Driscoll, Swart win Collegiate National Champ jerseys in Fort Collins

Ever wonder how tough Collegiate racing is? Check out the winners in the Div. 1 road race at the USA Cycling National Road Race Championships this weekend in Colorado:

Jamey Driscoll, the Cyclocrossworld/Cannondale rider who finished second to Ryan Trebon (Kona) and ahead of a host of seasoned pros at the Cyclocross National Championships this past fall in Kansas, won the Men's 1 road race for the University of Vermont. Carla Swart, the Lip Smackers pro who also recently won the criterium stage of the Gila in new Mexico, took yet another stars-and-stripes jersey Friday with her win the Women's 1 event for Lees-McRae.

USA Cycling Junior National Team rider Adam Leibovitz (Marian College), who came close to winning a stage race in Belgium last month with the USA team, finished third in the men's race behind Driscoll's Vermont teammate William Dugan, who won the Collegiate Cyclocross National Championship last December. Portland-based pro team Land Rover-ORBEA rider Bobby Sweeting finished fourth for the University of Florida.

Swart finished ahead of Harvard's Anna McLoon and Team Type 1 pro Jacquelyn Crowell (University of Florida). Specialized Designs for Women mountain bike pro Melanie Meyers and Luna Womens MTB Team pro Chloe Forsman finished fourth and fifth for the University of Arizona.

Former OBRA rider Ally Stacher, who now rides for Kenda and is Swart's Lees-McRae teammate, made it into the nine-person break that defined the race.

By sheer force of numbers, Washington's Whitman College, whose riders are occasionally seen in the Oregon peloton, took control of the Div. II team standings after the first of two days of racing.

Last year’s defending Div. 1 team overall road champion, Lees-McRae College, used a balanced attack by both its men and women to take the early lead in the team omnium standings. With the team battle heating up, racing will continue on Saturday morning with the men’s and women’s criteriums in Old Town Fort Collins.

Division I Men’s Road Race
1. Jamey Driscoll (University of Vermont) 2:52:47
2. William Dugan (University of Vermont) 2:53:31
3. Adam Leibovitz (Marian College) 2:53:34
4. Bobby Sweeting (University of Florida) 2:53:35
5. Rotem Ishay (Fort Lewis College) 2:53:35

Division I Women’s Road Race
1. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae) 2:28:21
2. Anna McLoon (Harvard University) 2:28:24
3. Jacquelyn Crowell (University of Florida) 2:28:47
4. Melanie Meyers (University of Arizona) 2:28:56
5. Chloe Forsman (University of Arizona) 2:29:26