Kneller wins pro men’s division
by Matthew Piper/Herald Sports Writer
Time Trial results have been updated here.
On the microphone or on the bicycle, Kristin McGrath was at home this weekend.
McGrath sat in the announcer’s booth for Sunday’s Iron Horse Classic criterium, but the 27-year-old is a pro cyclist for now, and she displayed that skill set Monday in blowing away the field at the Alpine Bank East Animas Time Trial.
Time trial specialist Ben Kneller also won his second consecutive race in the men’s field to give Durango five out of six winners in 2009’s pro events.
McGrath, a former Division I swimmer and soccer player at Tennessee, was on crutches just days ago while recovering from a leg fracture sustained in a crash in early April.
It didn’t matter: She won the only event she entered in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic by its largest margin, a whopping 57.54 seconds.
“I pestered my doctor long enough,” McGrath said. “The nature of the fracture is that it allows me to ride, the concern was just racing in the pack and getting in a crash.”
Although she took two weeks off from training and felt “about 80 percent” during Monday’s time trial, McGrath thought she benefited from her training on East Animas Road (County Road 250) and the layout of the course.
“Anything with a climb in it is to my liking,” she said. “I was just going by feel and letting my leg guide me.” Tiffany Cromwell took second among the women, followed by apparent omnium favorites Terrie Clouse and Marisa Asplund.
“I either won it or I missed it by a point. It depends on how they’ll score it,” said Asplund, who isn’t surprised that her top competition came from a 46-year-old rider in Clouse.
“Cycling’s one of those sports where women tend to peak a little later,” she said. “I’m 32, so hopefully I have a few more years left.”
Omnium results for the 2009 Iron Horse Bicycle Classic are expected today.
Amy Dombroski, a former Fort Lewis College cyclist, was fifth in the time trial, and Susannah Gordon took sixth.
Kneller had a little more competition in the men’s field, with Greg Krause crossing less than 10 seconds behind in 30:34.46. Kneller’s time was a full second slower than his winning time in 2008, but last year’s event featured a strong tailwind over the 13.7-mile course.
“Everybody has their strength. Anthony Colby is a climbing machine, Chris Wherry is a crit/time trial specialist, and Ben, he’s a time-trialer,” said Durango’s Matt Shriver, the head coach of Fort Lewis College’s cycling teams.
“He’s refined his position a lot, and he’s also a diesel engine.”
Ben Hoffman was third, Shriver (also a former pro racer) took fourth, and road race winner Colby may have secured an omnium title with a fifth-place finish despite facing a mechanical problem with his rear brake.
“It’s really cool that they added that (time trial),” Colby said. “It’s really awesome that they’ve made the Iron Horse event more than the road race.”
Sam Jurekovic was sixth, and criterium winner Wherry took seventh.
