Report by Patrice Quintero, USA Cycling
An action-packed day of racing on Friday kicked things off at the 2002 USA Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships in Baltimore's Patterson Park. More than a dozen national champions were crowned on the event's opening day, the first of two.
Headlining Friday were the collegiate races, which included top schools like Boston College, University of Vermont, Kentucky's Lindsey Wilson and the University of New Hampshire. In the men's event, held under rainy skies and dense fog, it was University of Kansas rider Jed Schneider who came out on top. The top of the podium was a familiar place for the Midwest wonder, who took home the national cyclo-cross collegiate title in 2000 in his home state.
Schneider shared company with some of the nation's best collegiate riders for part of the race before taking off on his own. His lead increased each lap, and by the end, he had about 20 seconds on the rest of the field. Behind him, a sprint for the remaining podium spots took place yards from the finish line. At the wire, it was Andy Jacques-Maynes (University of California-Berkeley) in the runner-up spot.
When it came to the sprint finish, Jacques-Maynes had the advantage thanks to an experience earlier in the month. "Last week I had a sprint finish. I didn't lead out and charge the line. This week, I took advantage of what I learned from that mistake," said Jacques-Maynes. "I thought I was about to die at the end of the race."
Friday's race marked the last collegiate event for Schneider, who will graduate from KU in May 2002. He will take to the road next year in Belgium to compete in the European cycling circuit.
"It was hard today. The field was tougher than last year, but I proved I was the strongest rider today. When Andy (Jacques-Maynes) flatted, I went hard. I knew he was a faster runner, and I was fastest on the steep hills," said Schneider. "Cyclo-cross is the sport for me."
Boston College's Alicia Genest proved victorious in the women's collegiate race, but she had history, not cycling, on the brain when she hit the start line. After winning the junior title in 1999, Genest lost the championship in 2000. Worried she may fall short again Friday, Genest said she trained three times harder for the 2001 race.
"Two years ago it was dream come true. This victory is almost better," said the 19 year old. A solid start and jump off the front were Genest's first goals for Friday.
"The key today was to get the gap and not have anyone breathing down your neck," said Genest, who will take to the course again Saturday in an attempt to capture another national title, the under-23 women's championship.
Genest's fiercest threat Friday came in the form of Sarah Uhl (University of Vermont), who brought home a junior world track cycling title earlier this year. This time though, Uhl had to settle for second. Both women will compete in the under-23 women's competition on Saturday.
With the coveted national title on the line, the highly-competitive men's under-23 race was predicted to be the nail biter for the day. Maine's Adam Craig had other ideas. The Exeter resident shot off the front like a cannon, never looking back. Even if he had, his view would have been nearly void of challengers. Craig, a past resident-athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado, put seconds on the field with each lap. In the end, he had 40 seconds on his peers.
"(The championship title) was a surprise, but it's nice to have it. I didn't know what to expect," Craig said after his first national cyclo-cross victory. "Today was about keeping your head on, keeping upright and staying on the bike. I tried to stay smooth. A lot of people were taking the mud lines, but I stayed on the grass a lot. That's what it was all about." Friday's title was the third national championship for Craig this year. In August, he took home the under-23 men's Stars and Stripes jersey in the short-track cross-country. Just two months later, in October, Craig scored another national title at the Collegiate National Mountain Bike Championships.
More than national jerseys are on the line at this weekend's championships. Racers are looking to prove themselves, as selections for the 2002 USA Cycling World Cyclo-cross Championship Team will be made after the event. The 2001 USA Cycling National Cyclo-cross Championships conclude Saturday, Dec. 15, with the junior and elite events.
