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Eight Athletes Beat Elite Standards at U.S. Paralympics Road Cycling National Championships
By Marvin Olberding
// U.S. Paralympics
// June 18, 2007
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| Photo by Donna Chiarelli (www.dhcstudio.com) |
Paralympic resident athlete Greta Neimanas earned a spot on the 2007 U.S. World Championships Team with her performance in Denver on June 15.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Four handcyclists and two female newcomers were among a group of eight athletes who beat their elite standards during the Road Time Trial at the 2007 U.S. Paralympics Road Cycling National Championships, part of the Rocky Mountain Omnium, in Denver this weekend.
Alejandro Albor (HCC, Elk Grove, Calif.) led all competitors by racing to 94.61 percent of his elite standard, finishing the 13.2 km course with a time of 21:10.12. Other handcyclists to beat their standards were Denver resident Matt Updike (HCB, 95.45 percent), David Lee (HCB, Cardiff by the Sea, Calif., 99.05) and Oscar Sanchez (HCC, San Diego, Calif., 99.14).
Ron Williams (Birmingham, Ala.) had the day's fastest time on the course at 19:00.88, and was the only men's ambulatory athlete to beat his elite standard (97.88). Mike Farrell (CP4, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Anthony Zahn (LC3, Riverside, Calif.) each narrowly missed, finishing at 100.7 and 100.9 percent, respectively.
On the women's side, Paralympic resident athlete Greta Neimanas (LC1, Chicago, Ill./Colorado Springs, Colo.) was one of three athletes to beat their elite standards, finishing at 98.69 percent. The other two to do so could be considered surprises, since they were each competing in their first National Championships.
Jennifer Schuble (CP4, Birmingham, Ala.) took the women's race with a time of 21:01.97, which equated to 95.7 percent of her elite standard, while Kelly Crowley (LC1, Redwood City, Calif.) finished less than 2.5 seconds behind Neimanas, finishing with a nearly-identical percentage of 98.88.
The top five finishers from the Time Trial earned spots on the team that will compete at the 2007 IPC Cycling World Championships in Bordeaux, France, meaning that Albor, Updike, Schuble, Williams and Neimanas have all locked up their spots.
In the road race, Crowley won the women's race, pulling away down the final stretch from Neimanas and Schuble, who finished second and third, respectively. Bruce Gordon (South Bend, Ind.) beat out Williams and Farrell in the final sprint to win the men's race, while Seth Arseneau (Albuquerque, N.M.) pushed past Albor in the men's handcycling race.
For full results from Friday's time trial, click here. For Saturday's road race, click here. For Sunday's criterium (which did not count as a national championship race), click here.
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