Sixteen additional athletes win time trial and road race titles at the 2019 USA Cycling Para-cycling Road National Championships
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Will Groulx (Portland, Oregon – MH2) and Ryan Pinney (Phoenix, Arizona - MH3) each dominated their respective classes at the 2019 USA Cycling Para-cycling Road National Championships, racing to national titles in the time trial, road race and handcycle relay in Knoxville, Tennessee.
With Thursday’s national time trial titles under their belts, Groulx and Pinney teamed up with Freddie de los Santos (Hopewell Junction, New York) to earn the handcycle relay crown on Friday evening in front of thousands of fans in downtown Knoxville. On Saturday, Groulx and Pinney each completed their trio of titles, crossing the finish line first in the MH2 and MH3 classes, respectively, in the road race.
Sixteen additional athletes claimed national titles in both the time trial and road race. On the trikes, Ryan Sykes (Grass Valley, California – MT1) and world champions Ryan Boyle (Monroe, Connecticut – MT2) and Jill Walsh (Syracuse, New York – WT2) claimed a pair of championships. Four handcycle athletes raced to the top of the podium twice, including Barry Wilcox (West Jordan, Utah – MH1), two-time Paralympic champion in wheelchair basketball Travis Gaertner (Burien, Washington - MH4), Paralympic silver medalist Alicia Dana (Putney, Vermont) and eight-time Paralympic medalist Oksana Masters (Louisville, Kentucky - WH5).
On the men’s bicycles, Todd Key (Scottsdale, Arizona - MC1), Aaron Keith (Woodinville, Washington - MC2), four-time Paralympic medalist Joe Berenyi (Aurora, Illinois - MC3) and Nick Gibb (Boulder, Colorado - MC5) each earned the time trial and road race crowns. Four female athletes leave Knoxville as national champions in both events, including Rebecca Piper (Longmont, Colorado - WC2), two-time Paralympic medalist Jamie Whitmore (Somerset, California - WC3), two-time Paralympic champion Shawn Morelli (Meadville, Pennsylvania – WC4) and two-time Paralympic bronze medalist Samantha Bosco (Upland, California – WC5).
On the tandem, the pair of Chester Triplett (Mooresville, North Carolina) and his pilot Chad Bennett (Charlotte, North Carolina) return home with two national titles.
Full results from the 2019 USA Cycling Para-cycling Road National Championships can be found here.
Follow U.S. Paralympics Cycling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout the rest of the season leading up to the world championships.
Quotes
Ryan Pinney
“Hearing that Will (Groulx) and I are the only ones to win three gold medals and being in the same breath as him is shocking. That guy is a legend. Honestly, it brings tears to my eyes. It’s a long time coming. A lot of things over the past year coming up, like dedication and training. Knowing my family and my dad knew what goals I had and being able to accomplish them even through a ton of adversity is gratifying.
“Next for me will be the last world cup in Baie-Comeau, Canada, but I’m really looking to world championships in Emmen, Netherlands this year. I’m trying to represent the United States as best I can, get on the podium and hopefully take home a world championship. Winning nationals is just one step in the goal, and now let’s go get a rainbow jersey.”
Jill Walsh
“The racing felt really good this weekend. I had a tough start to the year - I had a surgery and I was sick - so I’m happy. Very happy. Looking ahead, hopefully I go to our third world cup in Baie-Comeau, Canada, and then the world championships in the Netherlands, so hopefully I can keep some rainbows.”
Time Trial National Champions
Men's T1: Ryan Sykes (Grass Valley, Calif.)
Men's T2: Ryan Boyle (Monroe, Conn.)
Women's T2: Jill Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Men's H1: Barry Wilcox (West Jordan, Utah)
Men's H2: Will Groulx ((Portland, Ore.)
Men's H3: Ryan Pinney (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Men's H4: Travis Gaertner (Burien, Wash.)
Men's H5: Freddie de los Santos (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.)
Women's H3: Alicia Dana (Putney, Vt.)
Women’s H5: Oksana Masters (Louisville, Ky.)
Men's C1: Todd Key (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Men's C2: Aaron Keith (Woodinville, Wash.)
Men's C3: Joe Berenyi (Aurora, Ill.)
Men's C4: Cody Jung (Poway, Calif.)
Men's C5: Nick Gibb (Boulder, Colo.)
Women's C2: Rebecca Piper (Longmont, Colo.)
Women's C3: Jamie Whitmore (Somerset, Calif.)
Women's C4: Shawn Morelli (Meadville, Penn.)
Women's C5: Sam Bosco (Upland, Calif.)
Men's tandem: Chester Triplett (Mooresville, N.C.) and pilot Chad Bennett (Charlotte, N.C.)
Women's tandem: Stephanie Zundel (Hampton, N.J.) and pilot Jenna Cheyenne Meyer (Austin, Texas)
Road Race National Champions
Men's T1: Ryan Sykes (Grass Valley, Calif.)
Men's T2: Ryan Boyle (Monroe, Conn.)
Women's T2: Jill Walsh (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Men's H1: Barry Wilcox (West Jordan, Utah)
Men's H2: Will Groulx ((Portland, Ore.)
Men's H3: Ryan Pinney (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Men's H4: Travis Gaertner (Burien, Wash.)
Men's H5: Solomon Revils (Chesapeake, Va.)
Women's H3: Alicia Dana (Putney, Vt.)
Women’s H4: Ryen Reed (Riverside, Calif.)
Women’s H5: Oksana Masters (Louisville, Ky.)
Men's C1: Todd Key (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Men's C2: Aaron Keith (Woodinville, Wash.)
Men's C3: Joe Berenyi (Aurora, Ill.)
Men's C4: Noah Middlestaedt (Saint Cloud, Minn.)
Men's C5: Nick Gibb (Boulder, Colo.)
Women's C2: Rebecca Piper (Longmont, Colo.)
Women's C3: Jamie Whitmore (Somerset, Calif.)
Women's C4: Shawn Morelli (Meadville, Penn.)
Women's C5: Sam Bosco (Upland, Calif.)
Men's tandem: Chester Triplett (Mooresville, N.C.) and pilot Chad Bennett (Charlotte, N.C.)
Women's tandem: Kristin Fleschner (Arlington, Va.) and Carolyn Defoore (Austin, Texas)
For more information, please contact Olivia Truby, U.S. Paralympics, at Olivia.Truby@usoc.org or +1 920-428-1700.
