Tabor, Czech Republic (January 30, 2010) – The 2010 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships kicked off on Saturday in Tabor, Czech Republic with the U23 and Junior men duking it out on a course that was frozen  from the region’s heavy snowfall in recent weeks.  In the junior race, Cody Kaiser (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Cal Giant) was the first to cross the line for the U.S. National Team, in 33rd-place, while Zach McDonald (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Stevens Classic Cycle) was the first across for the U23 squad in 28th.

 

The junior men’s field toed the line first for five technical, slippery laps of the 3.32-kilometer circuit. The field remained intact for the first half of the contest with the leaders really beginning to emerge in the third lap.

 

In front of a hometown crowd, Czech rider Tomas Paprstka outsprinted Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe for the rainbow jersey while Dutchman Emiel Dolfsma grabbed the bronze medal. Kaiser led the U.S. contingent with his 33rd-place finish which was three minutes and five seconds off the winning pace. Next up for the red, white, and blue was Chris Wallace (Shawnee, Kan./KCCX-Verge) in 39th,Jeff Bahnson (Newark, Del./Thule-Vandessel) in 44th, Skyler Trujillo (Fort Collins, Colo./Black Sheep) in 53rd, and Matt Spinks(Layton, N.J./Young Medalists – Team Dual Temp) in 57th.

 

The course was softened up a bit by the time the U23 men’s field of 59 riders took to the start line. The five U.S. riders found themselves in the second half of the field early on in the contest, meaning it was an uphill battle for all seven laps. The Polish riders took control of the competition right from the get-go, and in the end, a pair of brothers climbed onto the podium’s top two spots. Poland’s Pawel Szcepaniak and Kacper Szczepaniak grabbed first and second while Frenchman Arnaud Jouffroy worked his way up to third over the race’s second half. Zach McDonald and Danny Summerhill (Englewood, Colo./Garmin-Felt-Holowesko) were the first non-Europeans to cross the line, finishing in 28th an 29th respectively, about three minutes and 40 seconds off the winning time. Dave Hackworthy (Hudson, Wis./Plan C), Jerome Townsend (Princeton, Mass./Bikereg.com-Joe’s Garage), and Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass.) followed their compatriots into the finish area in 34th, 38th, and 44th places.

 

 

UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships

Tabor, Czech Republic

Jan. 30-31, 2010

 

U23 Men

1. Pawel Szczepaniak (Poland)

2. Kacper Szczepaniak (Poland)

3.Arnaud Jouffroy (France)

28. Zach McDonald (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Stevens Classic Cycle)

29. Danny Summerhill (Englewood, Colo./Garmin-Felt-Holowesko)

34. Dave Hackworthy (Hudson, Wis./Plan C)

38. Jerome Townsend (Princeton, Mass./Bikereg.com-Joe’s Garage)

44. Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass.)

 

Junior Men

1. Tomas Paprstka (Czech Republic)

2. Julian Alaphilippe (France)

3. Emiel Dolfsma (Netherlands)

33. Cody Kaiser (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Cal Giant)

39. Chris Wallace (Shawnee, Kan./KCCX-Verge)

44. Jeff Bahnson (Newark, Del./Thule-Vandessel)

53. Skyler Truijillo (Fort Collins, Colo./Black Sheep)

57. Matt Spinks (Layton, N.J./Young Medalists – Team Dual Temp)