It seems fitting that in a city known for speed and horsepower, competitors put on incredibly powerful performances on day four of the 2013 USA Cycling Masters Track National Championships at the Major Taylor Velodrome in Indianapolis.
Men’s 45-49 sprint champion Brian Abers (Aloha, Ore./Bike Central) eked out a win against James Lawrence(Colorado Springs, Col./CP Racing) in what might have been the closest race of the day. Acknowledging his opponent’s superior sprinting speed, Abers went early in the first race of three, managing to hold off a charging Lawrence. In their second race, Lawrence used that exact same strategy to beat Abers. It all came down to the third race.
“It was a drag race,” a still-exhausted Abers said, moments after donning his new Stars-and-Stripes jersey. “We left it all out there. I was blowing white smoke toward the end there; I didn’t think I was going to hold on. … I couldn’t ride another race right now if my life depended on it.”
This is Abers third national championship, but it may be the sweetest. It’s “one I always wanted, but could never manage to get,” he said.
Mike Williams (Metarie, La.) won the men’s 70-74 sprint category, earning his third gold medal of this year’s nationals. Earl Henry (Pinellas Park, Fl./ Guinness Cycling Team) made a valiant effort, but couldn’t match Williams’ speed.
An effervescent Luanne Murray (London, Ohio/Kreitler Racing Team) rode roughshod over the field in her women’s 50-54 points race, winning the first three sprints seemingly with little effort. Murray called the victory “a complete surprise.”
“I’ve had a poor season until now,” Murray said. “I’ve been getting spanked all year by the Marian (University) girls, but it made me faster. I owe them all hugs when I see them again.”
A huge headwind in the homestretch had Murray considering a smaller gear, but in the end she decided to stay with the same set-up she’s raced much of the year. She’d planned on riding conservatively, not expecting to win the first sprint. But when she did, she knew she had to take advantage.
The victory was even sweeter for Murray, as it came at her home track and the site of her first national championship win in 2001.
“The crowd was huge,” Murray said. “Pounding on the boards and cheering me on, they gave me strength.”
The last mass-start event of the day, the men’s 55-59 points race, was marred by a crash about halfway through that sent a rider to the hospital. Lawrence Nolan (Fremont, Cal./Team Specialized Racing) was a fixture at the front of the pack, taking sprints at will. He won the gold medal after nabbing 21 points. George Luft (Parkland, Fl.) took 13 points and the silver medal.
For more from the Major Taylor Velodrome, including photos, results, communiques from the race jury, 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
August 2, 2013
Men’s 45-49 Flying Time Trial
1. James Lawrence (Colorado Springs, CO/CP Racing) 11.393
2. Brian Abers (Aloha, OR/Bike Central) 11.489
3. Nelson Li (Mckinney, TX/ThinkFinance Racing) 11.816
4. Aram Bayzaee (Northbrook, IL/Pact- DISH Network Cycling) 11.902
5. Todd Stodolski (Toms River, NJ/QCW Cycling) 11.929
Men’s 70-74 Flying Time Trial
1. Earl Henry (Pinellas Park, FL/Guinness Cycling Team) 12.949
2. Leo Menestrina (San Jose, CA/Alto Velo Racing Club) 13.223
3. Michael Williams (Metairie, LA/) 13.551
4. Jim Turner (Menlo Park, CA/Alto Velo Racing Club) 14.413
5. Jurgen Leiser (Colorado Spgs, CO/) 14.562
Men’s 75-79 Flying Time Trial
1. Skip Sparry (Plano, TX/Matrix Cycling Club) 14.415
2. Thomas O’Rourke (Westbloomfield, MI/Cadieux Bicycle Club) 14.502
3. J Robert Beck (Hanover Park, IL/Midwest Masters Cycling Team) 15.523
4. Roger Wright (Fort Myers, FL/Florida Velodrome Association) 18.005
Men’s 85-89 Flying Time Trial
1. Carl Grove (Bristol, IN/Pista Elite) 14.831
Women’s 45-49 Flying Time Trial
1. Gea Johnson (Scottsdale, AZ/FASTER Performance Center) 12.237
2. Buffie Wuestewald (Sunnyvale, CA/San Jose Bicycle Club) 12.576
3. Annabell Holland (Livermore, CA/San Jose Bicycle Club) 13.162
4. Suzanne Goodwin (Mckinney, TX/McKinney Velo Club) 13.217
5. Jocelyne BeLanger (Charlotte, NC/) 13.804
Women’s 40-44 Individual Pursuit – 2km
1. Catherine Moore (Waco, TX/ThinkFinance Racing) 02:44.1
2. Kristen Meshberg (Lyons, IL/George Garner Cyclery Track Team) 02:47.6
3. Cheryl Fuller-Muller (Cumming, GA/Louis Garneau Factory Team) 02:50.8
