"Strategy
and Foot Races Highlight Collegiate Nationals Road Race"
from USA Cycling, 5/20/01
The Division II men's race got underway only five minutes after the Division I men left the start line. After two laps, the field broke up, leaving 20 riders at the front. USAFA's Brad Ames made his move on the third lap and kept the lead until the pack reeled him in on the fifth lap. Ames' teammate Sam Troge took the lead on the next lap until Tyler Wren from Princeton and Emory University's Robert Gannini pushed themselves to the front.
Gannini said that he and his only other teammate didn't have a whole lot of strategy, but decided to just sit back and let the bigger teams pull on the leaders.
"We just stuck with the front guys and eventually their lead got smaller," Gannini said. "When I saw Brad (Ames) go off in the middle of the race, we stuck with him and closed the gap. After I knew who the strongest riders were, I figured I should just stay on their wheels."
At the finish, Wren kicked it into high gear and crossed the line first.
I didn't want to have to be chasing anybody down so when Brad (Ames) took off, Rob (Gannini) and I went to chase him down," Wren said. "We caught him and had about 2 km to go when we were all jockeying for the lead. I really felt confident about the race today. I've never won any race before -- I always come in second or third. So to win a national championship feels really good."
Troge and Gannini were attacking to take second. They collided with one another, sending both crashing to the pavement. The two quickly grabbed their bikes and ran to the finish line. Bloodied and bruised, Troge beat Gannini in the foot race to take second, leaving Gannini with third.
"I felt good and wished that the race hadn't ended in a crash," added Gannini, who was racing in his first event since a bout with Lyme disease. "We were fighting to get to the front on the back flat before the finish and Tyler (Wren) jumped out. I pulled to the left to try to get in his draft and Sam (Troge) came up on my left side and we crashed. I blame the fact I didn't win on that my shoes don't have very good traction. These cleats just aren't made for running."
Pat Zahn '01 and Tyler Wren '03 at Collegiate Nationals
The open road ...
Tyler is strong and at the front
He wins! The journalists descend.
Tyler for President!
Victory is sweet
Especially when it comes with a stars-and-stripes jersey