Thursday, October 12
Zirconia, NC
Liberty University Club Sports
at
National Championship
Sophomore Hadden Beykirch rebounded from a bad crash and an 85th-place finish in the cross country race to place 21st in the short-track race at the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Biking National Championships.
Trio of mountain bikers compete as team for first time at USA Cycling Nationals in N.C.
10/17/2023 12:15:00 PM | Cycling
Sophomores Hadden Beykirch and James Povolny and freshman Leif Henriksen represented the Flames at nationals for the first time.
For the first time in the eight-year history of Liberty University's cycling program, which has primarily competed in road cycling events in the spring, the Flames entered a trio of mountain bikers in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships, held this past Friday and Saturday at Ride Rock Creek, N.C.
"It was a good experience," Head Coach Timo Budarz said. "In mountain biking, it's not necessarily the case that the strongest man wins. To win at an event like this took extremely good technique and a monster engine. Anyone could be taken down by the terrain and the technical balance, which is 50-50 in mountain biking."
Rain the day before Friday's cross-country race made the course slippery, especially in a stretch known as the rock garden near the end of the 2.2-mile loop course.
"That was a big factor as it continued to get slicker … and it served as a pinch point marred by crashes," Liberty Assistant Coach Alex Winnicki said. "The course started with an all-out five-minute climb before plunging down some steep off-camber turns, twisting the riders through some roots and tight turns before dropping them out at the rock garden before the straightaway finish."
"The course was pretty brutal in some places," Budarz added. "There were some slippery rocks and roots that took a lot of people down and the rock garden area was pretty treacherous to watch."
Sophomore James Povolny placed 36th in Friday's cross country race with an average lap speed of 14 minutes, 6.4 seconds. He was followed by freshmen Leif Henriksen (75th, 15:22.3/lap) and sophomore Hadden Beykirch, who came in last in 85th place after he crashed in the rock garden and landed face-first on a rock on the second of seven laps after completing the first in 13:33.1.
"I missed my line and went head-first into the rock garden (on Friday), so I'm just grateful that I was able to go out and race today," Beykirch said Saturday, noting that he was cleared to race by medical personnel who tested him for a possible concussion.
In Saturday's short-track event, Beykirch came in 21st with an average lap time of 3:48.8 on the 0.9-mile loop course.
"He bounced back really well," Winnicki said.
Povolny crossed the finish line 51st after making up 20 positions following a crash caused by a King (Tenn.) University rider's dangerous pass attempt on the first lap that relegated him to last place.
"I was right behind him and it looked liked it hurt," Beykirch said. "They were going fast."
He was able to avoid the accident and complete seven laps in the 25-plus minute race.
"This one had one climb and a little fire road descent, so there was a decent amount of climbing, but it was a lot of fun," Beykirch said.
"There were some good moments, some bad moments, and it was a net-positive trip with lots of lessons learned," Beykirch said. "This was definitely a really good race season for building for next year, when we should have a really successful off-road team."
Henriksen placed 67th after getting caught in a massive pileup at the start of the race that Beykirch and Povolny were able to avoid.
"Leif had a great weekend learning and developing as a rider," Winnicki said. "He was brought along to help his race skills and to experience nationals and has grown a lot this year."
Beykirch is looking forward to the spring road racing season, as well as his return to mountain bike racing on the UCI circuit which will take him all over North America and around the world, starting in Puerto Rico in February and continuing through September with races from North Carolina to Arkansas, California, Utah, and up to Canada.
"I am planning on racing both road and mountain biking next year, so it will be quite busy and fun," he said. "I have not raced much on the road at all, as races are not very accessible where I'm from (Utah), so I'm very excited."
He noted that his goal for the 2024 UCI season is to earn enough international or UCI points by next August to qualify to race on the World Cup circuit, with one set for September in Snowshoe, W.Va., and others held around the world.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Alex Winnicki
"It was a good experience," Head Coach Timo Budarz said. "In mountain biking, it's not necessarily the case that the strongest man wins. To win at an event like this took extremely good technique and a monster engine. Anyone could be taken down by the terrain and the technical balance, which is 50-50 in mountain biking."
Rain the day before Friday's cross-country race made the course slippery, especially in a stretch known as the rock garden near the end of the 2.2-mile loop course.
"That was a big factor as it continued to get slicker … and it served as a pinch point marred by crashes," Liberty Assistant Coach Alex Winnicki said. "The course started with an all-out five-minute climb before plunging down some steep off-camber turns, twisting the riders through some roots and tight turns before dropping them out at the rock garden before the straightaway finish."
"The course was pretty brutal in some places," Budarz added. "There were some slippery rocks and roots that took a lot of people down and the rock garden area was pretty treacherous to watch."
Sophomore James Povolny placed 36th in Friday's cross country race with an average lap speed of 14 minutes, 6.4 seconds. He was followed by freshmen Leif Henriksen (75th, 15:22.3/lap) and sophomore Hadden Beykirch, who came in last in 85th place after he crashed in the rock garden and landed face-first on a rock on the second of seven laps after completing the first in 13:33.1.
"I missed my line and went head-first into the rock garden (on Friday), so I'm just grateful that I was able to go out and race today," Beykirch said Saturday, noting that he was cleared to race by medical personnel who tested him for a possible concussion.
In Saturday's short-track event, Beykirch came in 21st with an average lap time of 3:48.8 on the 0.9-mile loop course.
"He bounced back really well," Winnicki said.
Povolny crossed the finish line 51st after making up 20 positions following a crash caused by a King (Tenn.) University rider's dangerous pass attempt on the first lap that relegated him to last place.
"I was right behind him and it looked liked it hurt," Beykirch said. "They were going fast."
He was able to avoid the accident and complete seven laps in the 25-plus minute race.
"This one had one climb and a little fire road descent, so there was a decent amount of climbing, but it was a lot of fun," Beykirch said.
"There were some good moments, some bad moments, and it was a net-positive trip with lots of lessons learned," Beykirch said. "This was definitely a really good race season for building for next year, when we should have a really successful off-road team."
Henriksen placed 67th after getting caught in a massive pileup at the start of the race that Beykirch and Povolny were able to avoid.
"Leif had a great weekend learning and developing as a rider," Winnicki said. "He was brought along to help his race skills and to experience nationals and has grown a lot this year."
Beykirch is looking forward to the spring road racing season, as well as his return to mountain bike racing on the UCI circuit which will take him all over North America and around the world, starting in Puerto Rico in February and continuing through September with races from North Carolina to Arkansas, California, Utah, and up to Canada.
"I am planning on racing both road and mountain biking next year, so it will be quite busy and fun," he said. "I have not raced much on the road at all, as races are not very accessible where I'm from (Utah), so I'm very excited."
He noted that his goal for the 2024 UCI season is to earn enough international or UCI points by next August to qualify to race on the World Cup circuit, with one set for September in Snowshoe, W.Va., and others held around the world.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Alex Winnicki
Players Mentioned
/ Cycling
/ Cycling
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