SoCal Masters Wrap Up National Championships with More Titles

9/6/11 - The 2011 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships completed on Sunday with nearly 500 riders contesting the second day of road races at Summit High School. Eight national championship jerseys were awarded to men 30-59 and women 30-39 in the road race.
  
Nicholas Brandt-Sorenson (Los Angeles, Calif./Team Velosport Club-Sho-air-Rock ‘n Road), who placed fourth in Friday’s criterium, added a gold medal to his bounty from the week as the winner of the men’s 30-34 road race.
 
Despite starting approximately four minutes behind the men’s 30-34 peloton, the men’s 35-39 field overtook the younger group. Benjamin Thompson (Bend, Ore./Step Down Racing) opened a 30-second gap on the field heading into the last lap of their 110-kilometer contest. His advantage was whittled down to 15 seconds by a five-man chase group with 10 kilometers remaining in the race. The six-rider group, including Friday’s criterium winner Michael Olheiser (Huntsville, Ala./Team juwi solar-First Solar), rode together down the stretch, resulting in Russell Stevenson (Seattle, Wash./Puget Sound Cycling Club-Gregg’s Specialized-Trek Racing) winning a bunch sprint.
 
After two laps of the men's 40-44, 44 of the 118 riders stayed together, creating a field sprint to the finish. Jason Walker (Reno, Nev./Marc Pro-Strava) bolted ahead with less than one kilometer remaining in the race and didn't look back as he cruised to victory.
 
In the first lap of the men’s 45-49 three-lap road race, Dan DiStefano (Tucson, Ariz./RIDECLEAN-RideClean p/b PatentIt.com) and Todd Gallaher (Seattle, Wash./Emerald Velo Cycling Team Inc.) opened a one-minute lead, but it didn’t last. By the start of the third lap, the winner of Wednesday’s time trial Brendan Sullivan (Atlanta, Ga./Iron Data Racing) and Gregg Strome (Bend, Ore.) had broken away, building a 20-second lead. Strome eventually returned to the pack, allowing Sullivan to build an insurmountable lead and coast to a gold medal. Dirk Pohlmann (Knoxville, Tenn./Kentucky Flyers Cycling Inc./Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team p/b Motorex) broke off the front of the peloton to earn the silver medal.
 
“Hats off to Brendan. He did the effort to win. He’s a good winner.” Pohlmann said. “We reeled out too much time to Brendan over that last lap, there was no way to catch him.”

The men’s 55-59 road race started the day and nearly half of the 73-rider peloton separated itself after the first of three laps. As the second lap of its 84-kilometer contest completed, the lead group began to splinter and a group of five riders broke off the front. Included in that group was Dave Zimbelman (The Dalles, Ore.), who will be among the riders representing the United States of America at Masters Road World Championships next week.
 
“It’s a great field,” Zimbelman said of his competition. “It’s really fun to ride with those guys. It was hard to get away. I was lucky on the top of the feed hill on the last lap to come into a head wind and nobody really wanted to chase. I was able to solo it and build a lead.”
 
The women 30-34 followed and Sara Tussey (Winston Salem, N.C./Hincapie Cycling-Green Creation Team), who won the criterium race in a photo finish on Friday, and Jessica Cutler (Seattle, Wash./Seattle Super Squadra-Cucina Fresca Cycling Team) broke away early in the race and worked together until they’d traversed the last climb. Just after the last climb, Tussey found a higher gear to sprint to the finish and earn her second gold medal of the week.
 
“We went away together on the first lap,” Tussey said. “I was very surprised to go away that early. We worked really well together with equal trade offs. We ride a lot the same, so it was really easy to work with her. She’s super nice. I thought I’d wait until the last climb when it flattens out a bit. I think she was expecting me to sprint, even though I’m not a sprinter. That’s where it went. I just worked my guts out to make it stick.”
 
The women’s 35-39 road race came down to a bunch sprint. Hilary Crowley (Sandy, Utah/OCW-Paramount Racing) perfectly timed her bike throw to narrowly edge Amy GraySmith (Aurora, Colo./PreDesign Cycling) and Mindy Caruso (Albuquerque, N.M./Olev Rapido-The Kickstand) at the finish line.
 
