Fort Collins, Colo. (May 11, 2008) - The 2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships concluded on Sunday as Lees McRae College claimed the overall Division I team title and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology won the overall Division II team championship. Eight individual titles were also awarded on Sunday as the three-day event closed with criterium racing in Old Town Fort Collins.

Lees-McRaeamassed 473 points to take the national title home to Banner Elk, N.C. Rival Fort Lewis College finished in second (424) and host Rams of Colorado State University (362) earned the third spot. After winning the women's DII team time trial and placing fourth in the men's race against the clock, MIT never looked back, using a balanced attack to score 394 points and win the DII team title. Last year's runner-up Dartmouth (365) repeated their performance, while 2007 winner Western Washington University (341) finished third. Overall team titles were awarded based point contributions from both men's and women's squads in the team time trial, road race and criterium contests.

A pair of Lees-McRae riders, Andrew Talansky and Carla Swart captured the individual Division I overall titles while Craig Leukens (Yale University) and Devon Haskell (University of Chicago) rode to overall wins in the Division II standings.

Both first time collegiate road omnium national champions, Talansky and Swart used road race wins and top ten finishes in Sunday's criterium to propel them to the overall individual honor and help their team to the title. Leukens, a recent Yale Divinity School graduate, was able to run away with the men's DII overall title after a second place finish in the road race and a criterium victory. The DII women's individual omnium race was much tighter with Haskell and Kendi Thomas (Whitman College) technically tying with 304 points apiece. With the number of first-place finishes acting as the tie breaker, Haskell was awarded the stars-and-stripes jersey due to her win in Saturday's road race competition.

Four individual criterium national championships were also awarded on Sunday with the DI women once again starting things off in Old Town Fort Collins. With the incredibly tight omnium competition going into the race, the top schools were scraping for every point, providing animation from the start in the 60-minute contest. Several top riders from leading schools Lees-McRae College and Fort Lewis College pushed the front, but it was Michigan's Julie Bellerose and Harvard's Anna McLoon who were able to get away halfway through the race. Although numerous attacks were mounted no one team took initiative to chase the leaders and Bellerose was able to outsprint McLoon to win the national championship ahead of a surging field. Swart and her Lees-McRae teammate, Kasey Manderfield were able to win the field sprint to earn valuable points for third and fourth places. Fort Lewis College was able to earn points for sixth place as Kristin McGrath finished just behind Colorado State University's Amanda Miller in fifth.

"I felt pretty good, so I thought I'd try to get away," explained Bellerose. "We could hear the splits, so knowing how close the field was we were working together with around 20-30 second pulls."

Dartmouth took the points for both first and third after the DII women's race came down to a field sprint to the finish. After being fairly quiet all day, Jen Stebbins (Dartmouth) turned it on in the finishing stretch to win the criterium national championship. Whitman's Kendi Thomas, repeated last year's performance, pulling in second, while Eve McNeal (Dartmouth) took third. The powerful MIT squad was however able to put two riders inside the top 10, helping assure them the DII team omnium national championship.

Colorado State University's own Phil Mann was able to repeat on last year's performance in the DI men's criterium by winning the field sprint to the finish. Despite several breakaway attempts nearly the entire field remained in tact on the technical eight-turn course. Steve Scholzen (University of Wisconsin - Madison) was barely taken at the line by Mann to earn second while last year's road race champion Alex Boyd (Midwestern University) took third. Road race and omnium champion Talansky was able to pull off a ninth-place finish and lock down the overall team omnium for Lees-McRae.

A mid-race breakaway filled with powerhouse riders was the story of the DII men's criterium. With Furman, Dartmouth and Yale putting two-riders in the break, team tactics were on display. A pair of groups were able to bridge up to the leaders, making a strong 14-man break. Even on the tough, technical course the group was able to stay away with Leukens turning it up on the last lap to take the stars-and stripes jersey.

"The course was very exciting," said Leukens, who was able to bridge up to the front mid-way through the race. "We weren't sure if a break could stay away with all the turns, but they were killing it so I knew I had to go."

