Nebraska Cycling News

Fort Lewis College Goes Three-For-Three, University of Arizona, Colorado College Rule Day Two

Angel Fire, N.M. (October 21, 2006)--Fort Lewis College won its third consecutive event at the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships Saturday as Friday's short track winner, Alex Hagman, won the 18-mile Division I men's cross country race.  Other key performances were turned in by the University of Arizona who placed first and second in the Division I women's cross country event and Colorado College who claimed the top-two spots in the Division II men's cross country contest. 

After Hagman captured the short track title Friday and teammates Eric Ransom and Noah Singer placed second and third respectively, Fort Lewis College kept its winning streak alive thanks to Hagman who clocked a winning time of 1 hour, 36 minutes and 21.58 seconds over two laps of a nine-mile circuit that included 2,135 feet of climbing and topped out at just over 10,000 feet.  Andy Schultz (Montana State University), the highest-placed non-Fort Lewis College rider Friday, rode to a second place finish just 35 seconds off Hagman's pace.  Last year's overall Division I champion, the University of Colorado notched their third podium performance of the weekend Saturday as Bryan Alders finished third with a time of 1:37:48.23.  Competing in Division I for the first time after winning three straight Division II crowns, Lees-McRae College's Scott Stewart placed fourth in 1:38:26.64.  Fort Lewis College added some more points to their overall tally as Singer and Ransom placed fifth and sixth respectively.

Although overall omnium standings were not yet available, Fort Lewis College is all but assured its third Division I title in four years after several strong performances throughout the first two days of competition.  Only Sunday's downhill competition remains. 

The University of Arizona continued its success in the women's endurance events as Friday's short track winner, Chloe Forsman, claimed her second stars-and-stripes jersey of the weekend with a win in Saturday's cross country race.  Riding the same distance on the same course as the Division I men, Forsman turned in a winning time of 2:03:09.76.  Forsman's teammate, Melanie Meyers, placed second in a time of 2:04:04.07 to add a silver medal to her third-place effort in Friday's short track race.  Friday's silver medalist, Heather Holmes (University of Utah), placed third in the cross country race while Caitlyn Tuel (University of Colorado) and Kathleen Weber (Texas A&M University) rounded out the podium in fourth and fifth.

In Division II action, Colorado College was clearly the strongest school in the men's event as U.S. National Team rider Colin Cares rode away with the win by an impressive six-minute margin over teammate Mitchell Hoke.  Cares posted a time of 1:37:02.34 compared to Hoke's 1:43:16.00.  Friday's short track silver medalist, Braden Kappius (Colorado School of Mines), placed third in 1:44:18.90. He was followed by Matthew Jones (New Mexico State University) and Phil Grove (University of Montana) who placed fourth and fifth respectively.

Amy Drumm (University of Colorado USC) took her second medal of the weekend, adding a cross country win to her third-place effort in the short track race.  Drumm rode a 2:14:22.97 to win ahead of Natasha Cowie (Sewanee University).  Short track national champion, Amanda McKay (Union College) placed third.  Warren Wilson College's Kylie Krauss was fourth and Kate Chapman (Western State College) placed fifth.

Sunday's downhill competition will conclude the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships as Division I and II men's and women's downhill champions will be crowned.  Four overall champions will also be recognized as the top collegiate mountain bikers in the nation after points from all four events will be combined to determine an overall Division I and II men's and women's champion.  Also, a Division I and II school will be crowned national champion as points from men's and women's competitions will be factored together.

2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships

Angel Fire, N.M.

October 20-22

Day Two Results

Division I Men's Cross Country

1. Alex Hagman (Fort Lewis College)

2. Andy Schultz (Montana State University)

3. Bryan Alders (University of Colorado)

4. Scott Stewart (Lees-McRae College)

5. Noah Singer (Fort Lewis College)

Division I Women's Cross Country

1. Chloe Forsman (University of Arizona)

2. Melanie Meyers (University of Arizona)

3. Heather Holmes (University of Utah)

4. Caitlyn Tuel (University of Colorado)

5. Kathleen Weber (Texas A&M University)

Division II Men's Cross Country

1. Colin Cares (Colorado College)

2. Mitchell Hoke (Colorado College)

3. Braden Kappius (Colorado School of Mines)

4. Matthew Jones (New Mexico State University)

5. Phil Grove (University of Montana) 

Division II Women's Cross Country

1. Amy Drumm (University of Colorado HSC)

2. Netasha Cowie (Sewanee University)

3. Amanda McKay (Union College)

4. Kylie Krauss (Warren Wilson College)

5. Kate Chapman (Western State College)