The day’s final race pitted the men’s 50-54 against each other for 84 kilometers. Kevin Metcalfe (Pleasant Hill, Calif./Team Specialized Racing Masters), Roger Worthington (Capistrano Beach, Calif./Beakaway-UBS Elite Masters) and John Novitsky (Woodside, Calif./VOS Racing) built a 30-second lead by the start of the second lap. By the time Metcalfe completed his second lap, he’d built a 44-second margin over Worthington and a 50-second cushion on Novitsky. As the second of the contest’s three laps progressed, Metcalfe seemingly tirelessly continued to add to his advantage as he cruised to the finish line to win by nearly a minute and a half. Two riders, Lawrence Nolan (Fremont, Calif./Team Specialized Racing Masters) and Bryan Lofton (Orange Park, Fla./VeloBrew Cycling Club), were deadlocked in a two-up sprint through the finish line. After the officials reviewed the photo of the two riders, they determined that Nolan crossed millimeters ahead of Lofton to earn the silver medal.
 
Additionally, the following riders were recognized as the Best All-Around Rider in their respective categories as well as the Best All-Around Team: Eric Marcotte (Men 30-34), Michael Olheiser (Men 35-39), Jason Walker (Men 40-44), Brendan Sullivan (Men 45-49), Kevin Metcalfe (Men 50-54), David Zimbelman (Men 55-59), Kenny Fuller (Men 60-64), John Elgart (Men 65-69), William Meyers (Men 70-74), Walter Axthelm (Men 75-79), Paul Tetrick (Men 80+), Sara Tussey (Women 30-34), Mindy Caruso (Women 35-39), Susan Butler (Women 40-44), Anna Davenport (Women 45-49), Ruth Clemence (Women 50-54), Linda Elgart (Women 55-59), Kay Tsui (Women 60-64), Dagmar Eriksson (Women 65-69), Patricia Baker (Women 70-74) and the Best All-Around Team was Alto Velo Racing Club-Webcor-Alto Velo
 
USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships
Aug. 31 – Sept. 4, 2011
Bend, Oregon
 
Full Results >

Men - 30-34 (110 kilometers)
1. Nicholas Brandt-Sorenson (Los Angeles, CA/Team Velosport Club-Sho-air-Rock 'n Road)
2. Eric Marcotte (Scottsdale, AZ)
3. Joshua Carling (Rancho Cordova, CA/Delta Velo-Michael David Winery Cycling Team)
4. Mathew Davis (Shreveport, LA/Team LaS'port)
5. Galen Mittermann (Portland, OR)

Men - 35-39 (110 kilometers)
1. Russell Stevenson (Seattle, WA/Puget Sound Cycling Club-Gregg's Specialized-Trek Racing Team)
2. Michael Olheiser (Huntsville, AL/Team juwi solar-First Solar)
3. Anthony Restuccia (Los Angeles, CA/8th Wonder Cycling/Team Helen's)
4. Matthew Gates (Lyons, CO/Mix1)
5. Matthew Carinio (San Luis Obispo, CA/Rock Solid Cycling-ArtsCyclery.com-Wild Horse Wines)
 
Men - 40-44 (84 kilometers)
1. Jason Walker (Reno, NV/Marc Pro-Strava)
2. Kyle Glerum (Emerald Hills, CA/Team Bicycles Plus-SAFEWAY-PureRed Creative-Bicycles Plus)
3. Christopher Phipps San Francisco, CA/IronDataThirstyBearCycling.com)
4. Paul Bourcier Eugene, OR/Lackawanna Bicycle Club)
5. Michael Benno (Portland, OR)
 
Men - 45-49 (84 kilometers)
1. Brendan Sullivan (Atlanta, GA/Iron Data Racing)
2. Dirk Pohlmann (Knoxville, TN/Kentucky Flyers Cycling Inc-Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team P/B Motorex)
3. Richard Meeker (Corona Del Mar, CA/Breakaway-UBS Elite Masters)
4. Eric Martin (Bend, OR/WebCyclery Racing-BendBroadband-WebCyclery.com)
5. Mark Noble (Ventura, CA/FRANCO MRI Racing p/b Wins Wheels)
 
