Nestor's Keirin Cup - NE

Lehigh Valley Velodrome, Trexlertown, USA, August 8, 2003

2001 Results Results

America's best trackies prepare for Nationals

By Corey Lev

Popular in Japan, especially as a medium for gambling, the Keirin made for some fast, exciting racing under the lights on Friday at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome. Perhaps the absence of gambling was a good thing, since betting on the favorites would have meant an empty wallet. Becky Conzelman's and Jame Carney's wins held extra significance with the U.S. National Track Cycling Championships less than three weeks away, and being held here in Trexlertown.

Coming into the Keirin, Marty Nothstein was the odds-on favorite in the men's race. While Nothstein's change of focus to the road has left him without the opportunity to train on the track, he has been the winner of this event the past three years. And although Carney is no stranger to the track, having been a World Cup champion and Olympian, his focus is more towards points races and the Madison. But what is most surprising about Carney's win, is his lack of training this year. Attending college full time this past year (he will get his degree in Exercise Science this December) has left him with only about three months to train properly.

However, it seems that having raced for over 15 years at an elite level played to Carney's advantage. Also, he now has the competition for Rider of the Year wrapped up, giving him an impressive total of four, only one away from the record. Jame hopes to set his own record with six of those titles, and feels he can happily retire after doing so.

In the end, it was Marty who had the better night, winning both the Miss-and-Out and the 10 Mile Final. With that performance and his win the previous week at the New York City Cycling Championships, Nothstein is definitely on good form for what he wants most, which is a win at the National Criterium Championships.

Becky Conzelman thought her victory was a good indication that she was building strength in time for Nationals. A relative newcomer to the sport of professional cycling, she decided to focus her career on being a track sprinter this past year after riding mostly on the road last season. She credits her change of teams to the Frisco Cycling Club as being a big help. Conzelman's training partner, Sarah Uhl, was the favorite going into the Keirin, but had to settle for second to Becky in that race and also in the 5 Mile Final. Uhl didn't leave empty-handed though, as she won the Miss-and-Out.

The races

Men's Keirin

With only one round of qualifying, riders had to place in one of the top two places of their heat in order to move on to the final, with each heat containing seven to eight riders. No surprises here though, as Marty Nothstein (Navigators) and Mike Beers (Gotham Cyclists) took the first heat, Kevin Belz (Gotham Cyclists) and Jame Carney (Prime Alliance) the second heat, Jeff Hopkins (Jittery Joe's) and Gil Hatton (Gotham Cyclists) the third, and Andy Lakatosh (Tri-State Velo) and Juan Jose Haedo (Colavita-Bolla) taking the last qualifying heat.

As the motorcycle pulled off with two laps to go, it was Jeff Hopkins sitting up front and Jame Carney on his wheel, while Marty had poor positioning near the back. Hopkins buried himself to stay at the front, and Carney was content to let a small gap open between the two. However the rest of the field wasn't about to let that happen, and so Carney made his move coming out of turn two, grabbing the lead on the back stretch and holding it all the way to the line. Nothstein put in an impressive turn of speed to move from the back up to second, but couldn't come around Carney in the end.

Women's Keirin

Things were a bit easier for the women, as there were only two qualifying heats, each with seven riders, and the top four from each heat moving on to the finals. Becky Conzelman (Frisco Cycling) won the first heat, followed by Cindy Lakatosh (Tri-State Velo), Ashley Kimmet (Colavita-Bolla), and Graciela Martinez (Victory Brewing). Hometown favorite Sarah Uhl (Saturn) took the second heat over Sarah Hammer (T-Mobile), Kim Geist (East Coast Velo), and Liz Reap (Team Fuji).

Once again, being the lead rider when the moto pulled off, held by Kim Geist, wasn't the winning strategy. In the end, Becky Conzelman simply out sprinted the rest to take her first of two wins for the night.

Men's Miss-and-Out

This event had a large field of 25, which meant a tough race with over 20 sprints for position. Larry Detris animated the race by playing the devil for about 10 laps, but with two laps left, the final three came down to Marty Nothstein, Jame Carney, and Jeff Hopkins.

Carney made the first move, attacking out of turn two and getting a sizable gap. Nothstein managed to bridge back up to Carney just after crossing the start/finish line as they heard the bell for the last lap. Marty then dropped the hammer himself coming out of turn two and had no problem holding it to the line.

Women's Miss-and-Out

It was Sarah Uhl, Ashley Kimmet, and Sarah Hammer surviving to dual it out for the last two laps. The trio were still together when they came through for the final lap. But it was Uhl who made the first move, sprinting out of the banking of turn two with the unmatchable speed that won her a world championship.

Results

Men's Keirin
 
1 Jame Carney (Prime Alliance)
2 Marty Nothstein (Navigators)
3 Juan Jose Haedo (Colavita-Bolla)
 
Women's Keirin
 
1 Becky Conzelman (Frisco Cycling)
2 Sarah Uhl (Saturn)
3 Sarah Hammer (T-Mobile)
 
Men's Miss-and-Out
 
1 Marty Nothstein (Navigators)
2 Jame Carney (Prime Alliance)
3 Jeff Hopkins (Jittery Joe's)
 
Women's Miss-and-Out
 
1 Sarah Uhl (Saturn)
2 Ashley Kimmet (Colavita-Bolla)
3 Sarah Hammer (T-Mobile)
 
Men's 10 Mile Final
 
1 Marty Nothstein (Navigators)
2 Jame Carney (Prime Alliance)
3 Todd Yezefski (Nerac.com)
 
Women's 5 Mile Final
 
1 Becky Conzelman (Frisco Cycling)
2 Sarah Uhl (Saturn Cycling)
3 Sarah Hammer (T-Mobile)