2014 Masters Worlds in Gossau, Switzerland
At the 2014 UCI Cyclocross Masters World Championships in Gossau, Switzerland, no less than 10 Americans will be attempting to defend or win the blue and rainbow-striped Masters World Champion jersey today, on Day 1 of the two-day event.
Americans are guaranteed to win at least one title when the day is over.
On tap are the following categories, held during three time slots on the same course (Americans in parentheses):
1:00 p.m.
- Men 65 and older (Robert Ogren, Leone Pizzini)
- Women 55 and older*(Lillian Pfluke)
- Women 50-54* (Karen Brems, Lori Cooke)
(Note the 50-54 and 55+ were combined due to minimum field sizes)
2:00 p.m.
- Women 45-49
- Women 40-44*
- Women 35-39 *
- Women 30-34 *
3:00 p.m.
- Men 60-64 (Jimmy Day)
- Men 55-59* (Steven Kinney, Thomas Hayles, Paul Curley, Henry Kramer)
Americans are guaranteed at least one title from the day, assuming our start lists are correct, with Karen Brems from Redwood City, CA (and former Elite Women World Time Trial Champion) aiming to defend her world title to make it three-in-a-row, but she’ll have to battle fellow American Lori Cooke, from Pembroke, MA. Update: this age group was combined with the 55+ category, and Cooke won, with Brems third.
Pretty good odds for Americans: Masters Women 50-54 Start List, 2014 Masters Cyclocross World Championships
The highlight race of the day might be the Masters Men 55-59 race. It’s the biggest field of the day with 32 riders, and has four Americans racing. Steven Kinney and Thomas Hayles join cyclocross legend and perpetual National Champion Paul Curley and defending World Champion Henry Kramer in the race.
Paul Curley brought his Tom Stevens Spin Arts frame with barcons, wheel cover and rear view mirror to Gossau in hopes of winning a World Championship. © Cyclocross Magazine
American Tim Cannard reported on the course conditions, saying, “The course is pretty straight forward, with one technical descent.” Cyclocross Magazine readers were treated to a former Junior World Champ in Beat Wabel giving a video tour of the course last week, but that was during snowy, cold conditions. Cannard says the course “can be slow and boggy or fast and slick” depending on the temperature.
American Don Myrah, defending champion in the 45-49 age group, is expecting to do 8-minute laps on Sunday (despite the leisurely 12-minute lap in the course preview vide0).
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest reports and results on the 2014 Cyclocross (“UCI Cyclo-cross”) Masters World Championships.
