ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Thursday saw 19 Time Trial National Champions crowned on the first of four straight days of racing in Albuquerque. Racers battled fast times and rising temperatures on a 40-kilometer and a 20-kilometer, out and back course that featured several hundred feet of elevation gain.
The day began at 8:31 a.m. with the Men’s 35-39 race. Jadon Jaeger (Wauwatosa, Wis.; Adapt Cycling) was the first national champion crowned after finishing in a time of 47:50.21. He threw down the fastest time of the day on the wide-open course. Jaeger is the former time trial national champion after taking the win in 2019 and also competed on the 2020 Esport World Championship team. In the Men’s 40-44 race, Bastian Rose (White
Plain, N.Y.) took the win after finishing his race in a time of 49:33.87. Michael Olheiser (Huntsville, Ala.; Monster Racing), a rider who’s been racing for well over 20 years and has competed in countless national championships, took the top step in the Men’s 45-49 race. Patrick Warner (Boulder, Colo.; Stages Cycling), who can be seen flying around the track as well, took gold in the Men’s 50-54 race. Warner has been racing for well over 20-years and has won multiple national championships. Daniel Casper (Saint Paul, Minn.; Donkey Label Racing), a former world champion, took first after clocking in at a time of 51:33.52.
The impressive performances continued as Robert Fisher (Monument, Colo.; Tierra Plan Racing) took home his first-ever gold medal in the Men’s 60-64 race, with a time of 53:30.97. Stefanie Sydlik (Pittsburgh, Pa.; 3T/Q+M Cycling) has competed at several national championships and took home her first-ever win today in the Women’s 35-39 race. In the Women’s 40-44 race, Christie Tracy (Austin, Texas; 3T/Q+M Cycling) added to her two previous national championship wins with yet another stars and stripes jersey. Mindy Caruso (Albuquerque, N.M.; Nero Veloce p/b Mich) won the Women’s 45-49 category, finishing in a time of 57:39.28. Winning isn’t anything new for Caruso; she has several stars and stripes jerseys in her collection. Kathy Alvarez (Santa Fe, N.M.; RA Racing Apparel/BM) won the Women’s 50-54 race.
During the second half of the day, riders took to the 20-kilometer time trial course. Jim Dickerson (Fort Collins, Colo.; Great Divide Brewing Cycling Team), a long-time member of USA Cycling, won the Wen’s 65-69 race after finishing in a time of 26:31.46. Wayne Watson (Denver, Colo.; Chalet/Celebrity) also had an impressive ride and finished first in the Men’s 70-74 race. He clocked a time of 27:12.09. Watson has won eight national championships since 2006. In the Men’s 75-79 category, Durward Higgins (Chattanooga, Tenn.; Hammer Super Masters) won gold. His finish time was 29:11.98.
Racing continued with Stan Swallow (American Fork, Utah; Team Endurance 360) taking gold in the Men’s 80-84 race. Swallow also has an impressive resume, winning multiple national championships in years past. The day continued to heat up as riders started to take to the course in 30-second intervals. Walt Axthelm (Durango, Colo.) has won 17 national championships since 2006 and took home another win in the Men’s 85-89 race. Andi Smith (Bend, Ore.; Sunnyside Sports) had an awesome ride in the Women’s 55-59 race and finished in a time of 29:33.61 which earned her a national title. In the Women’s 60-64 category, Susan Rice (Albuquerque, N.M.; K4 DNA Masters Racing) claimed the top step.
Racing concluded with Pat Caldeira (Crofton, Md.) winning the Women’s 65-69 race and Laura Lindgren (Long Beach. Calif.; Sisterhood of Cycling) winning the Women’s 70-74 race. Caldeira and Lindgren have been USA Cycling members for over 20 years. They have both competed in multiple national championships and have a rich history of strong performances.
Racing continues tomorrow with riders taking to the 52.5-kilometer Road Race course at the Vista Grand Community Center. Be sure and follow @USACyclingLive on Twitter for live updates.
Full results can be found here.
Check out the photo gallery from today by clicking here.
Visit USACycling.org for more information on the athletes, events, and membership programs, and follow @USACycling across all channels for the latest on Team USA.
ABOUT USA CYCLING (usacycling.org)
USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, and BMX. USA Cycling’s mission is to champion accessibility, participation, and excellence in the sport of cycling to make more Americans healthier, happier, and better on two wheels while achieving sustained international racing success. USA Cycling supports cyclists at all levels, from those just beginning in the sport and participating in fun rides to international caliber racers. The organization identifies, develops, and selects cyclists to represent the United States in international competition through the support of kids’ and interscholastic programs, amateur bike racing and grassroots development programs, and the provision of critical infrastructure to run organized racing. USA Cycling has a membership of 100,000, annually sanctions over 2,500 events, and is a proud member of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
