On the final day of competition, Eric Young (Geneva, Ill.) clocked a time of 1:00.433 in the 1,000 meter Time Trial breaking the previous American Record of 1:01.085 by Jimmy Watkins in 2009.
“It’s very rewarding to see the progress this U.S. team is making. Our U.S. women are continuing to set the bar extremely high, and I’m just very proud of how much the men’s team has grown and improved in a little over a year. The results this week have been as good as we could have hoped; it’s fitting that we are setting national records, as I do believe this is the best track cycling team the U.S. has ever had. We are all very excited to continue fighting to be even better,” said Young about the team’s performance.
Earlier in the week, Men’s Team Pursuit squad comprised of Eric Young (Geneva, Ill.), Ashton Lambie (Lincoln, Neb.), Gavin Hoover (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Colby Lange (Vail Valley, Colo.) shattered the previous National Record of 4:02.798 three times throughout the competition, lowering it in the end by nearly nine seconds to 3:53.86 also marking the first time an American Team Pursuit squad has broken four minutes. This time also earned the squad the gold medal and the unofficial Pan American record as well.
The Women’s Team Sprint comprised of current National Record holders Madalyn Godby (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Mandy Marquardt (Allentown, Penn.) also bested the record they had previously set at the same track in 2016 by 0.363 seconds with a new time of 33.35 also earning the silver medal in the finals.
Godby also broke another national record in the 200 Meter Time Trial during her qualifying round with a time of 10.555 which bested her previous record of 10.66.
Jennifer Valente (San Diego, Calif.) earned four gold medal of the competition in the Scratch Race, Omnium, Points Race, and with the Team Pursuit squad comprised of Christina Birch (Los Angeles), Kelly Catlin (Arden Hills, Minn.) and Kim Geist (Allentown, Penn.).
In the men’s Scratch Race, Adrian Hegyvary (Ashville, N.C.) also claimed the gold medal.
In the preliminary round of the Individual Pursuit Hoover clocked a time of 4:14.2 breaking Taylor Phinney’s American Record of 4:15.16. Moments later, Lambie (Lawrence, Kan.) took the track and again lowered the American record to a time of 4:07.25, also shattering the previous World Record of 4:10.534 set by Australian Jack Bobridge in 2011. Lambie and Hoover went on to win the gold and silver medals respectively in the finals.
Reigning UCI Track World Championships Individual Pursuit bronze medalist Catlin decisively took the gold medal with a time of 3:23.184, clocking the third fastest time in History in the Individual Pursuit. In the race for bronze, reigning national champion Jennifer Wheeler (Seattle), triumphed with a time of 3:34.059.
In the women’s Madison, the dynamic duo of Geist and Birch claimed the bronze medal. Daniel Holloway and Adrian Hegyvary followed by winning the men's Madison.
“We’re very proud of the team’s performance,” said Jeff Pierce, Director of Elite Athletics, Road and Track said after the conclusion of the Pan Am Cycling Championships, “As we enter into the Olympic qualification timeframe, this was a great indication of where the team is heading.”
The Pan American Championships are held annually for member nations of the Pan American Cycling Confederation. Riders competing in the Pan American Cycling Championships are selected by their respective national governing bodies and provide another avenue for athletes to qualify for World Championships. A lineup of 10 men and seven women represented Team USA over the five-day event, which started Aug. 29 and ran through Sept. 2, 2018 at the Aguascalientes Mexico at the Bicentennial Velodrome.
