Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"April 26, 2002
Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"
April
26, 2002
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| Army sophomore Men’s B rider Brad Gates streaks past Shea Stadium during the one-kilometer Criterium Sunday. He finished 17th. | ||
Cycling team hosts 2002 Spring Cycling Classic
Story and photos by Jim Fox
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| Junior Tess Allaire was one of many cadets who competed in the Women’s B Criterium Sunday. |
The Army cycling team hosted the 2002 Spring Cycling Classic Saturday and Sunday despite the ever-changing weather conditions.
More than 200 of the top collegiate riders from the northeast braved adverse weather over the weekend to earn valuable national championship points.
Saturday’s 13-mile road race took place in terrible weather at hilly Harriman State Park in Harriman, N.Y.
Sunday’s action began with a chilly, one-kilometer criterium around Shea Stadium and continued in the afternoon after switching venues out to Camp Buckner where the nearly 15-mile Team Time Trials sped out and back from Camp Buckner and along Route 293.
Once all the teams were on the course, a biting sleet spat and dug into the cyclists as the temperatures dropped.
Army junior cycling team captain Mario Giberti said that despite the intermittent weather the events went well.
Participants commented once a
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| Junior Leona Kutsko leads going into the last lap of the Women’s B Criterium. She was edged by Stephanie Swinerton of the University of New Hampshire at the finish and took home 2nd place. |
gain that the Army Spring Cycling Classic is the best-run collegiate event around.
Journalists from the cycling press praised Army when www.cycledisciple.com said, "Army did a fantastic job of selecting varied courses with great viewing vantage points."
The Black Knight cyclists and hosts were also given kudos for having "a rare time trial and a criterium course that was almost entirely viewable from the start/finish area," Cycle Disciple’s Rob Rowan said. "This was one of the best handled races I’ve ever been to."
Army cyclists took on more of a hosting role this year than in the past and the total number of Black Knight riders was less than in past years.
Junior Leona Kutsko was Army’s top finisher taking a second place in the Women’s B criterium Sunday and a fourth-place finish in the women’s B road race Saturday.
Penn State University took home top team honors overall, with the University of Vermont a close second.
Giberti said Army cycling gained valuable experience over the weekend that they would put to good use in future competitions.
Editor’s Note: Information from www.cycledisciple.com used with permission.