Men - 50-54 (84 kilometers)
1. Kevin Metcalfe (Pleasant Hill, CA/Team Specialized Racing-Team Specialized Racing Masters)
2. Lawrence Nolan (Fremont, CA/Team Specialized Racing-Team Specialized Racing Masters)
3. Bryan Lofton (Orange Park, FL/VeloBrew Cycling Club)
4. Evan Teske (Mission Viejo, CA)
5. Kerry Farrell (Federal Way, WA/Wheelsport Cycling Team)

Men - 55-59 (84 kilometers)
1. David Zimbelman (The Dalles, OR)
2. Robert Downs (Madison, WI/Planet Bike)
3. Wayne Stetina (Mission Viejo, CA/Breakaway-UBS Elite Masters)
4. Paul Curley (Taunton, MA/Mid State Cycling Club-Gear Works-Spin Arts Cyclery)
5. Paul Rodriguez (La Mesa, CA/Sun Coast Velo-UC Cyclery-JW Floors)

Women - 30-34 (84 kilometers)
1. Sara Tussey (Winston Salem, NC/Hincapie Cycling-Green Creation Cycling Team)
2. Jessica Cutler (Seattle, WA/Seattle Super Squadra-Cucina Fresca Cycling Team)
3. Anne Donley (Denver, CO)
4. Carolyn Eller (Seattle, WA/Puget Sound Cycling Club-Gregg's Specialized-Trek Racing Team)
5. AnnaJo Dingman (Bozeman, MT/Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club-Gallatin Alpine Sports-Intrinsik Archite)
 
Women - 35-39 (84 kilometers)
1. Hilary Crowley (Sandy, UT/OCW-Paramount Racing)
2. Amy GraySmith (Aurora, CO/ProDesign Cycling)
3. Mindy Caruso (Albuquerque, NM/Olev Rapido/Olev Rapido-The Kickstand)
4. Mindy Simmons (Portland, OR/Guinness Cycling Team)
5. Kristina Stratton (Spartanburg, SC/Greenville Spinners Bicycle Club-Headstrong)

Men - 80+
1. Paul Tetrick (Evergreen, CO) 1:10:04
2. Link Lindquist (Foothill Ranch, CA/Team Velosport Club) +00:00
3. Albert Piemme (Sequim, WA) +00:02
 
Men - 60-64
1. David LeDuc (Willow Springs, NC/Atlantic Velo-Virginia p/b Walt's Racing) 28:19
2. Kenny Fuller (Corona Del Mar, CA/Cycles Veloce-Team Simple Green-Bike Religion) +00:02
3. Wayne Watson (Denver, CO/Natural Grocers Cycling Team) +00:02
4. Hank Pfeifle (Brunswick, ME/Portland Velo Club-Cyclemania-OA-CycleMania) +00:09
5. David Hixson (Knoxville, TN/Team Gran Fondo) +00:18
 
Men - 65-69
1. John Elgart (Sacramento, CA/Alto Velo Racing Club-Webcor) 36:45
2. Scott Hennessy (Salinas, CA/VOS Racing) +00:00
3. Richard Shields (Fremont, CA/Team Hammer Nutrition) +00:01
4. Gary Simmons (Layton, UT/Bountiful Mazda Cycling Team) +00:01
5. David Burnett (Norwich, CT/Mystic Velo Club) +00:03
 
Men - 70-74
1. Daniel Wulbert (Cardiff, CA/Sun Coast Velo-UC Cyclery-JW Floors) 53:40
2. Stan Swallow (American Fork, UT) +00:00
3. William Meyers (Oak Creek, CO) +00:00
4. Franz Hammer (Oro Valley, AZ/Team RPM) +00:16
5. Leonard Pettyjohn (Boulder, CO/Vic's Espresso-Peerless Tyre) +01:19
 
