Riders: Alister Ratcliff, Max Korus, and Robin Carpenter
Result: 1st D1 road race, 1st D1 omnium, 2nd D2 road race, 5th D2 criterium, 3rd D2
omnium
Written by: Alister Ratcliff
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/us-collegiate-road-national-championships-cn/road-race/results
Collegiate Nationals in Madison, Wisconsin was a great opportunity for our team to post
some results. The hilly selective course was right up our alley, we just needed to make
sure that breakaways with unknown riders didn't gain too much time before the final
climb similar to the year prior.
In the D2 race, Andy baker, a proven professional, rode to a solo victory. However,
Bikereg ride Robin Carpenter put in a fine performance by outriding the rest of the field
up the final climb to a second place finish.
In the D1 race, I was fortunate enough to be riding for a powerhouse collegiate team
in Fort Lewis College. I had 5 other teammates to help make sure that breaks didn't
get too far up the road. On the final lap, Bikereg rider Max Korus attacked and was a
dangerous threat to the race. Luckily the break was only about 30 seconds up the road
and I made the decision that it was time to go. Halfway around the lap I bridged up solo
to the break. We had roughly 30 seconds at the bottom of the final climb and the break
was slowing down. I had to go alone and I had just enough in the tank to stay away to
the finish for my first ever national championship.
The criterium course was an very fast loop and with no organized racing it was
an extremely scary race. Max and myself were both active in the D1 race, but with a
break up the road and no one else to help with the chase, the break stayed away. I
was able to finish far enough up in the field to hang onto winning the individual omnium.
Robin finished 5th in the D2 criterium to end up in 3rd on the individual omnium. A
great showing of performances from the Bikereg team at collegiate nationals. We all
are very keen on carrying this success over to elite nationals at the end of June. Please
stay tuned.
