteman (Chicago, Ill./George Garner Cyclery Track Team)
2. Eduardo Nieuwenhuyzen (St. Louis, Mo./Penrose Park Velo Team)
3. Jonathan Chambers (Hellertown, Pa./Cycle Fitters)
4. Jonathan Davy (Torrance, Calif./Ironfly)
5. Grzegorz Monko (Buffalo Grove, Ill./WDT-Allvoi International Cycling Team)
Men’s 65-69 Scratch Race
1. Mark Rodamaker (Los Altos, Calif./Performance Cycle Coaching)
2. Lawrence Bosch (Fort Collins, Colo./Boulder Orthopedics)
3. Fran Rudy (Ooltewah, Tenn./Scenic City Velo)
4. Thomas Lobdell (Indianapolis, Ind./Scarlet Fire)
5. Walter Lay (Louisville, Ky./Team Louisville)
Women’s 40-44 Scratch Race
1. Catherine Moore (Waco, Texas/ThinkFinance Racing)
2. Cheryl Fuller-Muller (Cumming, Ga./Louis Garneau Factory Team)
3. Kristen Meshberg (Lyons, Ill./George Garner Cyclery Track Team)
4. Cindi Vargas (Humble, Texas/Matrix Cycling Club)
5. Andrea Brennan (Manasquan, N.J./Riptide Cycling)
Men’s 40-44 Time Trial – 1km
1. Allen Vugrincic (Palo Alto, Calif./Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic) 1:10.257
2. Quinn Hatfield (Los Angeles, Calif./Velo Club LaGrange) 1:10.389
3. Stephen McLaughry (Portland, Ore./Bike Central) 1:10.634
4. Jason Garner (Glenview, Ill./George Garner Cyclery Track Team) 1:11.483
5. Todd Scheske (Rochester, N.Y./Genesee Valley Cycling Club) 1:12.417
Ron Callahan is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.