Eric Young, the 2011 individual omnium winner, talks with CCN
Collegiate Track Nationals 2011: Collegiate Cycling News Official Preview
As students return to classes across the country for the new semester, many are busy preparing for the first of the fall’s collegiate national championship events in addition to carrying on their course work. While the venue for Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals has changed (Angel Fire, NM, October 28-30), Collegiate Track returns for another year to the popular Midwestern venue of Major Taylor Velodrome, hosted by the 13-time track national champion Marian University Knights.
Whether you’re planning to race in Indianapolis on September 15-17 and compete for a stars-and-bars jersey, will be traveling to beat the boards, or are interested in the collegiate track scene, CCN is proud to bring you the official preview for Collegiate Track National Championship 2011.
Our preview features extensive quotes and predictions from last year’s men’s individual omnium winner, Eric Young. Young rode for Indiana University last season but has since graduated to the professional ranks for Bissell Pro Cycling.
He spoke excitedly about track nationals as one of this favorite events: “collegiate nationals is a great combination of competition and fun! It gives the opportunity for a young racer to get noticed, to win a national championship jersey, and to not have to race against the very best…yet! It is a great development tool for cyclists who also have a passion for school. Collegiate racing has the unique combination of that relaxed nature with still the huge sense of accomplishment upon winning a national championship, because it is a huge deal!! I will miss that unique combination. I encourage everybody to put everything they have into nationals, if you leave anything out on that track you will regret it. But also, enjoy the whole weekend!”
WHERE: Major Tayor Velodrome, Indianapolis, IN, adjacent to Marian University
Named after Marshall “Major” Taylor, the first African-American to win a cycling world championship, the 333- meter track has long been home to the Marian Knights and hosted this same event last year. In April, the school signed a deal with the city, under the leadership of bike-friendly Mayor Greg Ballard, to operate and manage the Lake Sullivan property, on which the velodrome sits. Athletes attending track nationals this year will enjoy the benefits of Marian’s efforts to re-vitalize the velodrome as a race venue.
WHEN: September 15, 16, & 17, 2011
Brief outline of the schedule of events:
Wednesday 14th: open track, registration, rider/team dinner and meeting
Thursday 15th: women’s 3k, men’s 4k, men’s 1k, women’s 500m
Friday 16th: women’s team pursuit, co-ed team sprint (collegiate pursuit), women’s 20k points race, men’s sprint
Saturday 17th: men’s team pursuit, women’s sprint, men’s 30k points race, all omnium awards
Eric Young atop the 2010 podium
WHY: To crown collegiate team and individual national champions in division I and II, and to set the stage for the overall team competition that spans the four national championships in the collegiate year
In addition to all the individual championships at stake, all teams at track nationals will by vying for the division I or II team onmium title. In recent years, host school Marian University has had a tight grip in the DI team title, winning the last five years in a row and 13 times total. If they are on their best form, it will be hard for any other school to take the title, despite not having past individual omnium champ David Williams.
The individual omnium is awarded to the male and female racer whose performance at nationals is well-rounded and overall the most successful. Racers may enter four individual events, with their top three counting towards the individual omnium.
All points earned by individual racers counts towards their team omnium.
Eric Young explained the complexity of the omnium: “The omnium is really something tough wrap your head around, as there isn’t a set number of specific events everyone does, so there are several different ways to win… I think the best way for someone to do well is to keep it simple. Pick your 3 best events, and take them one event at a time. Last year, I really didn’t think about the omnium beforehand, as I did well in the first few events, I realized I had a shot.”
In addition to a team national championship on the line, schools are also competing for precious points for the overall team standings, which are decided based on performance in all four collegiate national events: track, mountain bike, cyclocross, and road.
WHO: Eligible collegiate track racers, approximately 150 student-athletes from 30 schools
To be eligible to compete at nationals, athletes must be full-time students in good standing with their school, have completed at least once USAC track race and any races necessary in their conference (varies by conference). To race in the points race, the mass start event that caps off the weekend of racing and is arguably the most exciting to watch, racers must be a category 3 or collegiate category A on the track.
Eric Young on the points race: “It’s pretty cool that the points race is last in the line-up, as that gives it huge consequences and unique tactics that are different from other events… The last few races will be impacted by what guys and girls have done well in the early races of the weekend. The big players will be known after a few days and the points race will be a throw-down… A duel for the omnium.”
HOW: Track racing!
Individual events: flying 200m sprint, match sprints, pursuits (time trial), points race
Team events: men’s and women’s team pursuit, collegiate pursuit
One specifically unique event to watch is the collegiate pursuit, or co-Ed team sprint, set to take place Friday evening. Collegiate cycling is scored by combining both men’s and women’s events, but this event has them competing at the same time in squads of six for a team title. Two women and four men ride six laps (2k) with each rider leading a lap and pulling off after their effort.
CCN’s predictions:
DI team podium:
1. Marian University
2. Fort Lewis College
3. UC Boulder
4. Penn State University
5. Midwestern State University
DII team podium:
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. DePauw University
3. Mars Hill College
For more information, USAC homepage for the event:
http://www.usacycling.org/events/2011/collegiatetrack/
![[MWCCC] Men's A criterium by Holly Mathews](http://collegiatecyclingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/critmensA1-55x55.jpg "[MWCCC] Men's A criterium by Holly Mathews")
