U.S. Olympic Cycling Trials : Benedict, Whicker Win Road Races

Inga Benedict outsprinted a group of 10 riders to win the women’s U.S. National road racing cycling championship Sunday with a strong ride that put her in position to gain another Olympic cycling berth.

Randy Whicker of Fort Collins, Colo., attacked about 9 miles from the end and finished alone to win the men’s event by more than 2 minutes.

Sunday’s road race was the first of three races that will select the Olympic “long” teams of five riders each for the men and women.

The men rode 105 miles and the women rode 58 over the 35-mile Wild Rose Prairie course, which has two major hills. The course to be ridden Tuesday and Thursday will be over flatter terrain similar to the circuit that will be used in the Olympic road race at Seoul.

Benedict, of Reno, was with a group of seven riders that broke away from the main pack about halfway through the last lap. They were caught by a group of three riders a few miles before the finish line.

Benedict said she started her sprint for the finish with about 400 yards to go. “It was really too early to sprint,” she said. “About 100 meters to go three or four people came by me.

“I can sprint for 400 meters. But at 200 I died.”

She said she didn’t know how she got back around the other riders to finish in front.

“Inga was the stronger one today,” said second-place finisher Sally Zack of Boulder, Colo.