JUNIOR NATIONAL CYCLING : New Jersey Rider Tries to Add 7th Gold Medal

The U.S. Cycling Federation Junior Nationals draw to a close today with the road race finals scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. along Lusk Boulevard on Sorrento Mesa.

That’s when the 13-14-year-old boys go off, but the big race will begin at approximately 12:30 p.m., when the 16-17 girls hit the course. Among them will be Jessica Grieco of Emerson, N.J., who will be attempting something never accomplished--sweeping all seven gold medals in the 10-day event.

Grieco already has won the criterium, the four track events (200-meter flying time trial, 2,000-meter pursuit, sprint and points race) and the time trial.

Her biggest challenge will likely come from Denise Mueller of Encinitas.

At the Junior Worlds last month, Grieco won three silver medals, one in the road race. Mueller took fourth in that race but today will be riding in front of a hometown crowd.

There were three mishaps in Saturday’s qualifying races, held only for the 15-16 and 17-18 boys. Two occurred some 50 yards in front of the finish line in each of the 15-16 heats.

Some blamed the course for the accidents, saying it wasn’t challenging enough and that too many riders were still in a lead pack at the end.

But many riders and coaches blamed the accidents on inexperience.

“There are so many people here who aren’t used to riding in packs,” said Steven Meilicke of Santa Rosa, winner of the first heat. “And it was so tight at the end, people were getting kind of squirrelly.”

Added Sam Guzman of Richmond, Va.: “People were just jamming together. Everybody wants to do as well as they can so they can get to the final.”

Concluded Rene Wenzel, national team coach, “This course in Europe would be no problem at all--they’re so used to it (riding in packs) over there.”

There were three heats for the 17-18 boys, and in only one did a single rider go for a breakaway. That came in the second heat, when Bennie Ray of Columbus, Ohio, finished some 30 seconds in front.

“I don’t like pack sprints,” Ray said. “I just wanted to give myself a wide-enough gap.”

Cycling Notes

There were three Junior National records set at the time trials in Borrego Springs Friday. Jessica Grieco (29:41) bettered the old 20-kilometer mark of 31:48 for girls 16-17, Heath Sandall (27:59) beat the old mark of 28:47 for boys 13-14 and Susan George (30:38) lowered the old record of 31:48 for girls 13-15.