4. Andrea Brennan (Manasquan, NJ/Riptide Cycling) 02:55.9
5. Kimberly Nuffer (Denver, CO/Boulder Orthopedics) 02:59.4
Men’s 65-69 Individual Pursuit – 2km
1. Steven Lehman (Rock Hill, SC/Tri State Velo) 02:36.5
2. Jack Kelso (Pleasanton, CA/Team Hammer Nutrition) 02:43.9
3. Lawrence Bosch (Fort Collins, CO/Boulder Orthopedics) 02:46.8
4. Gerald Agnew (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA/Ironfly) 02:50.3
5. Thomas Lobdell (Indianapolis, IN/Scarlet Fire) 02:52.7
Men’s 35-39 Individual Pursuit – 3km
1. Jeffrey Anderson (Blaine, MN/Speedfix Racing p/b Zubaz) 03:51.2
2. Jeromy Cottell (Redwood City, CA/Team Specialized Racing) 03:54.4
3. Eduardo Nieuwenhuyzen (Saint Louis, MO/Penrose Park Velo Team) 03:57.5
4. David Keefe (Mountain View, CA/Alto Velo Racing Club) 04:02.6
5. Steven Benni (Chicago, IL/Intelligentsia Racing Society) 04:08.9
Women’s 60-64 Time Trial – 500m
1. Lynn Rivier (Highland Park, IL/Higher Gear Chicago Cycling Club)
2. Jan Palchikoff (Los Angeles, CA/CPT)
3. Benita Warns (Saint Paul, MN/Omnium Bike Shop)
Women’s 65-69 Time Trial
1. Patricia Riddle (La Jolla, CA/Eddie B Cycling)
2. Jo Johnson (Wilmington, DE/Team TBB/Deep Blue)
Women’s 70-74 Time Trial
1. Bonnie Woodbury (Escondido, CA/Eddie B Cycling)
2. Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, MA/Northeast Bicycle Club (NEBC))
3. Patricia Baker (Laguna Hills, CA/San Diego Cyclo Vets)
Women’s 55-59 Time Trial – 500m
1. Rita Kacala (Racine, WI/ISCorp Cycling/NCSF) 40.762
2. Lenita Anthony (San Diego, CA/) 43.179
3. Elizabeth Heller (St. Louis, MO/) 43.806
4. Karen Kelly (Phoenix, AZ/Strada Racing Club) 44.827
5. Debra Cavender (Troy, MI/BK Training Systems LLC) 46.843
Men’s 50-54 Time Trial – 500m
1. Todd Hayes (Ann Arbor, MI/Chester County Cycling Foundation) 35.776
2. Thomas Donohue (Seattle, WA/Seattle Super Squadra) 36.632
3. Ted Kicey (Houston, TX/Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic) 37.295
4. Mark McMurry (La Place, LA/New Orleans Bicycle Club Inc) 37.427
5. Rich Rozzi (Sunnyvale, CA/Firefighters Cycling Association) 37.541
Men’s 40-44 Scratch Race – 10km
1. David McCook (Mountain View, CA/TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)
2. Benjamin Sharp (Colorado Springs, CO/Stages Cycling)
3. Todd Scheske (Rochester, NY/Genesee Valley Cycling Club)
4. Thomas Mains (Mercerville, NJ/Van Dessel Factory Team)
5. Robert Gauss (Kenosha, WI/)
Men’s 60-64 Points Race – 10km
1. Paul Mack (Longmont, CO/Boulder Orthopedics) 25
2. Patrick Gellineau (Brooklyn, NY/Somerset Wheelmen) 15
3. Steven Worley (Boulder, CO/Boulder Orthopedics) 14
4. Barry Messmer (Fort Collins, CO/Boulder Orthopedics) 10
5. Chip Berezny (Coopersburg, PA/Lehigh Wheelmen Assoc) 5
Women’s 50-54 Points Race – 10km
1. Luanne Murray (London, OH/Kreitler Racing Team) 20
2. Tara Unverzagt (Torrance, CA/South Bay Wheelmen) 15
3. Lisa Giuffre (Englewood, OH/The Midwest Express) 10
4. Jane Vanni-Noone (Indianapolis, IN/Scarlet Fire) 9
5. Janet Lischer (Colorado Springs, CO/Hammer Racing Team- TVG LTD.) 1
Men’s 55-59 Points Race – 10km
1. Lawrence Nolan (Fremont, CA/Team Specialized Racing) 21
2. George Luft (Parkland, FL/) 13
3. Michael Birditt (Escondido, CA/Swami’s Cycling Club) 9
4. Robert Black (Auburn, AL/Saroff Racing Team) 5
5. Lionel Space (Phoenix, AZ/Focus Racing) 3
Women’s 45-49 Sprint
1. Gea Johnson (Scottsdale, AZ/FASTER Performance Center)
2. Buffie Wuestewald (Sunnyvale, CA/San Jose Bicycle Club)
3. Suzanne Goodwin (Mckinney, TX/McKinney Velo Club)
4. Annabell Holland (Livermore, CA/San Jose Bicycle Club)
5. Jocelyne BeLanger (Charlotte, NC)
Men’s 70-74 Sprint
1. Earl Henry (Pinellas Park, FL/Guinness Cycling Team)
2. Michael Williams (Metairie, LA/)
3. Leo Menestrina (San Jose, CA/Alto Velo Racing Club)
4. Jurgen Leiser (Colorado Spgs, CO/)
5. Edward Burns (Vestal, NY/Bell Lap Racing)
Men’s 75-79 Sprint
1. Thomas O’Rourke (Westbloomfield, MI/Cadieux Bicycle Club)
2. J Robert Beck (Hanover Park, IL/Midwest Masters Cycling Team)
3. Skip Sparry (Plano, TX/Matrix Cycling Club)
4. Roger Wright (Fort Myers, FL/Florida Velodrome Association)
Men’s 85-89 Sprint
1. Carl Grove (Bristol, IN/Pista Elite)
Men’s 45-49 Sprint
1. Brian Abers (Aloha, OR/Bike Central)
2. James Lawrence (Colorado Springs, CO/CP Racing)
3. James Tainter (Minneapolis, MN/)
4. Todd Stodolski (Toms River, NJ/QCW Cycling)
5. Nelson Li (Mckinney, TX/ThinkFinance Racing)
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