Men U23 - 31 Starters, 5 Laps 1 Adam Craig (Devo) 45.23 2 Jackson Stewart (Olympic Club) 0.30 3 Tyler Johnson (CYBC - RICHARD SACHS) 0.46 4 Alan Obye (Team Grimace/NARJET) 1.07 5 Barry Wicks (Team Bike Gallery) 1.23 6 Ryan Dewald (beans) 2.38 7 Russ Tiles (Alger/Quiring Cycles) 8 Toby Swanson (Lindsey Wilson College) 3.30 9 Narayan Mahon (TI Cycles) 3.53 10 Josh Anthony (Saturn Development Cycling Team) 11 Brian Astell (ccb) 4.29 12 Michael Cody (UVM/youthcycling.com) 5.10 13 Jason Moore (Beans Reinhardt) 5.31 14 Earendel Fingerson (Lindsey Wilson College) 5.48 15 Szymon Niemotko (Evolution Racing) 6.12 16 Joseph Alachoyan (Ideal Tile/Brielle Cyclery) 17 Randall Descarreaux (C.S. Ardagna Racing) 18 Ryan Mckinney (William & Mary Cycling) 7.00 19 Josh Conner (Lindsey Wilson College) 8.17 20 Benjamin Peters (NECSA) 8.30 21 William Quillman (Mercy Cycling Team) 9.30 22 Dain Zaffke (Cyclewerks) 10.18 23 Justin Torrellas (NECSA/Fraysse's Sports Resort) 11.40 1 lap behind 24 Michael Norton (Mike Frayse's Sports Resort) 25 Jeff Stewart (Lindsey Wilson College) 26 Greg Rohde (Squadra Corsa) Women U23 - 8 Starters, 5 Laps 1 Alicia Genest (Richard Sachs) 51.01 2 Courtney Bollman (Mercy Cycling Team) 2.07 3 Megan Elliott (Iowa City Cycling Club) 2.26 4 Jessica Peil (Snow Valley) 2.44 5 Sheila Vibert (UNH) 3.41 6 Britt Eckstrom (University of New Hampshire) Collegiate Men - 42 Starters, 5 Laps 1 Jed Schneider (University of Kansas) 44.02 2 Andy Jacques-Maynes (UC Berkeley) 0.16 3 Kirt Fitzpatrick (University of New Hampshire) 4 Toby Swanson (Lindsey Wilson College) 5 Barry Wicks (Oregon State University) 1.09 6 Ryan Mckinney (The College of William & Mary) 2.01 7 Joseph Alachoyan (University of Massachusetts Amhers) 2.21 8 Bobby Lea (Penn State) 2.28 9 David Werling (University of Connecticut) 10 Aric Hareland (North Dakota State University) 2.44 11 Jason Baer (University of Vermont) 3.43 12 Christopher Herndon (Lindsey Wilson College) 3.39 13 Benjamin Peters (University of Vermont) 3.52 14 Gregory Abrahamson (Fort Lewis) 4.27 15 Mark Walchinsky (Penn State University) 4.49 16 Jeff Stewart (Lindsey Wilson College) 17 Andrew Wulfkuhle (Kutztown) 5.08 18 Gregory Wittwer (TCU) 19 Earendel Fingerson (Lindsey Wilson College) 5.34 20 Al Mcwilliams (Eastern Michigan University) 6.02 21 Lance Doherty (UC Berkeley) 6.22 22 Zachary Soucy (UNH) 6.29 23 Andrew Frey (miami university) 6.54 24 Coley Cole (UNH) 7.06 25 Chad Cherefko (West Virginia University Cycling T) 7.44 26 Travis Pidcock (Fort lewis) 7.57 27 Paul Sadosky (North Dakota State University) 8.12 28 Erik Sperling (Stanford University) 29 Andrew