It was a big week for
Felt-sponsored athletes at the
Pan American Track Championships in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Athletes from three different nations rode Felt bikes to medals, including gold for
Njisane Phillip of Trinidad and Tobago and the
Project London 2012 team sprint squad from the U.S.
Phillip, who rode his
Felt TK1 and set a PanAm 200m record in qualifying, took a huge step forward in his dream to race the
2012 London Olympics when he beat rival Hersony Canelon from Venezuela to take the
match sprint gold. It was the first time Phillip has beat Canelon, and he did it in two straight in the best-of-three format.
Also scoring gold in Argentina was the Project London 2012 team of
Jimmy Watkins, Kevin Mansker and Michael Blatchford in the team sprint event. That win, over second-place Canada, which includes Felt athlete
Travis Smith, and third-place Argentina, gave the USA some valuable points toward Olympic qualification. Mansker also went on to take a silver medal in the Kilometer TT.
“We accomplished what we came here to do, and that was to gain points on Venezuela in the team sprint,” explained USA Cycling Sprint Track Program Director Jamie Staff. “Next, it’s straight back into training for the World Championships, which are in a month’s time.”
In other track news, Exergy2012 athlete Jennifer Valente took brozee in the Women's Scratch Race, as well as bronze in the Women's Team Pursuit along with teammate Cari Higgins. Last but certainly not least, Jen and Cari's new teammate, Rhae Shaw, grabbed a silver medal in the women's road race.