Nebraska Cycling News

Overend, Tilford Among the Winners as Masters Open 2006 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships

Providence, R.I. (December 15, 2006)-USA Cycling awarded 15 national titles Friday as the 2006 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships opened with master competition that saw 626 riders aged 30 to 66 compete for stars-and-stripes jerseys at Roger Williams Park in Providence, R.I.

With the pro races set for Saturday and Sunday, Friday's precursor featured the country's top amateurs and former pros as they battled it out for the title of national champion in what is often referred to as competitive cycling's fastest-growing discipline.

Of those former pros, 1990 Mountain Bike World Champion and two-time Xterra Triathlon World Champion Ned Overend (Durango, Colo./Specialized) earned his latest title with a victory in the men's 50-54 event.  The 51-year-old mountain bike icon and one of the most venerable off-road athletes of any generation clocked a winning time of 41 minutes, 54 seconds over the 10.25-mile course to best runner-up Henry Kramer (Watsonville, Calif./California Giant Strawberries) by 33 seconds.  It was the first time Overend competed at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships since 1985 in Nutley, N.J. - a race that was won by Friday's fifth-place finisher, Paul Curley (Taunton, Mass./Gearworks-Spinarts), and remembered well by Overend.

"I remember that, it was a cold wintry day," Overend recalled. "You didn't have to worry where you started back then, the fields were so small. It's incredible (cyclo-cross) has grown so much."

Next up for Overend is Satruday's elite men's race where he'll mix it up with the top American pros.

Another master who regularly competes against elites and pros half his age, Steve Tilford (Topeka, Kan./Verge-Shimano) earned a stars-and-stripes jersey in the men's 45-49 category.  Tilford clocked a winning mark of 41:00 over the same distance to better Dennis Farrell (Littleton, Colo./Red Rocks Velo) by 1:16.

Like Overend, Tilford will line up Saturday against the pros to measure his talent against the best in the United States.

In the largest field of the day, Richard Feldman (Ketchum, Idaho/Durance Cycleworks-Lehman Brothers) beat 134 other riders in the men's 35-39 category. The 2004 national champion in the same category is no stranger to national titles as the winner of the last three men's 35-39 national championships in the time trial event on the road.

Of the 128 riders in the men's 40-44 category, Mark Noble (Oxnard, Calif./California Raisins) came out on top in the closest race of the day, besting second and third-place finishers Will Black (Fort Worth, Texas/Lone Star Racing) and Todd Hoefer (Watsonville, Calif./California Giant Strawberries) in a three-up sprint to claim the national title.

The Lea family of Taneytown, Md. had a successful day as husband Rob (Team Fuji) took home the men's 65+ title and wife Tracy (Team Fuji) earned a podium with a fourth-place effort in the women's 50-54 race.

In the men's 55-59 category, Fred Wittwer (Charlottesville, Calif./Charlottesville Racing Club) outrode Dan Norton (Tukwila, Wash./Redline) by 17 seconds to secure the national title, while John Elgart (Sacramento, Calif./Webcor-Alto Velo) posted a convincing win over Bruce McCowan (East Greenwich, R.I.) in the men's 60-64 age group.

Other athletes crowned national champions Friday include Deidre Winfield (Charlottesville, Va./Velo Bella-Kona) in the women's 30-34 category, Wendy Williams (Portland, Ore./River City Bicycles) in the women's 35-39 age group, Sami Fournier (Bend, Ore./Organic Athlete-Sunny Side Sports) in the women's 40-44 field, Catherine Walberg (Topeka, Kan./Kenda Tire) in the women's 45-49 category, Kathy Savary (Lunenburg, Mass./Gearworks-Spinarts) in the women's 50-54 class and Leslie Ludtke (Concord, N.H./New Hampshire Cycling Club) in the women's 55-59 category.

Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass./NEBC-Cycle Loft) was the oldest women's rider to capture a national title Friday.  The 65-year-old earned the national title in the women's 65+ category.

The USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships continue Saturday, beginning with the junior categories where riders aged 10-18 will compete for national titles before the women's U23 and elite men take to the course for their shot at a national title.

2006 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships

Providence, R.I.

December 15-17

Day One National Champions:

Men's 30-34: Ryan Leech (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Men's 35-39: Richard Feldman (Ketchum, Idaho)

Men's 40-44: Mark Noble (Oxnard, Calif.)

Men's 45-49: Steve Tilford (Topeka, Kan.)

Men's 50-54: Ned Overend (Durango, Colo.)

Men's 55-59: Frank Wittwer (Charlottesville, Va.)

Men's 60-64: John Elgart (Sacramento, Calif.)

Men's 65+: Rob Lea (Taneytown, Md.)

Women's 30-34: Deidre Winfield (Charlottesville, Va.)

Women's 35-39: Wendy Williams (Portland, Ore.)

Women's 40-44: Sami Fournier (Bend, Ore.)

Women's 45-49: Catherine Walberg (Topeka, Kan.)

Women's 50-54: Kathy Sarvary (Lunenburg, Mass.)

Women's 55-59: Leslie Ludtke (Concord, N.H.)

Women's 65+: Julie Lockhart (Dunstable, Mass.)

COMPLETE RESULTS <http://www.usacycling.org/forms/cx/cx_day1.pdf>