Weir (East Carolina University) 9.10 30 Jeff Via (Midwestern State University) 9.18 31 Greg Rohde (North Dakota State University) 9.22 32 John Hirsch (Columbia) 10.49 33 Andy Guthrie (University of Georgia) 10.53 1 lap behind 34 Adam Szczepanski (Stanford University) 35 Benjamin Fitts (Virginia Commonwealth University) 36 Shawn Johnson (Johns Hopkins University) 37 Mark Robson (University of Connecticut) 38 Curtis Graves (East Carolina University) Collegiate Women - 18 Starters, 4 Laps 1 Alicia Genest (Boston University) 42.35 2 Sarah Uhl (University of Vermont) 2.03 3 Courtney Bollman (Miami University) 2.13 4 Megan Elliott (University of Iowa) 4.10 5 Jessica Peil (William & Mary) 4.14 6 Sheila Vibert (UNH) 4.32 7 Alicia Hamilton (University of Michigan) 5.05 8 Britt Eckstrom (University of New Hampshire) 5.29 9 Janine Verstraeten (Marian College) 6.45 10 Marissa Kellogg (Yale) 8.10 11 Catherine Dudley (UNH) 9.28 12 Jeni Huff (Lindsey Wilson College) 10.20 13 Laura Hanlon 14 Kim Budde (University of Georgia) 15 Emily Jacobs (UNH) 16 Stephanie Ward (Lindsey Wilson College) 17 Olena Whipple (Fort Lewis) 18 Allison Nataro (Fort Lewis College) Master Men 30-34 - 77 Starters, 5 Laps 1 Jeff Weinert (Independent Fabrication) 45.36 2 Brian Hludzinski (Jamba Juice) 0.11 3 Shannon Skerritt (Team Bike Gallery) 0.22 4 Todd Hoefer (ABS/Steelman) 5 Christonpher Peck (wheelworks/cannondale) 0.58 6 Maxwell Kullaway (Boston Road Club) 1.04 7 Will Black (Lone Star Racing) 1.31 8 J.D. Bilodeau (NCC / BikeReg.com) 1.36 9 Kristopher Auer (LSV/Trek/VW) 1.47 10 John Funke (SyCip/Novo) 2.16 11 Rob Hult 12 Richard Feldman (Durance Cycleworks) 2.30 13 Jon Cariveau (Moots) 2.42 14 Brent Prenzlow (TUFO/Hotjobs.com) 2.51 15 Donny Mills (Wheelworks/Cannondale) 3.05 16 Michael Yozell (Guys bicycle club) 3.15 17 Curt Davis (Wheelworks/ Cannondale) 3.26 18 Phil Noble (Airborne) 3.33 19 Michael Moule (Cane Creek/Subaru) 4.10 20 Aaron Millett (ESSEX COUNTY VELO) 21 Sean Groom (Team Snow Valley) 4.22 22 Alex Andel (KHSnm.com) 4.40 23 Robert Saybolt (Hancock/MOTO/Cycle Couriers of SF) 4.54 24 Jim Brown (Rad Racing NW) 5.19 25 Thomas Cooke (The X-Men) 5.22 26 Dean Dealy (KHS Bicycles) 5.47 27 Peter Cariveau (MOOTS CYCLES) 5.53 28 Peter Hymas (Tri-Cyclists BRC) 6.14 29 Bill Elliston (Bicycle Therapy) 6.35 30 Jon Alegranti (ProPeleton) 6.39 31 Steve Roszko (NCC / BikeReg.com) 6.47 32 Patrick Wheeler 33 Brian Conant 7.00 34 Curtis Boivin (Union Velo) 35 Mike Hebe (Monkey Hill CS/Aquafina) 36 John Verheul (Ideal Tile/Brielle Cyclery) 7.15 37 Brian Moroney (LSU/Trek/VW) 7.23 38 Robert Campos 7.28 39 Todd Rowell (NEBC/Cycle