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Phinney named male athlete of the month by US Olympic Committee

By:
Susan Westemeyer
Published:
November 13, 2010, 11:53,
Updated:
November 13, 2010, 12:17
Edition:
First Edition Cycling News, Sunday, November 14, 2010
Taylor Phinney (USA) tries his best superman pose on the podium.

Taylor Phinney (USA) tries his best superman pose on the podium.

  • Taylor Phinney (USA) tries his best superman pose on the podium.
  • Taylor Phinney (USA) awaiting the start of the U23 road race
  • Guillaume Boivin (Canada) and Taylor Phinney (USA) tied for third place.
  • The second frame of the photo finish for third place between Taylor Phinney (USA) and Guillaume Boivin (Canada).

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American medaled in both the road race and time trial at the world championships

Taylor Phinney has been named Male Athlete of the Month by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) after winning the Under 23 time trial title at the world championships in Australia and bronze in the road race.

Phinney, who is still only 20, was the first American to win a medal in the Under 23 road race. He tied with Canadian Guillaume Boivin for third place only two days after winning gold in the time trial. It was the first time since 2004 that an Under 23 rider had won a medal in both events.

Phinney was nominated by his sport's National Governing Body, and the nominees were then subject to public voting. He promoted his nomination on his twitter site, encouraging his fans to support him and on the last day of voting even saying that another athlete “is making a late surge! Let's shut it down!”

Upon winning, he twitted, “Hey we did it! Saweet! Humbling.....”

Phinney won the time trial in Geelong by a scant 1.9 seconds over local favourite Luke Durbridge, covering the 31.8 km in 42:50.29. It was not his first time trial world title, as he had won the Junior world title in 2007. In the Geelong road race, Phinney moved to the front for the sprint with 500 metres to go, only to be passed by both gold medal winner Michael Matthews (Australia) and Germany's John Degenkolb.

In the battle for bronze, Canadian Boivin surged up to cross the line simultaneously with Phinney. Even a long study of the digital finish photo could not detect a time difference, and for the first time, there was a tie for a medal.

Phinney will ride for the BMC Racing Team in 2011, alongside former world champion Cadel Evans. He is expected to make his professional debut at the Tour of Qatar in February.

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    Looking ahead to 2012

    Taylor Phinney’s main goal for 2012 will be to race the time trial in the Olympic Games – but with only one spot available for USA riders, and veteran riders Dave Zabriskie and Levi Leipheimer also competing to ride, he will have a fight on his hands to even get to London. The Olympics are a family business for Phinney, with his mother, Connie Carpenter, winning the gold medal in the road race, and his father, Davis Phinney winning bronze in the team time trial and coming fifth in the road race, in the 1984.

    And at just 21, Phinney’s results show how much of his famous parents’ talents he has inherited. If he doesn’t make it to the London Olympic Games, he’ll take everything he learned from 2011 forward on the roads, having given up track for the time being. Phinney will also race a number of the Classics and most likely a grand tour, in what will be his second year as a professional.
     

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