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Photos by: Michael Hujsa
Event details provided by: Joan Hanscom – Valley Preferred Cycling Center
Day One of the Festival of Speed Ends in Spectacular Fashion Hometown Hero James Mellen Breaks Track Record and Wins Sprint Tournament on First Day of a Double UCI Weekend at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center
Trexlertown, PA. On a day that ended with fireworks, the real explosions took place on the track during the morning session on day one of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center’ UCI Festival of Speed. Local standout, James Mellen (USA), riding for Edge Cycling quite literally had a day for the record books when he set a new 200 meter track record by being the first rider in history to go under 10 seconds on the famed concrete crater, defeating Eddie Dawkins (NZL) prior record. Mellen ended the day on the top step of the podium by defeating multi-time World Champions and Olympic Medalists Eddie Dawkins and Sam Webster (NZL) to finish atop the podium in the day’s sprint tournament. Mellen’s performances were cheered raucously by the hometown crowd as the local rider defeated some of the most decorated riders in the world.
It was a great day for the local heroes with local rider and multi-time World Champion Kim Geist (USA), partnered with USA Cycling National Team teammate Christina Birch (USA), claiming the top step in the women’s Madison while riding under the VeloShop team banner. The duo battled to the wire with the Colombian team riders, Jessica Parra (COL) and Jannie Salcedo (COL). USA teammates Kendall Ryan (USA) and young phenom Megan Jastrab (USA) finished in third.
The Men’s Madison was decided by a tiebreaker between USA Cycling riders Shane Kline (USA) and Eric Young (USA) who won the decisive final sprint placing them ahead of New Zealand’s Robert Gough (NZL) and Tom Sexton (NZL). The Canadian duo of Michael Foley (CAN) and Derek Gee (CAN) finished 15 points behind to claim bronze.
In the Women’s Scratch race Colombian rider Jannie Salcedo (COL) broke away from the field early and soloed to victory over Norwegian rider Anita Stenberg (NOR) and New Zealand’s Olivia Ray (NZL). In the men’s race Canadian Derek Gee (CAN) lapped the field with second place finisher Gavin Hoover (USA). Canadian rider Vincent DeHaitre (CAN) finished third.
Racing resumes on Saturday at 9am for day two of the UCI C1 Festival of Speed.
Full results from day one are available here
Information Provided By:
Joan Hanscom
Valley Preferred Cycling Center
https://thevelodrome.com/