Loft) 7.52 40 Robert Hacker (Bicycle Therapy) 7.57 41 James Stone (Nittany Velo Club) 8.00 42 Scott Stillwagon (Salsa) 8.06 43 Eric Bowker (Catamount Cycling Club) 8.25 44 John Degele (Bicycle Post / East Carolina Velo) 45 John Meerse (Buffalo Bicycling Club) 46 Chip Sovek (Potomac Velo Club) 8.36 47 Christopher White (B.O.B.) 9.10 48 George Yoder (Team Freddie FJ) 9.32 49 Peter Lopez (dynatek) 10.25 50 David Krattli (Professional Benefits Services, Inc.) 51 Jonathan Murray (Dreambikes Cycling Club) 10.42 52 Lee Moser (pedalhome.com) 10.48 53 Rich Oneil (Speedgoat.com) 11.08 54 Jon Gallagher (Cole Sport) 11.22 1 lap behind 55 Dave Kimble (KHS) 56 Mark Donahue (Southern Me. Cycling Club) 57 Russell Jones (CRC - Extreme) 58 Darren Crupi (Bennetts Bicycles) 59 Tom Mains (Ready-Pac/Commerce Bank) 60 Scott Ramsey (Charlottesville Racing Club/Extreme Sports) 61 Todd Crisafulli (Boston Bicycle Club/Community Bike) 62 Jay Thomas (CCB/Volkswagen) 63 Judd Milne (Potomac Velo Club) 64 Paul Sadorky (Squadra Corsa) 65 Kevin Crossin (unnattached) 66 Todd Pittman (unattached) Master Men 35-39 - 63 Starters, 5 Laps 1 James Coats (Steelman Cycles) 45.37 2 Gunnar Shogren (Guinness/FORT Frames/Allegheny Cyc) 0.30 3 Doug Ott (Team Jamba Juice) 0.35 4 Jonathan Card (CANE CREEK/KAVIK BICYCLES) 0.45 5 Greg Ferguson (Trek VW JBL east) 0.53 6 Art O'connor 0.57 7 Dennis Farrell (Red Rocks Velo) 1.09 8 Chris D'aluisio (Specialized) 1.27 9 Thomas Clark (ZG Velo Club) 1.36 10 Rich Maile (Team City) 11 Eric Schlauch (Somerset Wheelmen) 12 Jan Wiejak (FUJI Bikes / Test Pilot) 1.54 13 Andy Applegate (Cane Creek / Subaru) 14 Bevan Quinn (Putney/West Hill) 2.22 15 Richard Mihills (First State Velo Sport) 3.17 16 Tim Haitz (syrc) 3.24 17 Jeff Caton (Napa Valley Velo/Inglis Cycles) 18 Michael Bernard 4.05 19 Noah Gullickson (Test Pilot) 4.07 20 Ken Smith (crrc/mathis bros) 4.15 21 Gannon Myall (MAKO/SILKS) 4.23 22 John Lux (First Capital Velo) 23 Terry Mcginnis (MiDuole) 5.20 24 Sam Morse (Mass Bay Road Club) 5.44 25 Rob Gallucio (FSVS) 26 Jessie Gascon (Team Shimano) 6.30 27 Paul Weiss (Portland Velo Club) 6.43 28 Jeffrey Putman (Ocean Velo Club) 6.47 29 Brian Mcinnis (Travis Cycle) 7.04 30 Stephen Caffrey (First State Velo Sport) 7.14 31 Christopher Smith (NEBC/CycleLoft) 7.25 32 Drew Landers (Novo/Sycip) 7.32 33 Sean Wittmer 34 Robert Lyon (FIRST CAPITAL VELO) 7.42 35 Doug Aspinwall (NCC / BikeReg.com) 8.13 36 Christopher Merriam (Unnattached) 8.26 37 Kevin Vincent (Lone Star Racing) 8.30 38 Robert Courtemanche (eastern bloc) 8.37 39 Wayne Cunningham (NEBC/Cycle Loft) 8.58 40 Kurt Dodds (Wissahickon Cyclery / Comcast) 