07.27.10 - Veloce Powers on to Podium

Track Cyclists gain valuable experience at Kerin Cup XXV

(Trexlertown, PA – July 27, 2010) The Canadian Track Sprinters have been in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania for the past two weeks training in the sun with riders from all over the world. Last Friday’s race was the Keirin Cup XXV. The heats contained 8 to 9 riders and it was the most tactically smart riders that advanced.

Thomas Hums (Sudbury, ON) has been on a steep learning curve with the quality of athletes attending the races. In round 1 and again in the repechage, he charged from the back to the front, but needed to be more aggressive to claim territory and to have more leg speed for the accelerations. “I learned valuable lessons from the Keirins though. I can't go from that far out and I have to be more assertive among other technical and strategic flaws. But live and learn!”

Allan Leparskas (London, ON), a member of last year’s Junior Track Worlds team has also been training and racing down south. “The first heat I missed my chance to make a move with a 4 rider high wall in front of me. In the rep I pushed a huge gear and I was home free but Stephane (Cossette) was following me and nipped me at the line. Not the best I could have done but I wasn't disappointed.”

Joseph Veloce (Fonthill, ON) was the best placed Canadian in the men’s Keirin. “After a slow start in the first round, getting caught behind some dangerous riding, I altered my game plan to lead out the next rounds. I qualified for the finals against a stacked field, including several Kiwis on the Commonwealth team, Polish, Dutch, and Italians. Again I lead out the race, and with one to go Eddie Dawkins, eventual winner, charged over the top. I accelerated and held on to third place overall.”

The depth of the women’s field was not as large, but provided great competition. There were three heats with the qualifiers heading straight to finals. Florence Laplante-Lamarche (Ottawa, ON) qualified second behind Yvonne Hijgenaar, from the Netherlands. “It was cool to get to race the Keirin, a race that I really enjoy but don't get to race very often. The atmosphere was awesome too. There were lots of people watching and cheering us on.” In the end, Laplante-Lamarche finished 6th with Monique Sullivan (Calgary, AB) in 3rd. Full results can be found at www.thevelodrome.com.

Laplante-Lamarche is training for the upcoming Junior World Championships in Montichiari, Italy August 11-15, where she will be joined by Allison Beveridge (Calgary, AB), Scott Mulder (Vancouver, BC), and Alex Cataford (Ottawa, ON).

-- Canadian Cycling Association --

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