Lea and Hall grab omnium leads on opening day of Nationals

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The 2011 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships opened Wednesday with a flying start at the Velodrome at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

The first event of the men's and women's omnium, the flying lap, filled the morning session. In the afternoon, the riders contested the points and elimination races. After the three events, Bobby Lea (Pure Energy Cycling-ProAirHFA) and Lauren Hall (Colavita-Forno d'Asolo) lead the men's and women's omniums, respectively.

Lea's lead in the men's omnium is only three points on James Carney (Rideclean p/b Patentit.com) and four points on Cody O'Reilly (Full Circle Sports) with three events remaining.

Lea won the flying lap, placed second in the elimination race and third in the points race. Hall won the points and elimination races while placing sixth in the flying lap. Hall holds a one-point lead on Colleen Hayduk (RIDECLEAN p/b Patentit.com) while Elizabeth Newell (Fremont Bank Cycling Team) is only two points behind Hall.

The Flying Lap, saving the best to last

The winner of the men's and women's flying lap were the penultimate riders to hit the track. Lea bested a field of 19 men in the 250-meter flying lap with a time of 13.666 seconds. O'Reilly was in second place with a time of 13.827. Charles Huff (Mercy Cycling Team) posted a 13.839 to place third while Carney finished fourth with a time of 14.127. Kit Karzen (VRC-NOW-MS Society) rounded out the top five with a time of 14.133.

In the women's session, Hanan Alves-Hyde (RIDECLEAN/RideClean p/b PatentIt.com) topped the 10-rider field with a time of 15.340 seconds.

Points Race

O'Reilly collected 32 points during the men's 30-kilometer points race. O'Reilly, who lapped the field, came on strong through the midpoint of the race, finishing in the top three of each of the four middle sprints.

Hall won the women's 20-kilometer points race after collecting 19 points. Hall took points in seven of the eight sprints, including winning two of the last four. Newell placed second with 18 points after recording points in six sprints, including a pair of wins.

Elimination Race

In the final contest of the day, Carney outlasted Lea to win the men's elimination race. As the field shrunk to two riders, Lea was pulling Carney. Going into the last turn, the two were stuck together, before Carney attacked from behind Lea to narrowly edge him at the finish line.

Meanwhile in the women's race Hall emerged victorious after her own late attack held off Hayduk's chase in fast paced women's elimination.