Awaiting World Championship Roster, Road, Club Picnic

The UCI Track season is wrapping up and the big announcement on the World Championship team should be finalized this week. Here's some insight:

Becky Quinn is ranked in the top 5 in the world in both the Points and Scratch races. She should be selected for the (1) World Championship spot for the USA in both the Points and Scratch. Becky is in a fierce fight for the (1) Olympic spot for the Points race and a World Championship jersey would secure her that position. Sarah Hammer wants to ride the Points Race in the Olympics and when she qualifies her Pursuit spot she is eligible for that position. It ultimately will come down to USA Cycling to decide who is the best candidate for the Olympic Points position...or who can politic better.

Neva's ranking should move her into the top 24 world ranking in the Individual Pursuit (IP)when the final UCI points get input, however, Neva did not meet the US Talent Pool time standards in 2008 so her spot, if qualified, will go to a US Talent Pool rider- yea, kinda sux but for now that's the rules (this changes in 2009). Neva's on a work vacation in Hawaii during World's, so she said Hawaii vs. Manchester is an OK exchange.

Christen King could be the lucky winner of Neva's IP spot and then would ride the Team Pursuit. Christen earned a bronze medal in the LA World Cup in the Team Pursuit. This year the US gets up to (3) IP spots because Sarah Hammer is the World Champion and that automatically keeps the potential (2) available spots open for qualification. Sarah has qualified a 2nd spot with her UCI rankings. Neva's would be the 3rd qualifying spot. This leaves Christen in contention for that spot. Other rider's vying for those positions would be Kristen Armstrong who placed 4th, only .10 seconds behind World Champion Hammer in the IP at LA and 2007 National IP champion Dotsie Bausch. Lauren Franges who received a free pass from USA Cycling on the track this year being a coach's selection without having to try to meet the mass start or pursuit time standards is also a candidate for the TP position. Lauren rounded out the LA Bronze medal team pursuit team taking 1/2 lap pulls vs Kristen Armstrong and Christen King's full lap pulls. Lauren started her career on the track so she too is a viable candidate.


In other news, the road girls started the season at Tour of California. Some will be road tripping up to Merced although the race is not NRC this year, it should still be a good field. More to come on the road updates by one of the riders.

SBW Club picnic is 3/2 and FRS, PowerBar, Cynergy Cycles, and Patagonia will all be represented along with Ole food!