Nationals weekend has arrived! Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank has riders from the USA, Colombia, and Germany vying for national titles in three separate disciplines: time trial, criterium, and road race.
US nationals kicks off tomorrow, with Kristen Faulkner and Emily Joy Newsom competing in the 22.8km time trial. Faulkner starts at 10:06 a.m. and Newsom at 10:37 a.m. EDT.
Emily Joy Newsom prepares for the upcoming US TT national championships.
Diana Peñuela will compete in the Colombian TT event (20.7km) on the same day.
“I expect the racing to be top notch as the level of women’s racing right now in the US is so high, even with last year’s truncated schedule,” team director Katheryn Curi said. “With lots of US women racing over in Europe, they have upped the game of what it takes to be competitive overseas as well as here domestically. Also, whenever there is a stars and stripes jersey on the line, everyone brings their A game.”
“Nationals is always one of my favorite weeks,” Newsom said. “The excitement of the “what if” is before me and the air is filled with anticipation as many pieces of preparation finally come together for one weekend. This year is a little of an unknown for me as Unbound Gravel was so recent and it took a lot out of my body. But in some ways, this fact has relaxed me, and all I can do is my very best on each given day.”
Unbound Gravel took a toll on Maddy Ward and Emma Langley as well. Ward crashed, but went on to finish a strong sixth, however, Ward won’t be on the start line at nationals to take some time to recover. Langley crashed 25 miles into the 100-mile race, broke her wrist, and raced 75 miles with the injury to finish second to Stephens on the day. After x-rays confirmed her wrist was broken, Langley will also sit out of US Nationals.
Clara Honsinger will join Lauren Stephens, Newsom and Faulkner for Sunday’s hilly road race. The 2021 route is the same as 2019’s – a 12.7km circuit the riders will tackle nine times, to total 113.5 attritional kilometers. Racing starts at 9 a.m. EDT.
“I raced this course last in 2019 as a U23, and I definitely underestimated how difficult it is with both the climb and the heat,” Honsinger said. “This year, I see that I am stronger and smarter about racing in hot, humid conditions. And I’m excited to race it with the team so that we can be in control and play a dynamic race.”
Across the pond, Tanja Erath will be participating in the German National Championships road race later this weekend on June 20.
How to watch: FloBikes will have live TV coverage of the US Nationals criterium and road race events, check the website for updated times in your area.