Fourteen riders from the HSU cycling club raced in Saturday's criterium in downtown Pacific Grove and Sunday's road race in Hollister. In addition, cycling team captain Luke Ramseth is the overall men's individual conference champion, meaning he's the top point earner in Division II conferences races this season.
Ramseth finished thirteenth in the Men's A 90-mile road race. It took the men almost four and a half hours to cross the finish line. The course traveled on a narrow, winding road with rolling terrain and a tough climb at the finish. Ramseth says that he was prepared for the hills given the “brutal Humboldt terrain.”
On Saturday, Ramseth got eighth place in the 60-minute race that had four technical corners and a strenuous climb at the finish line. His outstanding performances qualify him for the National Collegiate Cycling Championships in Madison, Wisc. on May 7 and 8. "Luke is exceptionally strong in the hills and knows how to prepare and focus on the race. That's why he does so well," says HSU cycling coach Vicky Sama.
HSU's women were a tour de force this weekend, taking first and second places in the Women's C 30-mile road race. Hayley Umayam won the road race and teammate Leandra Lopez closely followed for second place. "She's amazing," says Umayam. "Early in the race, Leandra fell, but she got back on her bike and chased up to our lead group and finished right behind me. And this is her first-ever road race!"
Umayam also won Saturday's criterium. Lopez got third and Kira Deschaux finished seventh. Deschaux and Kaydee Raths finished 10th and 11th in the road race. "Hayley and Leandra worked together well today," Sama says. "With only two miles to the finish line, there was a CalPoly woman riding on their wheels, but they easily dropped her the last climb."
It takes a good team to be the division champion. Riders rack up points in the various categories, and those points are added up for the team's overall standings. HSU is well represented in the Men's D category, but this is the first time that anyone can remember that HSU had four women racing for the team at one time. “We hope we can keep the team growing,” Umayam says, adding that she would love to see more women join.
Other impressive results this weekend came from David Garcia who finished fourth in Saturday's criterium and 10th in Sunday's road race in the Men's C category, and Sam O'Dell who got fourth in Sunday's road race in the Men's D category. Nathan Abel competed for the first time this weekend, and he finished tenth in the Men's D race.