Reed, Carney find success in scratch race

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Two of US track cycling's veterans scored national championships in Friday's scratch race finals. Former keirin world champion Jennie Reed made a successful comeback from retirement, taking her first stars and stripes jersey in the women's race, while Jame Carney claimed his 20th title in the men's at age 41.

Reed retired after claiming the keirin world title in 2008, but said she was inspired to make a comeback when contacted by Sarah Hammer and Dotsie Bausch, who thought she would make a good addition to their pursuit team.

"I am fired up to do something different. It's a whole new experience lining up with a bunch of women," Reed told Cyclingnews.

"It was great, it was actually the first endurance event I've done at nationals, and I've been to nationals since I was 16, but it was awesome to get out there and do it and come away with the title."

With a powerful sprinter like Reed in the field, there were several attempts by other riders to break away, but ultimately none were successful.

Former road professional Heather Albert was particularly aggressive, launching an early race move which was quickly reeled in, and then a late-race move that nearly upset the sprinters. With 10 laps to go, Albert went clear and gained more than half a lap in her bid for the gold medal.

"I knew with Reed in the field there was no way I would win from a bunch sprint," Albert said. "I was racing for the win, and I figured I could be first or last - unfortunately I was last."

Albert has her own comeback story. The 42-year-old has placed on the podium at the national championships in the past, but her career has been interrupted first by chronic fatigue and then a serious viral infection.

Clearly strong again, Albert held onto her lead until 3 laps to go when the pace in the field picked up and she was caught with just two laps remaining.

Reed outpaced Verducci's Colleen Hayduck for the win, but Hayduck was happy with her silver medal.

"I was hoping it would come down to a sprint, and I knew Jennie would be the one to watch. She was right in front of me, and I saw the gap was closing so I just shot through and hoped I came out. I got on her wheel and it worked out really well," she said.

Jennifer Triplett held on for third, besting Erica Allar and Shelby Reynolds to round out the podium.

Reed said she was a bit worried that Albert would not be caught before the finish and had almost attacked with six laps to go, but reconsidered, saying "I'm not sure I have the endurance for that yet.

"I think it was hard to get away because there were a lot of sprinters in the field. And usually if it comes down to a bunch finish I can come out on top."

Carney nets 20th title

The men's race also came down to a bunch sprint, although there was plenty of action leading up to the finale. Jame Carney came off the wheel of Jackie Simes in the final turn to take his 20th elite national title. Not bad for a rider who will turn 42 before the end of the year.

"I've never won a scratch race before," Carney said. "I accomplished my goal for the nationals and now I'll just have fun in the points race and Madison."

It wasn't as if Carney had an easy ride to the line. He factored in the very first breakaway of the race, which went clear in the first ten laps.

When that break was reabsorbed, he followed Al Urbanski (WDT-Allvoi International) into a five-man move along with teammates Ryan Lutrell and Ryan Sabka, and Stephen Bedford. After a dozen laps out front and at one point a gap big enough they could see the back of the field, the move was finally reeled in.

"I really thought the race was over when we were in that breakaway," Carney said. "The other four guys didn't understand that you have to go as hard as you can in that situation - there's no pacing it. You go as hard as you can for 10 laps and lap the field, it's not like you're going to be out there all day.

"I was a little disappointed with that because when we were caught with 38 laps to go, I was probably more tired than anyone in the field. So I had to sit back and reset. I gambled a little bit in the end," Carney said.

The gamble was nearly foiled by Aerocat's Andrew Crater, who launched a brief solo move before being pulled back, only to re-emerge off the front with Iggy Silva (Trek-Livestrong) and Eric Young (Indianapolis Cycling).

Crater said he tried the whole race to get away in a small group so he could have a better chance of winning, but was disappointed that the pair didn't seem to want to work with him.

"Iggy Silva was up there with me but he didn't want to work because he thought Justin Williams could win the sprint, so it was just kind of negative," Crater said.

In the end, the race was all together coming into the final laps thanks largely to the efforts of Omnium winner Bobby Lea.

Jackie Simes led out the sprint only to be overtaken in the last corner by Carney.

"There were two guys ahead of me and I was hoping to get a good run off of them," Simes said. "But they kind of let up with a lap and a half to go, so I had to go a little earlier than I planned.

"I had enough strength left, but Jame had the better position and he has a really good finishing kick."

