Durango Crowns Three in KC

Durango Wheel Club members Walt Axthelm and Martha Iverson, and Specialized  legend Ned Overend all won their respective age group titles this past weekend in Kansas City during the US National Championships. Earning the stars and bars, Martha won her group by eight minutes, Walt by two and Ned by thirty seconds. DEVO friend Robin Guillaume also placed on the podium, 3rd in the U-29 B men. With a mid week snow storm, followed by warm weather, the course changed drastically from day to day.

The FLC women’s team took to the warm air early saturday morning to compete for the Collegiate Title. Moments before their start, an amazing cold-air wind blast dropped the temperature by 25 degrees in a matter of seconds. Lees McRae took the top spot for the women with Teal Stetson-Lee in 4th, Sarah Sturm in 8th, and Sabina Krashaaur in 13th. The mens race followed  with Ben Sontag in 2nd after a sweet almost ending. Greg Carpenter followed in 8th and Jessee Dekrey in 13th. The FLC men won their collegiate race, but for the 3rd year in a row, the overall omnium points ended in a tie, with the tie-breaker going to Lees McRae, 2nd place again!

Other results; Robin Guillaume 9th in singlespeed, Richard Bagienski 14th in master men, Joe Burtoni 43rd in 35-39 master, Jon McManus 65th in 35-39,  Tino Sanora 47th in 40-44, Dave Hagen 60th in 40-44, Travis Oliger in 75th in 40-44,  Terrina Tofoya 20th in B women, Grant Berry 10th in 30-34 men, Ryan Bartel 12th in 30-34 men, Will Curry 43rd in U-23 men,  and Steve Lamont 37th in 45-49.

In the elite mens race, Todd Wells finished off the podium for the first time at a US Chapionships race and placed 6th followed by former Durangoan, Matt Shriver in 7th. Ryan Trebone rode away from the field to take the title, it was his second after being crashed out of last years race. Other Durango fellas in the race were Troy Wells 12th, Brandan Shafer in 60th and DEVO Coach Chad Cheeney in 70th. The elite women’s race went off without a local lady at the start. Katie Compton took a dominant win with Fort Collins superstar Georgia Gould in second. Cyclocross Nationals continues the tradition next year with heavy rumors of the venue being in Bend, Oregon. We’ll see.