January 16, 2012 (Louisville, KY) – Racing concluded on Sunday at the 2012 UCI Masters World Championships today with six more Americans claiming the top step of the podium with Great Britain claiming two gold medals out of eight.
With conditions changing throughout the day, the Women 50-54 took to the course while it was still covered in a coating of snow and frozen ruts. Karen Brems (Team Rambuski Law – USA) claimed victory, followed by Kris Walker (Contender Bicycles – USA) and Ruth Sherman (Corning/ No-Tubes – USA) rounded out the podium.
Karen Wells-Hamilton (BioWheels/ Reece Campbell Racing – USA) won Gold in the Women’s 60-64 division while multi-time National Champion Julie Lockhart claimed her Rainbow Jersey in the Women’s 65+ race.
As the day progressed the frozen ruts gave way to perfect muddy conditions under sunny skies. Glen Norton (Team Redline -USA) claimed the first Gold for the men today in the 60-64 division ahead of Fred Wittwer (Alan North America Cycling Team – USA) and Greg Pautsch (Planet Bike – USA) .
John Ginley (Condor Road Team) kept England’s streak alive in the 70-74 division ahead of countryman Michael Ives (Jewson/ M.I. Racing).
Ronald Riley (Bike Station – Aptos – USA) seized men’s gold medal in the 75+ division.
Superstar and cycling legend Ned Overend (Specialized – USA) dominated his race in the 55-59 division – adding another Rainbow Jersey to his storied palmares – ahead of California Giant Berry racers Norman Kreiss (USA) and Henry Kramer (USA) who raced to hard fought second and third places respectively knocking Planet Bike’s Bob Downs (USA) to 4th place.
The final race of the 2012 Masters Worlds was a battle for dominance for the 45-49 Women’s division. Shannon Gibson (Stan’s No Tubes – USA) won ahead of Lori Cooke (Cycle Lodge – USA) and Jennifer Maxwell (Van Dessel Factory Team – USA) made up huge ground to go from 6th to claim the third step of the podium.
- Simon Burney of the UCI and David Loignon review course layout options for 2013 UCI Elite Cyclocross World Championships. © Wil Matthews
- Jennifer Maxwell (Van Dessel) claimed the final podium placement in the women 45-49 event after surging from sixth place on the final lap. © Wil Matthews
- The hillside section of Eva Bandman Cyclocross Park in Louisville is characterized by a stand of American Beech trees. © Wil Matthews
- Shannon Gibson (Stan's No Tubes) takes a clean bike en route to winning the women 45-49 championship. © Wil Matthews
- Official UCI world championship medals await presentation. © Wil Matthews
- Katrina Dowidchuk (Team Tbb/Deep Blue) prevailed in the women 40-44 event. © Wil Matthews
- Ned Overend (Specialized) zips up his new UCI World Championship jersey following his victory in the men 55-59 event. © Wil Matthews
- Frozen morning conditions gave way to thick mud by mid day, weighing down bikes and driving up pit traffic. © Wil Matthews
- Ned Overend (Specialized) motored away from his competition to win the men 55-59 field by 1:22. Overend was the first UCI mountain bike world champion in 1990, and this marked his first cyclocros world championship. © Wil Matthews
- Jim Gentes (Giro) leads an extremely competitive men 55-59 field out of the start grid. Gentes is also the founder of the Giro helmet company. © Wil Matthews
- British rider Victor Barnett (Welland Valley CC) bested the men 65-69 field. © Wil Matthews
- Fred Whittwer (Alan North America) managed a silver medal finish despite a back-of-pack start in the men 60-64 event. © Wil Matthews
- Kathy Sarvary (Blue Steel Cyclery) had nearly a minute advantage on her closest competitor when she crossed the line in the women 55-59 event. © Wil Matthews
- The evergreen Julie Lockhart added to her championship jersey collection in a victorious ride in the women 65+ event. © Wil Matthews
- Diane Ostenso (Planet Bike) was not able to hold off newly-crowned National Champion Kathy Sarvary (Blue Steel Cyclery) in the women 55-59 event, who collected her second championship in as many weeks. © Wil Matthews
- Kris Walker (Contender Bikes) led the chase in the women 50-54 event and took home a silver medal. © Wil Matthews
- Italian Lucia Pizzolotto claimed a sixth place in the women 50-54 event finish after a last-row start. © Wil Matthews
- Karen Brems (Rambuski Law) sailed to a clear vistory in the women 50-54 event with a 1:44 margin of victory. Brems was UCI World Time Trial Champion in 1994. © Wil Matthews
- The women 50-54 event had 22 starters. © Wil Matthews
- Snow from the previous night still covered much of the 2012 UCI Masters Cyclocross World Championship venue when the first race got underway at 9:30. © Wil Matthews
