Coryn Labecki returned to her US roots of criterium racing this week, lining up on the opening spherical of USA Speed Week in Greenville, South Carolina “to honour the jersey that I received final summer time”. There had been no parade laps, simply full-on, high-speed racing for 50 laps, the stars-and-stripes jersey on show for the primary time in 10 months.
Labecki used the Greenville Cycling Classic as her coming-out-party for the nationwide jersey, having received the elite ladies’s criterium nationwide title final June on the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships, holding off two-time crit champion Kendall Ryan (L39ION of Los Angeles). It was a staggering 73rd nationwide title of her profession, throughout junior and elite divisions in a number of disciplines.
Since she received the nationwide criterium in Knoxville, Tennessee final 12 months, she’s raced completely in Europe and has by no means worn the highest prize in a race. So participation in Speed Week was the excuse she wanted after the spring Classics and a visit residence.
“[I’m here] to honour the jersey that I received final summer time. I made a decision to do some criteriums earlier than Nationals, and actually this was the one time that match completely with my European schedule,” Labecki advised Cyclingnews in Greenville.
“So I made a decision to come back down and have some enjoyable and exhibit the jersey a bit bit whereas I can.”
A complete of 18 highway champions might be determined at USA Cycling Pro Road Championships from May 14 to 19 in Charleston, West Virginia, with all programs situated within the downtown space.
Labecki solely has three extra weeks to parade the red-white-and-blue equipment on the short-lap races, as the subsequent US Pro Criterium nationals for elite ladies happen May 16. New for 2024 might be separate races for U23 ladies within the criterium and particular person time trial; the U23 highway race champion will proceed to be determined in a mixed area with elite ladies.
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“I grew up racing crits; that’s how I discovered my race craft. It doesn’t matter what the course is, so long as there’s a end line, my aim is to get there first or to get my crew there first,” she advised Cyclingnews previous to her win in Knoxville final 12 months.
The previous six editions of the US Pro Road Championships have been held in Tennessee in June, and the California native participated yearly, profitable the highway race title in 2018, and final 12 months took a fourth silver medal within the highway race on the Knoxville venue.
She plans to race all three occasions for elite ladies this 12 months, which she has not all the time finished since that is an Olympic Games 12 months and the winner of the person time trial receives an computerized berth for the Paris Games. At the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, she was the highest US rider within the highway race in seventh place.
“I’m doing all three occasions, and the time trial being the Olympic qualifier. The crit I like to do as a result of it is enjoyable, after which the highway race is simply the place my coronary heart lies. So yeah, I’m doing all three, it is near residence now,” she mentioned about West Virginia’s shut proximity to her new residence base on the east coast.
“I really reside in Pennsylvania now, so I suppose you might say I’m an East coaster. My coronary heart nonetheless lies within the on the West Coast, however having fun with life out right here within the East.”
It was a simple option to make the journey down the backbone of the Appalachians to the foothills in South Carolina for the primary two races of Speed Week, and he or she’ll keep for different races in Georgia as nicely.
“Funny sufficient, I’ve by no means raced Speed Week earlier than, so it’s all new for me,” she mentioned in Greenville, and he or she was happy Thursday evening when she completed eighth, a part of a gaggle of prime contenders who all missed a three-rider breakaway received by Kaitlyn Rauwerda (DNA Pro Cycling). She was overwhelmed to the road by L39ION of Los Angeles duo Alexis Magner and Ryan (fourth and seventh, respectively) and Skylar Schneider (Miami Blazers).
In her eleventh professional highway season, this 12 months driving with the US Continental-level EF Education-Cannondale squad. The former Tour of Flanders winner had 9 begins at this 12 months’s spring Classics, driving aggressively at each Paris-Roubaix Femmes and De Brabantse Pijl in assist of teammates, however seems to be for her first victory within the pink colors of EF Education in West Virginia.
And in contrast to previous years when she rode solo at nationals driving for European-based commerce groups, she’s mentioned she’s wanting ahead to having a sizeable crew round her this time.
“So yeah, we’re additionally an American crew. So it will likely be a giant aim for us to win one, or three, nationwide championships. And, we simply obtained into the Tour de France, in order that’s going to be a giant aim of ours. Hopefully, I’ll get a stage win.”
The rapid want for velocity was throughout a area the place inventory automotive racing and school soccer seize a lot of the sports activities headlines within the giant markets, however for now Speed Week will steal a bit of the highlight with eight days of racing in 11 days.
Beginning with Greenville Cycling Classic, Speed Week provides prize cash for women and men, whether or not people or on groups, which totals $86,000. Three of the occasions – Spartanburg Criterium, the Athens Twilight Criterium and LaGrange Classic – may also be a part of USA Crits, which provides a crew competitors throughout six occasions of $76,800.