Curley, Wittwer, Rollins nab national titles

The 2012 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships continued Thursday with the crowning of 12 masters national champions. Nearly 150 of the country's best 45-80 year-old cyclo-cross bike racers tackled the course at Badger Prairie Park on an unseasonably warm January day in Wisconsin.

Organizers saved one of the day's best races for last as the men's 55-59 event shaped up to be one of the most hotly contested. Paul Curley (Mid State Cycling Club-Gear Works-Spin Arts Cyclery), Robert Downs (Planet Bike) and Norman Kreiss (California Giant Cycling) broke away on the first lap and never looked back, completing the first two laps in a blistering 21:40. As the trio completed the second of their four-lap contest, Curley attacked and didn't let up, taking the win by 26 seconds over Kreiss to collect the 25th national championship of his career.

"I rode from the front," said Curley. "Anytime I could push ahead, I pushed ahead. I wasn't afraid to lead. I even led into the wind, which is uncharacteristic. It just came together. It's what the season is supposed to do. Today was supposed to be the day and it worked out. Full power, good technical, no crashes, great pit crew."

The day began at 9:30 a.m. with the men's 60-64 race. Approximately halfway through the race, Fred Wittwer (Alan North America Cycling) pulled away from the leaders. At first Joseph Brown (Flying Rhino Cycling Club) was chasing him, but Brown was overtaken by Gregory Pausch (Planet Bike), who placed second, 16 seconds behind Wittwer and 24 seconds ahead of Brown, who earned the bronze.

The men's 65-69 contest was won by Lewis Rollins (The Contender Club). Rollins, who employed a healthier diet to lose 12 pounds heading into the event, collected the second national title of his career today.

"This year was a little different than other years. I've only raced twice before nationals," Rollins said. "This course suits me. It's not a technical as I'd like, but it has just enough climbs that are slippery and muddy, downhills that are muddy. If you can bike handle and not fall down, you'll make more time than guys who go fast, fall down, get up, go fast, fall down. I don't know that I'm a steady Eddie kind of guy, but that's just the way it was."

Robert Llamas (Montrose Cycling Club), who played basketball recreationally for about 35 years, won the men's 70-74 race. After nearly rising to the top step several times earlier in his cycling career, the semi-retired psychologist won the stars-and-stripes jersey.

"Yes, it does mean something," Llamas said. "It's the jersey."

After winning the men's 80-and-over race on Thursday, Walter Axthelm (Durango Wheel Club) has entered the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships five times and has earned the gold medal each of those five times. He also earned national titles in the criterium and time trial at the 2011 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships.

"It is a really challenging course for me," Axthelm said. "I'm really glad there wasn't snow because it would have been a dandy in the snow. Couldn't ask for better conditions in this part of the world."

Full Results

Men 55-59