Carmen Small (Specialized-Lululemon) riding in her National Champ kit(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Silver medallist in 2012, Evelyn Stevens (United States), was fourth this year(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Women's leader Mara Abbott (UnitedHealthcare) put in a solid time trial(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Alison Tetrick (TWENTY 16) rounded out the top ten for the women.(Image credit: Epic Images)
Many of the fastest time trialists in the nation will be on the start line at the USA Cycling professional time trial championships held on Saturday, May 24 in Chattanooga, TN, outside the factory of title sponsor Volkswagen.
Many of the women who will be competing in the time trial had an opportunity to race against one another at the Tour of California time trial held on May 12 in Folsom. Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) won that 20.1km course ahead of Brianne Walle and Jade Wilcoxson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Tayler Wiles (Specialized-lululemon).
Defending time trial champion, Carmen Small (Specialized-lululemon) won the Tour of California's circuit race, however, she ended up finishing seventh during the time trial, losing just over a minute to Powers.
Other riders to watch are former champion Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon) Alison Tetrick and Amber Gaffney (Twenty16 Pro Cycling), Robin Farina (Spy Giant Ride p/b MRI) and Mara Abbott (UnitedHealthcare), among others.
Racers will have one hour to warm up on the time trial course prior to the start of the professional races. The first rider from the professional and Cat 1/2 women's category will start at 11:00 am.
Riders will complete two laps of a 15.4km circuit, totaling roughly 30.9km. They will leave the starting ramp and travel along Volkswagen Dr, enter a roundabout and veer right onto Discovery Rd. They will then take a hard righthand turn onto Hickory Valley Rd, which will sweep to the left and then to the right toward the first turnaround point. Riders will make their way back through the start-finish line on Volkswagen Rd and continue on to the second turnaround point before returning to the finish line.
It is expected to be a fast course off the starting ramp and mainly rolling downhill and flat, however, the most challenging part of the course will be after the first turnaround, where the course undulates predominantly uphill on the way back to the start-finish line.
After the time trial, USA Cycling professional road championships will continue on Monday, May 26 with a road race in Chattanooga.
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Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
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