Men - 75-79
1. Robert Paganini (Los Angeles, CA/Pasadena Athletic Assoc-REMAX) 59:27
2. Walter Axthelm (Durango, CO/Durango Wheel Club) +00:00
3. Frederic Schmid (Waco, TX/Bicycles Outback-Magura) +06:49
4. John Oakes (Palo Cedro, CA/Team Hammer Nutrition) +07:09
 
Women - 70+
1. Patricia Baker (Laguna Hills, CA/Lightning Velo-Cal-Pacific Export Packers) 48:11
 
Women - 45-49
1. Tamara Bessette (Missoula, MT/Northern Rockies Cycling Team-Northern Rockies Orthopaedic) 35:10
2. Lise Grace (Bellingham, WA/Union Bay Cycling-Bikesale.com) +00:00
3. Tawnie McDonald (Bend, OR) +00:03
4. Anna Davenport (San Rafael, CA/Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club) +01:38
5. Susanna Julber (Bend, OR) +01:38
 
Women - 50-54
1. Ruth Clemence (Newport Beach, CA/Southern California Velo-Empower Coaching) 41:05
2. Laura Howat (Salt Lake City, UT/Utah Premier-Ski Utah Cycling Team) +00:57
3. Lysle Wilhelmim (Seattle, WA/Union Bay Cycling-Bikesale.com) +00:57
4. Kris Walker (Pocatello, ID/The Contender Club-CONTENDER BICYCLES) +01:01
5. Jan Moss (Milwaukie, OR) +01:09
 
Women - 55-59
1. Linda Schnepf (Newport Beach, CA/Cycles Veloce-Team Simple Green-Bike Religion) 44:36
2. Linda Elgart (Sacramento, CA/Alto Velo Racing Club-Webcor) +00:00
3. Cindy Morgan (San Diego, CA/CALCOAST Bikes San Diego) +00:00
4. Lesley Jensen (Benicia, CA/One Team Racing) +00:02
5. Sue Lloyd (Wheat Ridge, CO/Peak to Peak Training Systems-WestSide Cycling) +00:15
 
Women - 60-64
1. Kay Tsui (Arlington, VA/HPC) 56:48
2. Martha Iverson (Durango, CO/Durango Wheel Club-Durango Wheel Club Masters Team) +00:00
3. Phyllis Olrich (Grass Valley, CA/Victory Velo) +00:00
4. Joanne Garuccio (Sandy, UT/Salt Lake City Cycling-Millcreek Bicycles) +00:03
5. Narda Roushdi (Berkeley, CA/Team Fast FREDDIE) +01:15
 
Women - 40-44
1. Susan Butler (Portland, OR) 38:00
2. Debbie Milne (Belden, MS/Absolute Racing Team-MSMOC) +00:00
3. Ainhoa Perez-Diez (Rockville, MD/SpokesWomen Syndicate Inc.-parcycles.com) +01:46
4. Dana Walton (E Norriton, PA/Chester County Cycling Foundation) +01:46
5. Brenna Lopez-Otero (Bend, OR/Bend Memorial Clinic Total Care) +01:46
 
Men - Tandem - 110+
1. Jan Elsbach (Davis, CA/VOS Racing) 2:19:20
1. John Elgart (Sacramento, CA/Alto Velo Racing Club/Webcor/Alto Velo) 2:19:20
2. P (Fritz) Tomasello (Dana Point, CA/Radsport Cycling Team/Pinnaclife Racing Team) +06:22
2. David Prechtl (Norco, CA/Radsport Cycling Team/Pinnaclife Racing Team) +06:22
3. James Hopson (Iowa City, IA/Iowa City Cycling Club) +06:24
3. Daniel Shaffer (Ely, IA/Iowa City Cycling Club) +06:24
4. Erich Ginkel (La Verne, CA) +06:28
4. Demi Hechanova (Claremont, CA/Southern California Velo) +06:28
5. Jeffrey Patterson (University Place, WA/Old Town Bicycle) +06:35
5. Steve Matson (Tacoma, WA/Old Town Bicycle) +06:35
 