9.19 41 Jeffrey R. Guy (Allegheny Cycling Association) 42 Scott Flynn (Team Snow Valley) 10.03 43 Sal Ardagna (CICLISMO SPORTIVO ARDAGNA) 10.50 44 Christopher Mobley (Squadra Coppi) 11.10 45 Gene Garneau (mercy fitness cycling team) 11.30 46 Michael Satterfield (Greensboro Velo Club) 12.13 47 Euclides Amado (syrc steadman) 1 lap behind 48 Ian Reid (K2 Telemark/Clif) 49 Michael Vanrandwyk 50 Bob Piacine (Guys Bicycles) 51 Daniel Russell (Missing Link) 52 Mike Culpepper (outspokin) 53 John Riedel (Independent Fabrication) 54 Charles La Punzina (Kissena Cycling Club) 55 Jay Downs (Guinness?All-Ireland Racing) 56 Mark Mccabe (3D/HP) Master Men 45-49 - 40 Starters, 5 Laps 1 Paul Curley (Team Gearworks) 47.31 2 Henry Kramer (Equipe Le Matin) 0.56 3 Timothy Groesbeck (CCB) 2.50 4 Norm Kreiss (clif bar) 3.14 5 Shannon Fox (Cody Racing) 3.16 6 Tim Bailey (Team Bike link) 3.40 7 Steven Kinney (Snow Valley/Annapolis Bicycle Raci) 4.41 8 Karl Faruzel (Tioga Velo/Metalurges/Chenango Poi) 5.00 9 Dirk Cowley (Rocky Moutian Cycling cCub) 5.07 10 Jerry Meyers (l'equipe Cheval) 5.51 11 William Sawyer (NEBC) 6.01 12 Kevin Breckenmaker (Tean Garrusbyrg) 6.32 13 Jim Bronson (Power/Mama) 6.35 14 Patrick Kennedy (Somerset Wheelmen) 15 Michael Spak (Lakewood Racing Team) 7.58 16 Anthony Bilotta (CRC) 8.15 17 Albert Mills (Elon Bike Shop/Alamance Bike Club) 8.24 18 Jim Quinn (the bicycle link) 8.28 19 Ronne Irvine (Fuji Racing T.E.A.M.) 8.45 20 Gary Trull (GVC/Cycles de Oro) 9.06 21 Paul Langlois (PoWER/MAMA) 9.09 22 Joseph Canino (Somerset Wheelmen) 9.22 23 Dave Olds (East Coast Bikes) 24 Ron Peeleman (X-men) 9.30 25 Marshall Sacks (Team Harrisburg) 9.40 26 Gary Dugovich (Allegheny Cycling Association) 10.12 27 Bernard Klees (Evolution Pro Bike Shop) 10.40 28 Andrew Ammon (COOL BREEZE CYCLERY) 11.34 29 Kerry Shields (Hearts Racing Club) 30 David Garfield (Team Bill Bone) 1 lap behind 31 Michael Rabe (Wolverine Sports Club/Frankie Andreu) 32 Keith Bontrager (Fisher) 33 David Morrow 34 Steve Baker (Capital Cycling Club/Spin Cycle) Master Men 50-54 - 20 Starters, 5 Laps 1 David Rath (GMBC Excite/SmartFUEL) 50.02 2 Phillip Bannister (Putney/West Hill) 0.20 3 Fred Wittwer (charlottesville racing club) 0.26 4 David Genest (Richard Sachs) 3.10 5 Darrell Vreugdenhil (Team Snow Valley) 3.14 6 Peter Wilson (Cyclonauts Racers, Inc.) 3.47 7 Larry Smith (Durance Cycleworks) 4.21 8 Donald Morrison (Wissahickon/Comcast) 4.54 9 Leone Pizzini (First State Velo Sport) 6.52 10 Tommy Oneal (Gulf Coast Cycling Association) 11 Anthony Loproto (Peerless Insurance / Heart of NE) 12 Nunzio Dibiasi (Team Harrisburg) 13 Joseph