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Cycling - 09. August 2007.

Track Portion of Junior World Championships Wraps Up in Mexico



AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico (August 8, 2007)— The fourth and final day of track competition at the 2007 UCI Junior Road and Track World Championships showed the United States has plenty of hope for a bright future on the track.


The day’s action started out with Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa./Team Fuji-Salamander) competing in her third event of these world championships, the keirin. In Tuesday morning’s opening round, Hayduk looked strong, taking the moto from the onset. Drawing a heat that turned out to be the second-fastest of the day, the American couldn’t hold the sprint on the final two laps and was beat to the line by Canada’s Monique Sullivan and three others to finish fourth. With only the top two finishers moving on to round two, Hayduk was sent to the ensuing repechage. Drawing the first heat of that round, she quickly returned to the track and once again took position behind the lead moto. In what seemed like a replay of round one, Hayduk was outsprinted to the line, finishing fifth and ending her keirin competition.


The U.S. team had one last hope to reach the medal stand in Shirock. The endurance specialist was determined to tackle the 20-kilometer points race in which riders earn points by sprinting every six laps. The young Pennsylvanian hung with the pack in the early going, but with just under 30 laps to go, Shirock began to step it up. A pair of riders representing Australia and Mexico went off the front and with 15 laps left Shirock made her move, bridging up to the leaders.


“They had been holding the gap for a couple laps and I was having a hard time sprinting with the other girls, so I thought I should go,” Shirock explained. “I wanted to get out there earlier, but I just didn’t feel like I had the legs early on in the race. When I got to the lead group we were all taking really hard pulls to hold our gap, so it was tough to hold off the sprinters coming from behind.”
With several fifth-place finishes in the sprints, in which points are awarded to the top four across the line, Shirock’s eighth-place result was not indicative of her overall performance. Although the American squad departed the track portion of these junior world championships without a medal, several encouraging performances leave much hope for the future.


“I am very proud of the effort these athletes displayed this week,” said Clay Worthington, USA Cycling Track Coach. “It would have been nice to validate their efforts with a medal, but part of the value of the competition is that results at this level are rare and unique. I hope this experience is one that each of these individuals can use to grow and improve upon. I think many of these athletes will have more opportunities to show their character.”


With the track portion of the junior world championships complete, the U.S. team will prepare for Thursday’s road time trial competition. Shirock is the lone athlete who will contest both the track and road portion of the competition. She will be joined for the road race by Sinead Miller (Pittsburgh, Pa./UMPC). Miller will also contest the time trial along with Jerika Hutchinson (Mt. Shasta, Calif.), completing the women’s team.
2007 UCI Junior Road and Track World Championships
Aguascalientes, Mexico
August 4-12

Day Four Results:

Women’s Keirin
1. Victoria Baranova (RUS)
2. Josephine Butler (AUS)
3. Monique Sullivan (CAN)


Women’s 20-kilometer Points Race
1. Josephine Tomic (AUS) 28
2. Jenny Rios (MEX) 13
3. Iraida Garcia (CUB) 12
8. Lauren Shirock (Emmaus, Pa.) 2

COMPLETE RESULTS
To view photos from the event visit www.usacycling.org/gallery/album238.

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 60,000 members and 2,500 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization (professional men’s road). For more information, visit www.usacycling.org or contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867.


This Article Published 2007-08-07 22:03:48 For more information contact: [email protected]

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