Carney was more than happy to have the impromptu lead-out, having been eyeing Lea before realizing he was too far back with three laps to go.

"I was watching Bobby Lea, expecting him to go long, but he didn't," Carney said. "I moved up to the front and was lucky enough to be able to slot in behind Jackie Simes, he's a really strong kid. I knew he'd probably go pretty long, so I was lucky I had his wheel."

At 41, Carney's experience clearly helps him to read the races, but few riders can have the energy to execute their strategies they way they could when they were younger.

"I'm probably twice as old as most of the guys in that race, but I am still the same rider as I was 20 years ago. I just never stop training and racing - my life hasn't changed much since I was 16. I'm still traveling around the world racing my bike and having fun."

Massie reigns in men's sprint

With all of the men's sprint rounds in one evening session, the finalists, Giddeon Massie and Jimmy Walker, were in a world of pain at the end of the night. After winning the three-round gold medal final, Massie could hardly summon the energy to celebrate while Walker collapsed to the floor in a mix of emotional and physical agony.

"Jimmy is a terrific talent, and we have been going back and forth a bunch. Tonight was a war of attrition, and it was a lot of work," Massie said. "This is only my second match sprint title and I've had heaps of second places to various people, so I'm really happy to come out on top tonight."

Walker was still out of breath after the podium. "Normally there is more time between rides, so today was really difficult because it was all packed into the same night," he said. "Massie beat me tactically - he wasn't going to let me have the front. He's just really good at covering the lines so you can't come around. It was a good learning experience."

David Espinoza claimed bronze in a half-hearted final over Andy Lakatosh. Lakatosh aggravated an old injury to an abdominal muscle in the heated semifinal against Watkins. "I did everything I could to push through it, but it's frustrating when your body says no when your mind says go," Lakatosh said. "I couldn't accept a medal on the podium without finishing the race, so I still wanted to ride the final."

Bronze medalist Espinoza was pleased with the level of competition, and credits the arrival of the USA's new track coach, Olympian Jamie Staff, with raising the bar for the team. "I've been racing with Andy all year, and every time we race it comes to a photo finish, and I was looking forward to it. But he said he wasn't feeling well, and when I saw he couldn't do it, I wasn't going to tale off and open up half a lap on him."

Geist proves a point in women's pursuit

The women's individual pursuit went heavily in favor of 2008 champion Kim Geist, who blazed through the gold medal final against Cari Higgins to take her 29th national title.

"Tonight was all about putting out the fastest time possible. It wasn't good enough for me to just come and win. I had a disappointing year last year, and I felt like I had to come out at this race specifically and prove that I am right up there with the top pursuiters," Geist said.

Geist now aims to be selected for the UCI World Cups this winter.

Newcomer Beth Newell was thrilled to top Megan Hottman for the bronze, her first medal in a national championship. "I started training the pursuit for the omnium, and it's fun - every time I do it I get a little bit better," she said. "I just want to see how far I can get."

Leibovitz upsets Harm for pursuit gold

After falling just shy of the fastest time in the qualifying round, 19-year-old multiple collegiate champion Adam Leibovitz got back on track to claim a come-from-behind win over Dan Harm.

Having trailed the first two kilometres, Leibovitz turned the tables in the second half to nab his first elite level title.

"For the qualifying I didn't run the schedule I was supposed to, I just couldn't get on the gear, but the second time we created a new game plan to go out slower and do negative splits the second half. I followed it spot on and it paid off."

After taking five collegiate titles, Leibovitz was excited to take his first elite title. "I just wanted to build on that here and get some experience."

Newcomer Feiss goes long for keirin title

Just shy of her 21st birthday, Pennsylvania native Dana Feiss rocketed to a surprise victory in the women's keirin, attacking into the final lap and holding onto an impressive lead at the line. Feiss topped Portland's Anissa Cobb and former champions Liz Carlson and Cristin Walker to claim her first national title.

Hailing from the Trexlertown velodrome, Feiss has been aiming at this race all year. "It's incredible because I've been telling everyone that I want this title more than anything," Feiss said. "I came here with my mind made up!"

Normally one to get behind the moto and race from the lead, Feiss said she decided to try something different today. "It was a different field, and I wasn't sure if I could go from the front." She waited until the last lap to take a commanding win.

In just her third year of racing, Feiss said, "I'm still a bit under the radar, but I hope this lets people know I'm coming for them."

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