Brown (Flying Rhino C.C.) 14 James Carlson (Potomac Velo Club) 15 Thomas Gee (St. Louis Cycling Club) 16 John Warfel (Christiana Cycling) 17 Scott Scudamore (Potomac Velo Club) 18 William Neumann (ABRT / Team Snow Valley) 19 Bill Hellwig (potomac velo) 5.32 Master Men 55+ - 9 Starters, 5 Laps 1 John Elgart (Webcor/Alto Velo) 54.07 2 Joe Saling (Somerset Wheelmen) 3 Rob Lea (Fuji Racing Team) 4 Keith Gregory (Bicycle Man) 5 Giulio Porta (Potomac Velo Club) 6 Philip Thompson (Mohawk Valley Bicycling Club) 7 Karl Dittebrandt (Kissena) 8 Jim Cushing-Murray (Celo Pacific) 9 Ben Williams Iii (Potomac Velo/A1 cycling) Master Women 30-34 - 12 Starters, 4 Laps 1 Katrina Davis (Richard Sachs) 42.38 2 Christine Iltis (New Moon Media/ Utah Premier) 0.22 3 Jennifer Maxwell (Cane Creek) 1.18 4 Nicole Amarel (Steelman/ABS) 1.58 5 Caroline Hacker (Evolution Racing) 2.04 6 Heather Peck (Wheelworks/Cannondale) 2.16 7 Christine Cunningham (Turin) 3.30 8 Margell Abel (Veritas) 3.57 9 Sami Fournier (TSV) 10 Suzanne Filippone (Trek Bicycles - New England) 5.37 11 Jill Morgan (Evolution Pro Bike) 6.45 12 Kirsten Plehn (Independent Fabrication) 8.01 13 Lisa Bourazak (Turin) 8.21 Master Women 35-39 - 12 Starters, 4 Laps 1 Elizabeth Coleman (SOBE/HEADSHOK) 42.34 2 Wanda Howlett (TI/Bond Agent) 0.24 3 Dorothy Wong (Kelly Bike Company) 1.27 4 Julie Lewis (Team Lake Effect Racing) 2.00 5 Kelly Yoder (Team Talgoamerica.com) 3.54 6 Stacey Gold (EVOLUTION RACING) 6.16 7 Tammy Ebersole (Evolution/Independent Fabrications) 6.51 8 Dawn Richardson (Verizon Wireless) 7.14 9 Sabine Dukes (Steelman Cycles) 8.03 10 Donna Anderson (Evolution Racing) 9.17 Master Women 40-44 - 8 Starters, 4 Laps 1 Jodi Groesbeck (Putney/West Hill) 41.00 2 Susan Maclean (BOB) 1.21 3 Kkathy Sarvary (Midstate Cycling Club) 2.26 4 Vivian Chwalinski (parkside SUBWAY) 4.37 5 Joanne Macayeal (unattached) 11.08 6 Jennifer Atkinson 12.36 1 lap behind 7 Margaret Cabrinety (Chesapeake Wheelman) Master Women 45+ - 8 Starters, 4 Laps 1 Bonnie Stoeckl (Evolution) 46.34 2 Katherine Farago (NEBC/CycleLoft) 0.51 3 Linda Elgart (Webcor/Alot Velo) 1.30 4 Tracy Lea (Fuji Racing Team) 3.24 5 Margaret Thompson (MVBC/Aegis) 3.54 6 Ann Beckenhauer (Potomac Velo Club) 4.49 7 Pamela Zimmerman (James River Velo Sport) Men Under-23 1 Adam Craig (DEVO) 45.23 2 Jackson Stewart (Olympic Club) 0.30 3 Tyler Johnson (Ricard Sachs) 0.46 4 Alan Obye (Team Grimace) 1.07 5 Barry Wicks (Bike Gallery) 1.23 6 Ryan Dewald (Beans) 2.38 7 Russ Tiles (Alger-Quiring Cycles) 8 Toby Swanson (Lindsey Wilson College) 3.30 9 Narayan Mahon (Ti Cycles) 3.53 10 Josh Anthony (Saturn Development)