The USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships opened Thursday with the Individual Time Trial events on Melton Lake Drive in Oak Ridge.
The championship racing events continued Friday through Sunday in Knoxville.
Here are photos from Thursday’s races by Julio Culiat.
In the races in Oak Ridge on Thursday, Amber Neben, 44, of Lake Forest, California (Cogeas – Mettler Pro Cycling Team), successfully defended her title in the elite women category, according to USA Cycling. She was in a field of 23 women, and she secured her third consecutive gold medal in the individual time trials with a time of 30 minutes and 19 seconds.
The time trial course was 7.12 miles (11.5 kilometers). Women completed two laps, and men raced for three.
Chloe Dygert-Owen, 22, of Port Orchard, Washington (Sho-Air TWENTY20), finished second overall in the elite women’s competition, and she won the national title for women under 23 in the individual time trials, USA Cycling said.
Ian Garrison of Decatur, Georgia (Hagens Berman Axeon), added his second national title in individual time trials in seven days by taking the Stars-and-Stripes jersey in the elite men category. Last week in Hagerstown, Maryland, Garrison won the championship for men under 23 in the individual time trials, USA Cycling said.
“He becomes the first male athlete to capture U23 (under 23) and elite national titles in the same year,” USA Cycling said.
The men’s race featured 38 riders. With defending national champion Joey Rosskopf of Decatur, Georgia (Team CCC), foregoing his entry, the title was up for grabs, USA Cycling said.
Garrison “turned on the afterburners” during the third and final lap on Thursday, winning the race in 42 minutes and 58 seconds, USA Cycling said.
Garrison had trailed Neilson Powless of Roseville, California (Team Jumbo-Visma), for the best time after the first two laps of the final wave of riders, USA Cycling said. Powless had been one of the favorites to win the race, having earned double medals in the individual time trial championships in 2017: a silver in the under-23 category and a bronze in the men’s elite category. He would not fade completely on the final lap in Oak Ridge on Thursday, holding on to second, finishing 28 seconds behind Garrison, USA Cycling said.
The organization said the riders battled heat and humidity, with temperatures climbing to 90 degrees and the heat index reaching 100 by midday.
The races continued with the U.S. Pro Criterium Championship in downtown Knoxville on Friday and the signature event of the championships, the U.S. Pro Road Race Championship, on Sunday. The races also included U.S. Paralympic Cycling events.
For USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships results, click here.
For USA Cycling Para-cycling ITT and Road National Championships results, click here.
See the USA Cycling story for more information about Thursday’s Individual Time Trials here.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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