April 13, 2004 – Jennie Reed's gold medal effort on Saturday April 10 highlighted a weekend of strong performances for Americans at round three of the UCI Track World Cup in Manchester, Great Britain. Reed (Kirkland, Wash.) rode to a victory in the women's keirin ahead of Germany's Susan Panzer and Daniela Larreal (VEN), improving upon her fourth place finish in the women's sprint one day earlier in which she lost in the bronze medal round to Panzer. After taking silver in the points race at the second round of the world cup last month in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Reed bettered her performance by one step on the podium. The performance by Reed marked a steady improvement for American track riders who have enjoyed modest success through three rounds of the 2004 World Cup series.

Colby Pearce (Boulder, Colo.) also made an appearance on the podium, taking the bronze medal in the points race behind Johan Llaneras (ESP) and Kam-Po Wong (HKG). Becky Quinn (Quakertown, Pa.) equaled Pearce's ride with a bronze medal of her own in the scratch race behind the talented Australian duo of Alison Wright and Rochelle Gilmore. The gold and bronze medals from Reed, Pearce and Quinn were the only hardware claimed by the Americans in Manchester, but some close calls amidst a full field of strong competitors was an indication of potential success ahead as they now prepare for the final round of the World Cup and the World Championships at the end of May, both important contests with Olympic implications.

Included in those near misses to the podium were fourth place finishes by Quinn in the points race and Erin Mirabella (Kenosha, Wisc.) in the individual pursuit. Reed and Tanya Lindenmuth (Trexlertown, Pa.) also teamed up for a fourth place finish in the team sprint behind powerful teams from Germany, France and Australia.

Other American finishes included Christian Stahl (Bethany, Conn.) whose seventh place effort in the men's kilometer time trial was the highest placing by an American male along with Marty Nothstein (Orefield, Pa.) who also rode to a seventh place finish in the keirin.

Lindenmuth rounded out the top-ten performances by the Americans with a ninth place ride in the 500 meter time trial.