Bobby Lea Sets Sights On Olympic Track Berth
0 Comments Published by Unknown on Sunday, June 17, 2007 at 8:32 PM.
Bobby Lea’s quest to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing began Friday night in the venue known as the “Track Cycling Capital of the World,” the Lehigh Valley Velodrome in Trexlertown, Penn.
Over the next three-and-a-half months, Lea will become very familiar with the 333.3-meter concrete track and its 28-degree banked turns as he attempts to gain enough points to make the United States Olympic team in the points and Madison races.
“It’s no secret that it’s less competitive to make the Olympic team on the track than on the road,” Lea said. “For someone like me, track is by far my best shot. I know that if it is something I want to do, I have to get it done now, then I can switch over to road racing full-time.”
Lea has the opportunity to compete in seven Union Cycliste Internationale events this season, the most of any velodrome in the world. During UCI-sanctioned events, riders accumulate points for the world championship and toward qualifying for the Olympic Games. Because of this, more than a dozen top international riders are spending the summer in Trexlertown.
Since he started racing at Lehigh Valley (at the age of eight) in 1991, Lea has won seven elite national championships, five national titles as a junior and 30 National Collegiate Cycling Association national track titles. But adding to those victories seemed questionable this spring when Lea underwent surgery to repair arteries in his legs.
The Easton, M.D., native had been experiencing problems with blood flow to his legs while pedaling with maximum effort during competition and training. An examination revealed constriction of the external iliac artery in both legs. Surgeons at the University of Virginia Medical Center placed a patch inside each artery to act as a wedge and open the artery back up to its proper size.
After extensive rehabilitation following the March 8 surgery, Lea was back on the bike in a few weeks and racing again by the last week of April.
“The first couple of weeks back were tough,” he said, “but I am definitely stronger than what I was before the surgery.”
Lea surprised even himself with a win at the Leonardtown Criterium on May 20 and raced impressively at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic earlier this month.
The two events Lea has his sights on for the Olympics are similar. In the Madison, he will pair with another rider to compete for points during sprint laps. The event is a variation of the points race – Lea’s other main discipline – in which points are awarded to the first five finishers of sprints that occur periodically throughout the race.
Even though his primary goal is to compile UCI points toward an Olympic qualifying spot, Lea will split his time between the track and road racing.
Sunday was a prime example of the demands he will face. After finishing third in the 30 km points race and fifth in the 15 km scratch race Friday night, Lea was racing early the next afternoon in the Crystal City Classic criterium in Arlington, Va.
“I rode the first 45 kilometers sitting in, just trying to find my legs,” Lea said.
After working his way into three different breakaways – the last of which was caught with two laps to go – Lea finished 19th.
Over the next three-and-a-half months, Lea will become very familiar with the 333.3-meter concrete track and its 28-degree banked turns as he attempts to gain enough points to make the United States Olympic team in the points and Madison races.
“It’s no secret that it’s less competitive to make the Olympic team on the track than on the road,” Lea said. “For someone like me, track is by far my best shot. I know that if it is something I want to do, I have to get it done now, then I can switch over to road racing full-time.”Lea has the opportunity to compete in seven Union Cycliste Internationale events this season, the most of any velodrome in the world. During UCI-sanctioned events, riders accumulate points for the world championship and toward qualifying for the Olympic Games. Because of this, more than a dozen top international riders are spending the summer in Trexlertown.
Since he started racing at Lehigh Valley (at the age of eight) in 1991, Lea has won seven elite national championships, five national titles as a junior and 30 National Collegiate Cycling Association national track titles. But adding to those victories seemed questionable this spring when Lea underwent surgery to repair arteries in his legs.
The Easton, M.D., native had been experiencing problems with blood flow to his legs while pedaling with maximum effort during competition and training. An examination revealed constriction of the external iliac artery in both legs. Surgeons at the University of Virginia Medical Center placed a patch inside each artery to act as a wedge and open the artery back up to its proper size.
After extensive rehabilitation following the March 8 surgery, Lea was back on the bike in a few weeks and racing again by the last week of April.
“The first couple of weeks back were tough,” he said, “but I am definitely stronger than what I was before the surgery.”
Lea surprised even himself with a win at the Leonardtown Criterium on May 20 and raced impressively at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic earlier this month.
The two events Lea has his sights on for the Olympics are similar. In the Madison, he will pair with another rider to compete for points during sprint laps. The event is a variation of the points race – Lea’s other main discipline – in which points are awarded to the first five finishers of sprints that occur periodically throughout the race.
Even though his primary goal is to compile UCI points toward an Olympic qualifying spot, Lea will split his time between the track and road racing.
Sunday was a prime example of the demands he will face. After finishing third in the 30 km points race and fifth in the 15 km scratch race Friday night, Lea was racing early the next afternoon in the Crystal City Classic criterium in Arlington, Va.
“I rode the first 45 kilometers sitting in, just trying to find my legs,” Lea said.
After working his way into three different breakaways – the last of which was caught with two laps to go – Lea finished 19th.
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