Cycling
UCSD cycling came into this season hoping to rebuild after losing many experienced riders from last year’s squad. Despite being forced to use several first-year riders, UCSD made this season successful both in rebuilding and racing.
The team got off to the right start, winning both of its home races and taking second in both of San Diego State University’s races. UCSD enjoyed 11 outright victories at these races early in the season.
However, as the year continued, UCSD saw the competition grow tougher as the team fell out of the first-place position it had earned during the season’s first two weeks. UCSD took fifth and sixth place in two races hosted by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, respectively, second place during a weekend at UCLA, and fourth place in a trip to UC Berkeley.
When regionals rolled around, UCSD stood in fifth place. Matt Sadauckas established himself as the leader of the cycling team, with rookie Geoff Rapoport racing along side him in Cat A. On the women’s side, tri-athlete Esther Merki and rookies Ramlah Nehring and Megan Wemmer represented UCSD in Cat A.
UCSD took fourth place in the road race and in criterium at the regionals.
Individually, Sadauckas was forced to complete the men’s A criterium race on a replacement bike after wrecking his main bike. He managed to take third place. Rapoport finished in sixth place.
The women’s A criterium proved to be competitive, and Nehring placed ninth. Merki and Wemmer were closely behind Nehring and took 11th and 14th place, respectively.
On the second day of regionals, Sadauckas got off to a quick start in the road race and was riding alone off the front of the main field. Impressively, Rapoport caught up to Sadauckas and the two crossed the finish line together in first place. For the women, Nehring, Merki and Wemmer finished eighth, 11th and 13th, respectively, in their road race.
Despite being able to take a complete team to nationals, four individuals qualified on individual merit: Sadauckas, Rapoport, Nehring and Resor, who proved to be the women’s top Cat A racer during the regular season but missed the regionals due to other responsibilities.
Although the four UCSD athletes were unable to earn points in the team-time-trial event, they managed a 12th place finish out of the 55 competing teams. Sadauckas earned sixth place in the criterium, second in the road race, and he became the third-place collegiate rider in the nation, earning All-America status.
The team is losing several riders this year, including Sadauckas and Merki. UCSD is hoping a strong returning core and committed riders in the lower categories will contribute to a solid team next year and a return trip to the nationals.
— Compiled by Anu Kumar
Associate Sports Editor