The first race of the day, the men’s 60-64 category, tackled the 73-kilometer course with ferocity, averaging 20.3 miles per hour. G. Turner Howard (Knoxville, Tenn./Knox Velo) went off the front of the 23-rider field on the first climb and rode strong throughout. A four-man chase group formed, but was never able to catch Howard who finished with a national championship time of 2:18:34. Barry Free (Lebanon, Pa./ERA Cycling) won the sprint for silver over his teammate Scott Haverstick (Washingtonboro, Pa./ERA Cycling). The other two riders in the break, Edwin Torres (Bethel Park, Pa./UPMC Performance Cycling) and Rick Abbott (Boulder, Colo./excelsports.com) followed to complete the five-man podium.

Going off just a few minutes later, the 65-69 men’s race saw two riders, Robert Brooks (Auberry, Calif./Team Hammer Gel) and Richard Martin (Attleboro, Mass./Masters Velo Club) go off the front early. The chase group of Scott Tucker (Golden Colo./Schwab Cycles) and Durward Higgins (Chattanooga, Tenn./Outdoor Chattanooga) was determined to catch the leaders and did so halfway through the second lap of the lollipop-shaped course. The four-man group rode the third lap together until Brooks turned it on with about three kilometers to go in the race. He was able to get away and rode solo across the line to take home the stars-and-stripes jersey. The three chasers crossed the line just over a minute and a half later at 2:28.

The 70+ men were up next and even with temperatures topping 90 degrees, 12 riders rolled to the start eager to conquer the 56-kilometer course. Five gentlemen went off the front within the first few kilometers, but it was Franz Hammer (Seattle, Wash./First Mortgage) who was able to quickly go solo. Hammer maintained a sizeable gap on the field, but the race was by no means over as two-time world championship silver medalist Francois Mertens (New Milford, Conn./Zephyr Cycling) was baring down hard and Charles Beristain (West Hartford, Conn./Mercury Brewing) wasn’t far behind either. The rolling course featured a big climb around six kilometers into the loop which saw Mertens nearly catch the leader, only to fall behind on the descent. Mertens was, however, able to make up nearly one minute on that last lap and finally caught Hammer with a few kilometers to go. The two rode across the line together, both wining national championships, Hammer in the 70-74 age group and Mertens in the 75-79 category.

“The course was tough, but bike racing is supposed to be hard,” said Mertens. “The biggest thing on my mind was just trying to catch the guy in front of me. Once I got there we agreed to finish together.”

With all of these racers contesting the same course, the women’s 60+ group made one lap for just over 37 kilometers. Patricia Roberts (Winston Salem, N.C./Paceline Bicycles) led this small group from the gun to win the 60-64 national championship. Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass./NEBC-CycleLoft) had an extremely strong race as well, finishing in 1:35:07 and taking home the stars-and-stripes jersey in the 65-69 age group. Anne Bruen (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) finished the race in third overall after an ambitious ride.

The next pair of races consisted of women only. The women 50-54 and 55-59 races consisted of two loops around the course totaling 56 kilometers. Fourteen women went all out from the gun in the 50-54 race. Even with early attacks, this field stayed together a bit longer than some of the earlier races. Linda Schnepf (Newport Beach, Calif./Simple Green) and Marianne Holt (Matthews, N.C./Outdoorlights.com-Queen City Velo) were however able to break away. After riding together for nearly a lap, Schnepf was able to take the lead within the 10.7-kilometer finishing section and hold on to take the jersey with a time of 1:55:48, only 12 seconds ahead of Holt. Linda Elgart (Sacramento, Calif./Webcor-Alto Velo) and Barbara Grabowski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Velo Bella-Kona) came in nearly 2:30 back to take third and fourth place.

One of the tightest groups of the day, all eight riders who rolled to the line to contest the women’s 55-59 race fought strong in the afternoon heat. Elizabeth Tyrell (Annandale, N.J./Somerset Wheelmen) and Kay Tsui (Falls Church, Va./HPC-List) once again battled it out, this time with Tyrell taking the victory over Tsui who edged her in the criterium two days earlier. Lydia Barter (North Brookfield, Mass./Bike Alley) finished in third with a time of 2:01:37.

