U.S. track team hoping for home advantage

Eleven members of the U.S. track cycling team are in Los Angeles making their final preparations for the 2005 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, which will begin in two weeks. The U.S. team is hoping that being able to train and stay in Carson up until the world championships start may be the biggest advantage it has as the host nation.

"Hopefully we will be able to take advantage of World's being held on our home turf and post some top results," said Pat McDonough, USA Cycling's director of track cycling. "One of the best things about having the World Championships at home is that we've been able to set up a camp near the track at a time when the athletes need to be doing their final hard push. We are going to be able to do this right at the track where World's are being held."

Although USA Cycling will not announce automatic qualifiers until Saturday and discretionary selections until Monday, the hopefuls are busy training and setting themselves up for their best possible performances. "Each rider has a different way to prepare leading up to the world championships," explained McDonough. "Preparations are based on which events the riders compete in and where they are in their own training programs."

Endurance athletes Colby Pearce (Boulder, Colo.) and Marty Nothstein (Orefield, Pa.) are racing on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar circuit, having competed in the McLane Pacific Downtown Grand Prix and Foothills Road Race last weekend. The likely madison duo for the World Championships is also scheduled to compete in the Central Valley Classic in Fresno this weekend. Sprinters like Giddeon Massie (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Christian Stahl (Bethany, Conn.) are spending their time in the gym and fine tuning their speed work.