Worlds 2018

Last week in Netherlands we watched World Championships in Track Cycling. Team USA had some great results, and Eric and teammies performed in awesome fashion.

There were six guys and eight women for Team USA racing over dozens of events for five day in Apeldoorn.

In starting position

Eric’s first race was Team Pursuit– four guys blasting around the 250m track as fast as possible. Their team of four own the American record time, just over 4 min. to cover 16 laps or 4 Km. They start together, fall into line, and take turns on the front sharing the hardest position.

Waiting for times

You race against the clock in the qualifying round, then in the championship round the four fastest teams face off for Gold, Silver, or Bronze. One team loses out.

Team USA Eric on left with beard, arms crossed

How did they do? Their time of 4:04 was third best when they finished but many of the fastest European squads hadn’t gone yet. They finished out of the qualifying teams– so no medal chance– but it was a kind of victory just to qualify for Worlds in the first place. The USA track cycling program is improving and ready for the world stage.

And the women’s team did better than the men’s. A lot better.