In addition to the stars-and stripes national championship jerseys and the medals presented to all podium finishers, the USA Cycling Development Foundation will contribute a total of $5,000 to the top three programs in the final Division I and Division II team standings. As part the USA Cycling Collegiate Performance Awards program, Lees-McRae College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will each receive $1,200, while runner-ups Fort Lewis and Dartmouth College will each receive $800 and Colorado State University and Western Washington University will each receive $500. Awards are provided to the collegiate club budget to be used for operational and developmental purposes. The winning teams were also awarded numerous prizes, including performance glasses courtesy of Habervision.


2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals
May 9-11
Fort Collins, Colo.

Division I Men's Criterium
1. Phil Mann (Colorado State University) 1:26.55
2. Steve Scholzen (University of Wisconsin - Madison) s.t.
3. Alex Boyd (Midwestern State University) s.t.
4. Joshua Lipka (University of New Hampshire) s.t.
5. Rodney Santiago (Pennsylvania State University) s.t.

Division I Women's Criterium
1. Julie Bellerose (University of Michigan) 57:06.5
2. Anna McLoon (Harvard University) s.t.
3. Kasey Manderfield (Lees-McRae College) +42.7
4. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae College) s.t.
5. Amanda Miller (Colorado State University) s.t.

Division II Men's Criterium
1. Craig Leukens (Yale University) 1:14:37
2. Spencer Beamer (Furman University) s.t.
3. Thomas Brown (Emory University) s.t.
4. Jason Sears (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) s.t.
5. Zak Grabowski (Colorado School of Mines) s.t.

Division II Women's Criterium
1. Jen Stebbins (Dartmouth College) 58:26.4
2. Kendi Thomas (Whitman) s.t.
3. Eve McNeill (Dartmouth) s.t.
4. Devon Haskell (University of Chicago) s.t.
5. Tela Crane (Western Washington University) s.t.

Division I Overall Results
1. Lees-McRae College 473
2. Fort Lewis College 424
3. Colorado State University 362
4. University of California - Davis 342
5. Stanford University 290

Division II Overall Results
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 394
2. Dartmouth College 365
3. Western Washington University 341
4. Colorado School of Mines 320
5. Yale University 283

Division I Men's Overall Results
1. Andrew Talansky (Lees McRae College) 244
2. Phillip Mann (Colorado State University) 223
3. Steve Scholzen (University of Wisconsin - Madison) 220
4. Joshua Lipka (University of New Hampshire) 208
5. Alex Boyd (Midwestern State University) 191

Division I Women's Overall Results
1. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae College) 281
2. Anna McLoon (Harvard University) 226
3. Julie Bellerose (University of Michigan) 209
4. Amanda Miller (Colorado State University) 208
5. Amy Dombroski (Fort Lewis College) 205

Division II Men's Overall Standings
1. Craig Leukens (Yale University) 310
2. Chris Butler (Furman University) 259
3. Zak Grabowski (Colorado School of Mines) 242
4. Ben Showman (United States Military Academy) 211
5. Spencer Beamer (Furman University) 202

DII Women's Overall Results
1. Devon Haskell (University of Chicago) 304
2. Kendi Thomas (Whitman College) 304
3. Jen Stebbins (Dartmouth College) 254
4. Martha Buckley (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) 217
5. Eve McNeill (Dartmouth College) 186



--------------D A Y --- 2 -------------------------


Fort Collins, Colo. (May 10, 2008) - Stellar performances by the University of California-Davis and Fort Lewis College in the road races led to a tie in the Division I omnium standings on day two of competition at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships. Massachusetts Institute of Technology was able to hold their lead in the Division II standings after a day of windy road racing in the foothills west of Fort Collins.


The DI women's race started things off early with a brutal climb right out of Hughes Stadium on the campus of Colorado State University on a blustery morning. The race immediately broke apart on the three demanding climbs over to the Masonville circuits with seven of collegiate cycling's elites jumping out to the lead. After completing the two mostly flat loops on the 51-mile lollipop course, the women tackled the steep power climbs of the Horsetooth Reservoir before descending back into town. A serious chase was never formed and the strong front seven found themselves together all the way up to the finish. It wasn't until the group made the turn into Hughes Stadium that the sprint was on and Lee's McRae rider Carla Swart was able to overpower Chole Forsman of the University of Arizona and take the national championship.



"I got really scared on the climbs and didn't want to get dropped," said Swart. "Since there were two pairs represented in the break I just tried to follow their lead."



