Jennie Reed is the hidden silver medalist in cycling

LONDON -- Jennie Reed got her silver medal in the women’s team pursuit Saturday. What she did not get was a chance to stand on the podium.

Each team in this particular cycling event has four members, but uses only three at a time. Because the U.S. women were underdogs to the likes of Great Britain, Australia and Canada, they needed to keep fresh legs on the track.

So after Reed teamed with Sarah Hammer and Dotsie Bausch to edge Australia in the first round, coaches replaced her with another American -- Lauren Tamayo -- for the gold-medal race.

“I come from a sprint background,” Reed said. “I don’t know if I could reproduce a 3:16 ride in an hour.”

The U.S. then lost to Great Britain in the final, but Olympic officials invited only Hammer, Bausch and Tamayo to the medal ceremony at the center of the velodrome.

“I think it’s a stupid rule,” Reed said. “I don’t understand it.”

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