AUGUSTA, GA.— An action packed day was in store for the riverfront district of Augsta, with the conclusion of the 2018 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships. Having to fight the high heat and the even tougher competitors, today’s champions earned their stars-and-stripes.
The day kicked off at 7 a.m. with the women’s 45-49, where Heather Laufer (Oklahoma City, Okla./OKCX pb Celestial Cycles) sprinted for the win. Yesterday’s women’s 50-54 road race champion, Kimberly Petit (Tulsa, Okla./ Papa John’s Racing p/b TREK) duplicated her efforts today, gaining her second title of the championships. Karen Gauthier (Huntsville, Ala.) women’s 55-59 title, Anne Marie Miller (New York, N.Y./ NY Vision Group/Fuoriclasse Racing) sprinted to win the women’s 60-64 critierum, and Norma Hilton (Pacifica, Calif./ Pen Velo Racing/Summit Bicycles) took the title in the women’s 65-69.
Multi-discipline former national champion Larry Nolan (Freemont, Calif./Cal-Nat’s Racing) siezed the men’s 60-64 gold, adding to his collection. Steve Lehman (Rock Hill, S.C./Charlotte Cycling Consortium) sprinted to the top step of the podium in the men’s 70-74 race. S. Durward Higgins (Chattanooga, Tenn./Village VW Chattanooga Cycling Team), David Ellefson (Banner Elk, S.C./360 Racing), and Frederic Schmid (Waco, Texas/Waco Bicycle Club) made it a hat-trick championship claiming all three of the 75-79, 80-84, and 85-89 titles, respectively.
In men’s 55-59 action, Hunter East (Little Rock, Ark./DNA Racing) captured the win, Thomas Bain (San Antonio/Geri Atrix) won the 65-69 men’s criterium, Mark Light (Hackettstown, N.J./Team ProPower/Cycle Solutions) won the field sprint to take the men’s 50-54 title, Rebecca Larson (Norman, Okla./Tulsa Wheelmen) won the women’s 35-39 event, and Dori Buckethal (Glenwood, Md./NSMI Racing) pocketed the women’s 40-44 gold.
The end of the day held some truly exciting racing. In the men’s master 45-49 race, current 45-49 cyclocross national champion, Adam Myerson (Dorchester, Mass./Cycle-Smart), pulled it out for the win. Marco Aledia (Worhtington, Ohio/Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) proved he was the faste man in the 40-44 age group, taking the top step of the podium. And in an exciting conclusion, the men’s 35-39 race came down to a hair of a difference, with Ryan McKinney (Reston, Va./DC Velo Limited) claiming victory over Nathaniel Williams (Grand Rapids, Mich./Michigan Indiana Cycling).
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