The DII women's race played out in similar fashion with things breaking up on the first climb and five riders holding out front for the duration. This time however, heading over the rolling hills back into Fort Collins, last year's third-place road race finisher Devon Haskell, broke away for the solo win only 24 seconds ahead of Whitman's Kendi Thomas.



"I went after Devon, but just couldn't catch her," explained Thomas, last year's fifth-place omnium finisher.



Later in the afternoon, the early climbs split the more than 100-rider DI men's field into three distinct groups heading into the circuits. The two front groups however, quickly came together after the first feed. Andrew Talansky (Lees-McRae College) and Bobby Sweeting (University of Florida) soon broke off the front and were joined by Josha Lipka (University of New Hampshire) with a chase group forming close behind. On lap three the leaders were caught by the chase, making a front group of seven including: Talansky, Sweeting, Lipka, Ryan Parnes (Stanford), Jesse Dekrey (Fort Lewis), Taylor Kneuven (University of Colorado - Boulder) and Paul Mach (University of California - Davis). Despite a surging field the leaders were able to hold the lead to the line with 19-year old Talansky sprinting to the victory.



"I didn't know I was going to win until the last 300-meters," said Talansky. "I was hoping to be able to stay with the Davis rider when he attacked on the final climb. Once I did, I knew I had a shot."



The DII men's race was action packed to the finish with Ben Showman of the United States Military Academy attacking solo with around 20-kilometers to go. A chase group including Chris Butler (Furman University), Craig Leukens (Yale University), Zak Grabowski (Colorado School of Mines) and Austin Roach (Princeton University) soon pursued with force. Grabowski hammered it on a descent and the group quickly closed in on Showman who once had a 1:30 gap. The leader was caught in the final kilometers and it was Furman's Butler winning the sprint to the finish over Leukens of Yale. Grabowski came in only seconds later in third with Showman not far behind.



"We were just trying to work together to close it in on the Army guy," explained Butler. "He had 15 seconds on me but I knew I had to close it on that last climb. I was able to do so because my teammate, Spencer Beamer, was selfless today, protecting me both physically and mentally throughout the race."



Sunday's criterium in Old Town Fort Collins will provide the final opportunity for teams to move up in their respective divisions in order to claim overall team titles. UC-Davis and Fort Lewis College remain deadlocked at 295 in the DI team omnium with Lees-McRae threatening at 285. In DII MIT has a commanding lead with 272 points over Western Washington University and the Colorado School of Mines with 239 and 233 points respectively. Also on the line Sunday will be individual overall titles as competitors will score points in the criterium to add to their road race points earned on Saturday. Criterium points and road race points will be combined to name four individual overall champions.



2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals

May 9-11

Fort Collins, Colo.



For complete results, visit www.usacycling.org



Division I Men's Road Race

1. Andrew Talansky (Lees-McRae College) 2:31:42

2. Paul Mach (University of California - Davis) 2:31:44

3. Ryan Parnes (Stanford University) 2:32:00

4. Taylor Kneuven (University of Colorado - Boulder) 2:32:01

5. Jesse Dekrey (Fort Lewis College) 2:32:04



Division I Women's Road Race

1. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae) 2:31:44

2. Chloe Forsman (University of Arizona) 2:31:45

3. Amy Dombrowski (Fort Lewis College) 2:31:46

4. Melanie Meyers (University of Arizona) 2:31:46

5. Amanda Miller (Colorado State University) 2:31:46



Division II Men's Road Race

1. Chris Butler (Furman University) 2:35:52

2. Craig Luekens (Yale University) 2:35:54

3. Zak Grabowski (Colorado School of Mines) 2:36:04

4. Ben Showman (United States Military Academy) 2:36:10

5. Austin Roach (Princeton University) 2:36:52



Division II Women's Road Race

1. Devon Haskell (University of Chicago) 2:32:53

2. Kendi Thomas (Whitman College) 2:33:17

3. Martha Buckley (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) 2:33:50

4. Melissa Marts (Colorado School of Mines) 2:33:52

5. Kay Sherwood (Colorado College) 2:38:40



Division I Overall Standings

1. University of California - Davis 295

2. Fort Lewis College 295

3. Lees-McRae College 285

4. Stanford University 244

5. University of Arizona 221



Division II Overall Standings

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 272

2. Western Washington University 239

3. Colorado School of Mines 233

4. Dartmouth College 198

5. Furman University 188





-----------D A Y --- 1 --------------------------------------------------

Fort Collins, Colo. (May 9, 2008) - The USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships started up with the team time trial competition in northern Colorado on Friday. With traditional powerhouses shining in Division I and some impressive underdog performances in the Division II Time Trial, the University of California - Davis and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology took the early lead in the overall team standings.

