Leal wins Mexican title

Veronica Leal rode to victory in the rain Saturday at the Mexican individual time trial championships, earning Team Type 1 its second national title in as many days. Leal was 10 seconds faster than Pan American gold medalist Giuseppina Grassi in the 12.4-mile (20 km) race against the clock over soggy streets in Ameca, Jalisco.

Fernanda Jurado was third, 42 seconds behind Leal, who completed the distance in 28 minutes and 25 seconds.

Leal was happy to have exacted a measure of revenge against the rider who beat her by nearly 90 seconds last week in a time trial of nearly the same distance. It also erased memories of her runner-up finish to Grassi in this same race a year ago.

“I’m extremely excited and very grateful to the people who have supported me,” Leal said. “I have been training for this since January and it’s been my goal to win all along. I’m extremely thankful for all the things Team Type 1 has given me this year. I’m very happy to be part of such a great team.”

Team Type 1 Women’s Team Director Jack Seehafer said he wasn’t surprised at Leal’s performance. “We knew she had the capability and the big thing was that she was continuing to get used to her Orbea Ordu time trial bike,” he said. “The whole team is exited about her win. It was something we talked about at the beginning of the season.”

Leal’s time trial success follows a gold medal performance Friday by Jacquelyn Crowell in the Under 23 time trial and a bronze by Powers in the elite time trial at the USA Cycling National Championships in Bend, Oregon.