Frazier Coaching / Frazier Cycling Partners

 

 

FCI NEWS

2010 USA Cycling Juniors National Road Championships

 

By Ralph Frazier

 

June 29, 2010

 

Frazier Cycling's Juniors National Race Team competed in this year's junior road nationals held in Bend, Oregon.  Our team had what is arguably our most successful showing has they acquired seven medals, including two National Championships, with many additional high places.

 

Medal winners:

 

Philip O'Donnell, 14, was our standout for the event.  He brought home two "Stars and Stripes Jerseys" with dominating national championship wins in the Men's 13/14 road race and Men's 13/14 criterium.  Also, Philip was second in the Men's 13/14 time trial.  Philip's combined achievements were our all-time best standing at nationals surpassing Zoe Frazier's gold, silver, and bronze finishes in 2009.  Philip ruled the Men's 13/14 fields. 

 

In the Men's 13/14 40-km road race, Philip made the winning break with two other racers (Dylan Drummond, Tieni Duro and Daniel Parks, GS Tenzing) about half way through the race.  The three racers built their lead to about 90 seconds before the final stretch.  Philip dropped his foes in the final sprint for his first national championship of this year and the second of his career. 

 

The Men's 13/14 criterium proved to be the most exciting race of this year's nationals.  At the sound of the starter's gun, Philip shot to the first turn, quickly opening a gap on the field.  Only Daniel Parks, GS Tenzing, was able to join him.  The field did not see Philip and Daniel again until late in the race when the two lapped them.  Only four chasers were not lapped; however, Philip and Daniel pulled the field to within eight seconds of the chasers.  As the finish neared, Philip and Daniel backed off the pace much to the chagrin of the field who were hoping that the two strong men would pulled them back into medal contention.  The final lap gave us all the drama we needed... there was a crash in the penultimate turn, which Philip skillfully avoided.  Daniel Parks was not so fortunate - he fell.  Not realizing that Daniel had crashed, Philip accelerated for the line and once again dropped the field to win his second consecutive race and national title.  The drama was not over for Daniel as he ran disabled bike for the final 250 meters across the finish line to salvage the silver medal just ten seconds ahead of the sprinting chase group who were left to battle for third place. 

 

Dominique Shore, 14, medaled twice to lead our girls.  She placed fifth in both the Women's 13/14 road race and criterium.   Additionally, Dominique was ninth in the Women's 13/14 time trial.   She was our most aggressive rider.  Katrina Howard won both the road race and criterium with dominate performances.  In these races, Dominique was the most active competitor in leading the chasers in what proved to be futile attempts to bring back the champion.  Deservedly, Dominique earned national medals for her efforts.

 

Zoe Frazier, 15, was our most resilient medalist as she won the bronze in the Women's 15/16 time trial on the final day of her competition.  Zoe experienced disappointments in the road race and criterium where she was announced as one of the favorites.  In the Women's 15/16 road race, Zoe looked poised to take our second national title of the day behind Philip's crushing road victory.  She was among the select nine in the final turn of the sprint to the finish.  Zoe was in the same position last year when she zoomed across the line to win the Women's 13/14 road race.  But as the sprint started, Zoe and defending Women's 15/16 road champion, Grace Alexander, Byrds, were forced wide into some gravel along the edge of the roadway and they were unable to contest for the win.  Zoe finished eighth and Grace was ninth. 

 

In the Women's 15/16 criterium, Zoe wasn't feeling well and she fell off the pace early in the race.  After a few laps, we pulled her out.  It was the only second time she had to abandon race in her career.

 

The next day was the Women's 15/16 time trial.  Zoe looked very determined before the race.  As it turned out, Zoe was her normal self.  She took the bronze medal and she was the top 15-year-old finisher.  She just missed winning her third national title by a scant 13 seconds in the 24 km race.  Zoe remains our all-time national medal winner with a total of 10 dating back to 2006.

 

James Todd, 12, won his first medal, fifth place, in the Men's 10-12 criterium.  His medal followed a disappointing opening day in the road race, his best event.  After only two kilometers of the Men's 10-12 20-km road race, there was a pile up at the front.  Although James was able to avoid the crash, a racer behind him struck James' rear derailleur making it unusable.   James limped his bike for one lap around the main circuit trailing the field before Coach Kelli had him withdraw.  It was a real setback for our team and, of course, James, but his attitude was great.  James' parents, Candice and Keith, took the disabled bike to a local shop for parts and repairs.  His bike was made ready for the next day's criterium.

 

James raced get in the Men's 10-12 criterium.  He stayed and played with the leaders throughout the race.  He managed a hard fought fifth place medal holding off one of the top favorites, Matteo Jorgenson, Byrds, by one tenth second.   The Men's 10-12 criterium was Frazier Cycling's best showing at this year's nationals.  James led the way as all of our Men's10-12 representatives placed in the top 16: Teja Gummadi was ninth, Adi Gummadi was 11th, and Rishi Mocherla was 16th.

 

National Team:

 

Abigail Aldridge, 13, placed 6th in the Women's 13/14 criterium, 7th in the time trial, and 9th in the road race.

 

Ally Beach, 16, competed in her first national championship event.  Her top performance was the Women's 15/16 time trial where she placed a very impressive seventh.  She was 11th in the road race and 13th in the criterium.

 

Stephanie Cucaz, competed in her first national championship event.  She finished a very impressive tenth in the Women's 17/18 criterium.  She also placed 14th in the time trial and 15th in the road race.

 

David Goodman, 17, completed the most epic race of the nationals by placing 36th with the field of the Men's 17/18 113-km road race only 34 seconds behind the invincible Lawson Craddock, this year's only triple winner.  These juniors had the fastest race of the day - surpassing the Men's U-23 and Elite Men with an average speed of 25.815 mph!  David placed 51st in the time trial.  He abandoned the criterium after suffering from leg cramps about one third of the way into the race.

 

Adi Gummadi, 11, was 8th in the Men's 10-12 time trial, 11th in the criterium, and 15th in the road race.

 

Teja Gummadi, 12, was 8th in the Men's 10-12 road race, 9th in the criterium, and 15th in the time trial.

 

Andrew Hodges, 16, had great success in these national championship races.  He was in the field sprints of both the Men's 15/16 road races and criterium, placing 37th and 42nd, respectively.  Andrew placed 46th in the time trial.

 

Andrew Macrae, 15, nearly escaped with the Men's 15/16 national criterium championship with his furious attack on the field with just over 2 laps remaining in the race.  He churned out the race's fastest lap, 29.5 mph, and held a 10 second advantage going into the final 1-km lap.  A desperate field caught Andrew just before the final turn.  It was a brilliant move that caught everyone off guard!  He finished in 50th place, which is no indication of his outstanding performance.  Andrew's best finishing place was 17th in a hotly contested field sprint of the 60-km road race.  Also, Andrew was 30th in the time trial.

 

Rishi Mocherla, 12, was 16th in the Men's 10-12 criterium, 24th in the road race, and 35th in the time trial.

 

Russell Tindol, 17, was 91st in the Men's 17/18 time trial.

 

Sam Tomaka, 16, was 61st in the Men's 15/16 time trial.

 

Results for 2010 USA Cycling Juniors National Road Race Championships