After Lees-McRae College took an early commanding lead, the men's University of California - Davis squad of Tyler Dibble, Paul Mach, Philip Mooney and Shawn Rosenthal posted the day's best time of 23:18.490 to win the DI crown despite a late race head wind into the finish. Last year's team time trial runner-up, University of Colorado - Boulder, once again scored a near miss, only nine second's behind the Aggies of Davis. Lees-McRae's time of 24:00.980 held up to earn third place.



"With four freshmen in the contest, we're very pleased with our result," said Lees-McRae Head Coach Doug Owen. "Brian (Shields), our assistant coach, got them together as a team and had them mentally prepared."



Earlier in the day the DI women got things started off with Stanford University's Arwen Bradley, Audrey Brown, Rae Brownsberger and Alicia Cooperman posting the winning time of 27:46.720 on the same 20-kilometer out and back course. The Cardinals bested last year's TTT winner, Colorado's Fort Lewis College who rode into second place with a time of 28:08.460 over the Wildcats of the University of Arizona.



The UC-Davis women pulled off a fourth-place finish which, when combined with the men's win, gave the team an early 19-point lead in the overall standings. Fort Lewis (139) and Stanford (132) sit in second and third place leading into Saturday's road race and Sunday's criterium.



Late arrivals to the start by several DII squads left the competition wide open and Greenville, South Carolina's Furman University took full advantage, earning an impressive time of 24:08.320. Spencer Beamer, Todd McClure, Chris Butler and Craig McKinney teamed up to post the fifth best time of the day and take the DII crown for the Paladins. After going off first in the start order, the Colorado School of Mines' 24:35.830 ride held up for second place while the University of Denver finished third.



The Massachusetts Institute of Technology team of Martha Buckley, Sonya Cates, Yuri Matsumoto and Zuzana Trnovcova took the win in the women's DII race against the clock over last year's runner-up, Western Washington University. Dartmouth College finished third with a time of 30:45.890.



The MIT men's squad's fourth-place finish, combined with the women's victory, allowed the Engineers to move into the top spot overall in DII. The Colorado School of Mines (139) is currently in second place while last year's overall champion, Western Washington University (132), occupies the third spot.



With 18 total national titles up for grabs throughout the weekend, none are more important than the two overall team titles that will be determined on Sunday. Points scored by the men's and women's squads in each division will result in an overall Division I and Division II champion. Stanford University is the defending Division I champion, while Western Washington University captured the Division II crown in 2007 in Lawrence, Kansas.



On Saturday the first individual national champions will be crowned in the road race competition. The DI and DII women will race 50 miles and the DI and DII men 70 miles with all four divisions will starting and finishing at Colorado State University's Hughes Stadium.



2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships

May 9-11

Fort Collins, Colo




Division I Men's Team Time Trial

1. University of California - Davis 23:18.490

2. University of Colorado - Boulder 23:27.880

3. Lees-McRae College 24:00.980

4. Colorado State University 24:06.560

5. Fort Lewis College 24:15.920



Division I Women's Team Time Trial

1. Stanford University 27:46.720

2. Fort Lewis College 28:08.460

3. University of Arizona 28:41.880

4. University of California - Davis 28:48.280

5. Lees-McRae College 29:18.470



Division II Men's Team Time Trial

1. Furman University 24:08.320

2. Colorado School of Mines 24:35.830

3. University of Denver 25:07.090

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 25:09.600

5. United States Air Force Academy 25:16.860



Division II Women's Team Time Trial

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 29:50.810

2. Western Washington University 29:58.600

3. Dartmouth College 30:45.890

4. Whitman College 30:46.770

5. Colorado School of Mines 31:08.980



Division I Overall Standings

1. University of California - Davis 158

2. Fort Lewis College 139

3. Stanford University 132

4. Lees-McRae College 129

5. University of Colorado - Boulder 121



Division II Overall Standings

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 158

2. Colorado School of Mines 139

3. Western Washington University 132

4. University of Denver 116

5. Dartmouth College 111



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