Magner, Ganzar win USA Cycling criterium championships

Associated PressJun 24, 2018, 4:13 PM EDT

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Ty Magner didn’t need to go very far to get some wisdom and encouragement before starting the men’s criterium race as USA Cycling’s national championships.

One teammate, Brad Huff, won two years ago. Another, Eric Young, is a former two-time champ.

So when the pace picked up in the final laps of the 1.1-mile circuit in downtown Knoxville on Friday night, it made sense that Magner looked to his teammates to keep him out of trouble. And after navigating a sketchy final five laps, the Rally Cycling rider had enough to win the event for himself.

Magner held off Young in a sprint to the finish to make it a 1-2 finish for their team, while Samuel Bassetti of Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling finished fast to take third.

“It was just swarming all day. You could come from the back of the field to the front of the field with super wide streets,” said Magner, who finished second to Eric Marcotte in 2015. “You have to plan to win the race, but if you mess up or have a bad day, the guys will have your back.”

In the women’s race, former collegiate runner Leigh Ann Ganzar pulled off a massive upset when she joined Kelly Catlin and Jennifer Luebke in a breakaway on the penultimate lap. Ganzar then held off Catlin in a side-by-side sprint to win the biggest race of her young career.

“It’s really unbelievable,” said Ganzar, who rides for a grassroots team called Wolfpack presented by Hyperthreads. “We all started together as Category 4s and have worked our way up together. To be able to race at this level would not be possible without them, without our sponsors.”

USA Cycling decided to move the criterium championships to the same venue and time as time trial and road race nationals this year, creating a packed weekend of racing. The time trial on Thursday got things going, and the road race beginning and ending in downtown Knoxville concludes the weekend Sunday.

The criteriums under the Friday night lights lived up to their unpredictable billing.

Travis McCabe of the UnitedHealthcare team was back to defend his title in the men’s race, but there were few major moves until late in the race. Rally Cycling with its triumvirate of Magner, Young and Huff were tasked with setting the pace, and they kept the tempo hot most of the night.

At one point, Magner latched onto the back of his former teammates from Holowesko-Citadel, before he ultimately found his way to the front of the pack heading into the final lap.

“Those last five laps were pretty hairy,” he said. “That was probably one of the sketchiest group sprints I’ve done in a long time. The roads are super wide and it was super-fast all the way into that last lap. We had to burn a few matches to stay out of trouble, but I ended up being on the Holowesko train and it was the perfect spot to be.”

Magner has been close to the podium before, though. Ganzar came out of nowhere to claim her win.

With reigning champion Erica Allar sidelined by injuries, the big favorites were Coryn Rivera, Skylar Schneider and Emma White. But all three missed the decisive move on the penultimate lap, forcing them into a sprint for fourth place with White earning that spot.

Up ahead, the 29-year-old Ganzar was celebrating a victory over Catlin by less than a wheel length.

“All the other women here are just so strong, and great racers,” she said. “We decided we would put it all on the line. There was no pressure on us. And so, when the time struck, I made a move and it was kind of a shock we held on. I couldn’t believe when we turned that last corner there was no one between us and the line. So it was just, put your head down and try to hold on.”

Thomas sees Giro d’Italia lead cut slightly by Roglič; Buitrago wins Stage 19

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:13 PM EDT

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TRE CIME DI LAVAREDO, Italy — Geraint Thomas maintained his bid to become the oldest Giro d’Italia champion although his lead was cut slightly by Primož Roglič during the toughest stage of the race.

Roglič crossed the summit finish of the so-called “Queen Stage” three seconds ahead of Thomas at the end of the race’s final mountain road leg.

There were no flat sections and five tough, classified climbs on the 114-mile route from Longarone to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, which had gradients of up to 18%.

Stage 19 was won by Santiago Buitrago, who finished 51 seconds ahead of Derek Gee and 1 minute, 46 seconds ahead of Magnus Cort and Roglič, who just missed out on bonus seconds.

“I’m really happy with this victory. It was the most difficult moment of a difficult Giro for me personally,” said Buitrago, who rides for Bahrain Victorious. “I wanted to try and raise my arms before the end and coming here at Tre Cime di Lavaredo is amazing.

“This is the recompense for all the work that I’ve done. … There’s a lot of motivation for me and the whole team having seen the fruits of our labors.”

The 37-year-old Thomas, who rides for Ineos Grenadiers, is 26 seconds ahead of Roglič going into what will be a decisive penultimate stage

Third-placed João Almeida lost more time and was 59 seconds behind Thomas.

Roglič changed his bicycle shortly before the start of the penultimate climb and he made his move inside the final kilometer. However, Thomas was able to stick to his wheel and the British cyclist made his own attack in the final 500 meters and looked to have slightly distanced his rival.

But Roglič came back and gained what could be a vital few seconds.

The winner will likely be decided in the mountain time trial that ends in a demanding climb up Monte Lussari, with an elevation of over 3,000 feet and gradients of up to 22%.

“Tomorrow we go full again,” Roglič said. “It’s good. We got a bit of legs back, so tomorrow we go full, eh?

“If I wouldn’t be confident then I don’t start. The best one at the end wins.”

The race ends in a mostly ceremonial finish in Rome, where Thomas could beat the age record held by Fiorenzo Magni, who was 34 when he won in 1955.

Thomas celebrates 37th birthday by retaining Giro d’Italia lead; Roglic into 2nd

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 12:28 PM EDT

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VAL DI ZOLDO, Italy — Geraint Thomas celebrated his 37th birthday with another strong ride in the mountains to retain the pink jersey during Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia.

Thomas crossed immediately behind Primoz Roglic, who moved up from third place to second.

“The legs have been good,” Thomas said. “Need to enjoy these moments.”

Joao Almeida dropped from second to third overall after losing 21 seconds over the 100-mile route from Oderzo to Val di Zoldo, which included two first-category climbs followed by two second-category climbs in the finale – including an uphill finish.

Thomas – the 2018 Tour de France champion – leads Roglic by 29 seconds and Almeida by 39 seconds.

“It’s a pleasant day. I take time on Almeida and didn’t get dropped by Primoz,” Thomas said. “I felt pretty good, always under control but Primoz obviously went hard. It wasn’t easy. … I just want to be consistent until the end.”

Italian champion Filippo Zanna won the stage ahead of fellow breakaway rider Thibaut Pinot in a two-man sprint.

With only two more climbing stages remaining before the mostly ceremonial finish in Rome, Thomas is poised to become the oldest Giro winner in history – beating the record of Fiorenzo Magni, who was 34 when he won in 1955.

Chris Horner holds the record for oldest Grand Tour champion, set when he won the Spanish Vuelta in 2013 at 41.

However, Thomas will still be tested over the next two days.

Stage 19 is considered perhaps the race’s toughest, a 114-mile leg from Longarone to Tre Cime Di Lavaredo featuring five major climbs. Then there’s a mountain time trial.