Men - Tandem - 70+
1. TJ Paskewich (Bend, OR) 2:17:03
1. Timothy Jones (Bend, OR) 2:17:03
2. Matthew Lerner (Louisville, KY/Scheller's Racing Team) +00:01
2. Larry Stickler (Louisville, KY/Kentucky Flyers Cycling Inc/Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team P/B Motorex) +00:01
3. Paul Thomas (Tucson, AZ/RIDECLEAN) +00:01
3. Dan Distefano (Tucson, AZ/RIDECLEAN/RideClean p/b PatentIt.com) +00:01
 
Men - Tandem - 90+
1. Stephen Spanbauer (Louisville, KY/Better Cycling of Louisville/Papa John's Racing Team) 2:14:02
1. William Crecelius (Louisville, KY/Better Cycling of Louisville/Papa John's Racing Team) 2:14:02
2. Michael Wilson (Corvallis, OR/) +01:23
2. John Wilson (Corvallis, OR) +01:23
 
Women - Tandem - 110+
1. Julie Kaplan (Oxnard, CA/Team Hammer Nutrition) 2:35:00
1. Elizabeth Benishin (Palo Alto, CA/Velo Bella) 2:35:00
 
Women - Tandem - 70+
DNF. Sharon Gregg (Seattle, WA/Avanti Racing Club) DNF
DNF. Jessica Cutler (Seattle, WA/Seattle Super Squadra/Cucina Fresca Cycling Team) DNF
 
Women - Tandem - 90+
1. Jill Gass (Santa Barbara, CA/B4T9/Foundation) 2:24:10
1. MaryAnn Levenson (Menlo Park, CA/B4T9/Foundation) 2:24:10
2. Sarah Tisdale (Hillsboro, OR) +11:28
2. Jan Moss (Milwaukie, OR) +11:28
3. Beth Dayton (Salem, OR) +11:28
3. Melissa Boyd (Corvallis, OR) +11:28
 
Mixed - Tandem - 110+
1. Charles Townsend (Mendota Heights, MN/St Paul Bicycle Racing Club/Bianchi/Grand Performance) 2:25:46
1. Sherry Berde Townsend (Mendota Heights, MN/Gopher Wheelmen/Gopher Wheelman) 2:25:46
2. Julie Holt (Bradenton, FL/Best of the Bay Cyclist) +09:52
2. David Holt (Bradenton, FL/Best of the Bay Cyclist/BBC Racing) +09:52
 
Mixed - Tandem - 70+
1. Hunter Allen (Big Island, VA/Peaks Coaching Group Racing Team) 2:07:05
1. Debra Preller (Bothell, WA/Peaks Coaching Group Racing Team) 2:07:05
2. Gil Summy (Nichols Hills, OK/Oklahoma City Velo Club) +00:03
2. Helene Carabin (Nichols Hills, OK/Tulsa Wheelmen/Tulsa Tough Racing) +00:03
3. Dave Campbell (Newport, OR) +00:03
3. Kristina Lackner (Sherwood, OR) +00:03
4. Christopher Martin (Iowa City, IA/Iowa City Cycling Club) +00:07
4. Monika Martin (Iowa City, IA/Iowa City Cycling Club) +00:07
 
Mixed - Tandem - 90+
1. John Slawta (Talent, OR) 2:14:01
1. Jennifer Slawta (Talent, OR) 2:14:01
2. Steven Holland (Vancouver, WA/Emerald Velo Cycling Team Inc.) +00:00
2. Christine Jerko (Portland, OR) +00:00
3. Fred Arellano (Pasadena, CA/Coates Cyclery Cycling Club/Back Abbey/Coates Elite Masters Team) +00:00
3. Liesel Lemay (Alta Loma, CA/Kretzschmr Steel Racing) +00:00
4. Elizabeth Hennen (Ormond Beach, FL/Team Primal Racing/Primal-The Bike Shop Race Team) +00:00
4. Jack Gonzalez (Ormond Beach, FL/Team Primal Racing/Primal-The Bike Shop Race Team) +00:00
5. Kathryn Schaus (Chippewa Falls, WI/Planet Bike) +00:03
5. Gregory Pautsch (Chippewa Falls, WI/Planet Bike) +00:03