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Stars and Stripes in the Green Mountain State
The 2008 USA Cycling national mountain bike championships opened on Thursday, July 17, with a host of youngsters battling for much-coveted cross-country titles. First to grab a stars and stripes jersey was Tad Elliott, who took his first national title in the men’s U23 race.
“I’ve never been a national champion in anything before, so this is huge for me,” said Elliott, an accomplished nordic ski racer from Durango, Colorado. “I was really nervous, so I was just trying to keep it smooth.”
Elliott assumed the lead after reigning champ Sam Jurekovic of the U23 national team crashed hard just three minutes into the event. Jurekovic, who hails from Wyoming, sprung to an early lead up the course’s opening fire road climb, but lost his focus on the ensuing descent. The 22-year-old Jurekovic momentarily took his eyes off the loose sand when a downhill racer, practicing on the adjacent downhill course, came into view.
“It happened really fast but I had the presence of mind to stay on the ground,” said Jurekovic, who watched as the entire U23 men’s field spun by his splayed out body. “I knew if I got up I’d probably get run over.”
Jurekovic remounted his bike and gave chase, but midway through the first lap the adrenaline wore off and he began to reel from his badly sprained right shoulder, and abandoned.
Elliott rode away with Utah native Mitchell Peterson and Colin Cares of Boulder, Colorado. Elliott pulled away to victory on the fourth and final lap, with Peterson and Cares rounding out the podium.
Winning the women’s race was defending champion Chloe Forsman who attends the University of Arizona in Tucson. Forsman, who rides on the Luna pro women’s team, is the current collegiate national cross-country champ and finished second in the 2008 road race collegiate championships.
Forsman resigned her spot from the 2008 worlds team to focus on training and school. To take the 2008 national title she outlasted worlds team member Jamie Dinkins of Powell, Tennessee.
Winning the men’s junior race was Robbie Squire, who hails from Sandy, Utah. Squire is a recent high school grad from Alta High School, and has only been racing his bike for one year. Despite crashing on the next to last lap, Squire rode at the front of the men’s race with John Bennett, winner of the 2008 NorCal High School mountain bike series. But on the final climb, Squire pulled ahead.
Squire is a racing and training partner with Utah local Mitchell and Chris Peterson. The two convinced him to enter his first mountain bike race last year at the Deer Valley round of the National Mountain Bike Series.
“I showed up on my dad’s mountain bike with tennis shoes on,” Squire said.
Squire joined up with John Kemp’s Devo program, and his performance improved tenfold. This year Squire won the junior expert race at Deer Valley and represented the United States at the 2008 world championships, where he was the top male American junior finisher in 23rd.
“It was cool, it made me feel like I’m on the international level,” said Squire, who will attend the University of Utah next year.
Taking the women’s junior race was Southern Californian Essence Barton, who also rides on Kemp’s Devo squad. Just 16, Barton has four times met the United States’ qualification to ride at the world championships, however she is currently one year shy of being able to attend. Barton bested Jill Behlan of team Tokyo Joe’s by 12 seconds.
Stay tuned to www.velonews.com for more news and results from the 2008 USA Cycling mountain bike national championships.
U23 Men’s Cross Country
1. Tad Elliott,1:48:57
2. Mitchell Peterson, 1:50:59
3. Colin Cares, 1:52:43
4. Travis Livermon, 1:53:07
5. Tim Allen, 1:54:45
U23 Women’s Cross Country
1. Chloe Forsman, 1:41:02
2. Jamie Dinkins, 1:42:37
3. Kylie Krauss, 1:50:27
4. Lydia Tanner, 1:50:33
5. Amanda Miller, 1:55:30
Junior Men’s Cross Country
1. Robbie Squire, 1:58:04
2. John Bennett, 2:01:22
3. Seamus Powell, 2:02:27
4. Eric Emsky, 2:02:13
5. Kerry Werner, 2:05:37
Junior Women’s Cross Country
1. Essence Barton, 2:03:00
2. Jill Behlen, 2:03:12
3. Emily Parker, 2:07:32
4. Deidre York, 2:13:50