At 5:00 p.m. over 50 tandem cyclists rolled to the start line to contest for national championships in multiple categories. All of the tandem groups were amazingly fast, some finishing the 73-kilometer, three-loop course in nearly one hour and thirty minutes. With so many categories racing the course, many couples were racing against the clock and a mix of different riders, but all turned in impressive performances. The first overall tandem to cross the line was Chris Demarchi (Chino, Calif./Team 5 Star Fish) and Daniel Vinson (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Team 5 Star Fish) competing in the mens’ 70+ category. The next riders to finish, in the mens’ 90+category, were Louie Amelburu (Las Vegas, N.V./PaulTracy.com) and Mark Schaefer (Washington Terrace, Utah/PaulTracy.com) only about one minute behind the overall winners at 1:31:32. Cara McCauley (Black Mountain, N.C./Abercrombie & Fitch-BMW-Bianchi) and Andy Applegate (Asheville, N.C./Abercrombie & Fitch-BMW-Bianchi) were third to cross the line and take the national championship in the mixed 70+ category. Diane Ostenso (Cottage Grove, Wis./Spring Street Sports) and Gordon Paulson (Cottage Grove, Wis./Spring Street Sports) collected another stars-and-stripes jersey, finishing in 1:40:53 to win the mixed 110+ division. In the mixed 90+ it was James and Denise Everett (Louisville, Ky./Papa Johns) taking the gold at 1:39:32. The 90+ women’s gold was taken home by Kimberly Celecki (Barneveld, N.Y./Mission in Motion-Mackay Rippey Acupunct) and Margaret Thompson (Clinton, N.Y./Mission in Motion-Mackay Rippey Acupunct) with a time of 2:03:24. The women’s 70+ winners were Jacqui Lockwood (Chandler, Ariz./Team Kenda Tire) and Lisa Zeschke (Tempe, Ariz./Team Kenda Tire) at 1:59:43. In the men’s 110+ race it was John Elgart (Sacramento, Calif./Webcor-Alto Velo) and Larry Wolff (Sacramento, Calif./Webcor-Alto Velo) winning in 1:35:33.

The USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs Presented by California Giant Berry Farms continues Tuesday with the masters 40-55 road races in Champion, Pa. Complete results from the National Festival can be found by clicking here.

2007 USA Cycling National Festival at Seven Springs presented by California Giant Berry Farms
Seven Springs, Pa.
July 6-17

FOR COMPLETE RESULTS, CLICK HERE.

Day Four Results: Masters Road Race National Champions

Men 60-64 73km
G. Turner Howard (Knoxville, Tenn./Knox Velo) 2:18:34

Men 65-69 73km
Robert Brooks (Auberry, Calif./Team Hammer Gel) 2:24:37

Men 70-74 56km
Franz Hammer (Seattle, Wash./First Mortgage) 1:55:08.01

Men 75-79 56km
Francois Mertens (New Milford, Conn./Zephyr Cycling) 1:55:08.02

Women 50-54 56km
Linda Schnepf (Newport Beach, Calif./Simple Green) 1:55:48

Women 55-59 56km
Elizabeth Tyrell (Annandale, N.J./Somerset Wheelmen) 1:58:55.40

Women 60-64 37km
Patricia Roberts (Winston Salem, N.C./Paceline Bicycles) 1:29:05.02

Women 65-69 37km
Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass./NEBC-CycleLoft) 1:35:07.30

Men 70+ Tandem 73km
Chris Demarchi (Chino, Calif./Team 5 Star Fish) and Daniel Vinson (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Team 5 Star Fish) 1:30:22.80

Men 90+ Tandem 73km
Louie Amelburu (Las Vegas, N.V./PaulTracy.com) and Mark Schaefer (Washington Terrace, Utah/PaulTracy.com) 1:31:32.05

Men 110+ Tandem 73km
John Elgart (Sacramento, Calif./Webcor-Alto Velo) and Larry Wolff (Sacramento, Calif./Webcor-Alto Velo) 1:35:33.01

Women 70+ Tandem 73km
Jacqui Lockwood (Chandler, Ariz./Team Kenda Tire) and Lisa Zeschke (Tempe, Ariz./Team Kenda Tire) 1:59:43.08

Women 90+ Tandem 73km
Kimberly Celecki (Barneveld, N.Y./Mission in Motion-Mackay Rippey Acupunct) and Margaret Thompson (Clinton, N.Y./Mission in Motion-Mackay Rippey Acupunct) 2:03:24.09

Mixed 70+ 73km
Cara McCauley (Black Mountain, N.C./Abercrombie & Fitch-BMW-Bianchi) and Andy Applegate (Asheville, N.C./Abercrombie & Fitch-BMW-Bianchi) 1:32:05.30

Mixed 90+ 73km
James and Denise Everett (Louisville, Ky./Papa Johns) 1:39:32.03

Mixed 110+ 73km
Diane Ostenso (Cottage Grove, Wis./Spring Street Sports) and Gordon Paulson (Cottage Grove, Wis./Spring Street Sports) 1:40:53.50

FOR COMPLETE RESULTS, CLICK HERE.

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 58,000 members and 2,500 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization (professional men’s road).